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Reviews
Flight of the Phoenix (2004)
Doesn't hold a candle to the original (SPOILERS INCLUDED)
I started watching this movie because I am a great fan of the original version starring James Stewart, Richard Attenborough, etc. Sometimes remakes are OK, but this one doesn't even come close to the original. It sticks very close to the original script-wise, and it's got much better special effects, especially during the plane crash sequence. But this movie doesn't have any of the suspense of the original, by the end of this version of the movie I couldn't have cared less if they get the remade plane flying or not. There is no depth to any of the characters, they are like paper cut-outs just going through the motions of a movie. During the original, we were able to learn a lot more about the past-lives of the crew/passengers. What is also missing is the tension between the survivors, I mean we know that there are certain characters who don't get along with other survivors, but there is just no depth to the tension. Dennis Quaid doesn't hold a candle to James Stewart as the captain, and I know Dennis Quaid is a much better actor than this movie portrays.
I'm giving this movie a 3 out of 10, the 3 being mainly for the crash sequence. You are better off seeing the original version, it is far, far better.
I, Robot (2004)
I, Bored
I love movies of this genre ("AI: Artificial Intelligence" being the first one that comes to mind, as well as "Bicentennial Man") but this movie just left me flat.
Will Smith plays, well, Will Smith, reminding me of his acting in "Men in Black." Smart comments, little puns and double entendres, etc. etc. I thought Bridget Moynahan's character was weak, offering little in the way of explanations, unless it's because I was so bored and paying little attention in general.
The graphics (robots, CGI, action sequences, and yes, the final 20 exciting minutes) were superbly done, but personally I was glad the film was over. I had the plot figured out pretty much right away, and getting to that point just seemed to take forever. I didn't feel any attachment or feelings towards the characters, I don't think any of the human characters (Smith, Moynahan, and Adrian Ricard as Smith's grandmother) were developed enough to actually feel any compassion or that rooting-for-the-good-guy feeling.
All in all, not a complete waste, but surely not what Asimov had in mind when he wrote his stories. I give this movie 4 starts specifically for the CGI effects alone.
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000)
It's my new very favorite show
I guess I'm kind of a latecomer to "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," since I saw "CSI" Miami" before I ever saw this Las Vegas-based show which started the "CSI" trend. Now I'm absolutely addicted to the reruns of this show that I'm catching on Spike TV here in the US. I have always been a fan of the A&E channel and shows like "Forensics Files" and "Cold Case Files," but never thought that a series of this genre would appeal to me. I think it's the combination of a great cast, very informative and precise forensics, and dialog that is often quite witty; this keeps the show from becoming too pedantic and dry. Yes, it is gruesome, but the show never cringes from it's subject matter, and hits issues like child molestation, drug use and sexual promiscuity (among many others) head-on and with no apologies. It's been a long time since I've actually waited eagerly throughout a day for a TV show to come on. I'm glad it's still on, this means I have four years of reruns plus a new season to catch up on. I'm a little late catching up to the bandwagon but it's well worth it.
Dark Asylum (2001)
Pretty darn entertaining
I saw this movie really late at night and didn't really have high hopes for it, but it turned out to be very entertaining.
Larry Drake did a *great* job as the deranged lunatic; I must admit he scared the bejesus out of me. His eyes totally creeped me out. Paulina Porizkova was surprisingly effective as the psychiatrist who the Trasher (Drake) was after. Judd Nelson, to me, was the highlight of the whole movie, he had some killer lines which just cracked me up. *SPOILER ALERT* When Paulina and Judd Nelson (Quitz) were trying to confuse the Trasher (Drake) (over walkie-talkies) in regards to the synchronization of the locks in order to get out of the asylum, they didn't get an answer back from the Trasher right away and Judd Nelson said "Maybe you confused him to death." I know, you had to see the movie to appreciate the line, but I got a real kick out of it. *END OF SPOILER ALERT*
The movie was non-stop, there was action the whole time.....I cannot stand a movie that lags and drags and makes you start looking at the clock. The Trasher (Drake) was pretty darn persistent, and that's an understatement.
Take a look at this movie if you get a chance. I don't agree with the people who said it was the worst movie they'd ever seen. It's not the best movie I've ever seen, but it was surprisingly good. Definitely worth your time to watch it.
Crashbox (1999)
Wild show!
This is a really wild show. My nine-year-old daughter loves it. It's kind of a cross between "Pee Wee's Playhouse" and "Sesame Street," except that it leans more towards third to, I'd say, seventh graders. One half-hour show contains a few little episodes, each one with unique ways of teaching a child new words, spelling, history facts, etc.; each one is done in a combination of animation (stop-action, not cartoon-style), live action, and puppetry. The ideas are very clever, and each one is a novelty in expressing ways of teaching children without resorting to a "teachy" style. It's very hard to explain this show, two of my daughter's favorite skits are "The Revolting Slob" and "Mugshots," to give you an idea. The busy-ness of the skits tend to wear thin for an adult after awhile, I find the teaching methods very, very good but the over-abundance of "things" going on on screen to be kind of distracting after a short time.
I would recommend this show to any parent who wants their child to learn something from a show that doesn't talk down to kids. The innovation is very refreshing.
Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd (2003)
Stupid and Stupidest
Very rarely do I see a movie that totally disgusts me, and this movie did just that. The original "Dumb and Dumber" was funny because Daniels and Carrey weren't trying to act as stupid as possible, their characters were just dumb and didn't realize it.
In this "film," (and I use the term loosely) the poop jokes abound, the characters are just plain stupid, and nothing is funny. Cheri Oteri and Eugene Levy look like they wish they were somewhere else the whole time, as does Luis Guzman as Lloyd's father. The actors who play Harry and Lloyd just try too hard and the whole movie falls flat. And I can't even remember what the "plot" was about. Who dragged Bob Saget into this thing? Was it just so he could say sh*t during every scene he was in?
This "prequel" should have been forgotten about altogether. We didn't need to see how Harry met Lloyd, it was a lot funnier meeting up with them in adulthood and going from there.
I'm giving this movie absolutely no stars at all because there isn't a single redeeming quality about the movie, period.
Resident Evil: Code: Veronica (2000)
Ugh
This game is almost impossible to see unless you're in a completely darkened room, it's slow, slow, SLOW.....it takes forever for something to "happen" and when it does it wasn't even worth the wait. I find the killing of animals disturbing, too, even though I know it's a game. I see no redeeming qualities in this game whatsoever. Kids under the age of 12 or 13 should not be allowed to play this at all. Adults shouldn't be subjected to this either, for that matter. We paid $40 for this travesty, it has 2 disks in it (WHY?!) and every time my son plays the darn thing I make sure I'm as far away as possible. Controlling your character is next to impossible, also, what's the deal with that? It takes a good 15 or 20 minutes to get used to moving around and by that time you've probably gotten eaten by something. Save your money and buy something a little more exciting.
Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003)
Are you a Mexi-CAN or a Mexi-CAN'T?
This movie ROCKS. Robert Rodriguez has started a nice little institution with his Mariachi films, and for those of us who ARE die-hard fans, it's a real treat. It's cool to see the same people (Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Danny Trujillo, Tito Larriva, Cheech Marin) but with a lot more new faces thrown in, and a kick-ass plot that never stops. Rodriguez has definitely improved on the sets, photography, special effects, and Johnny Depp's character absolutely cracked me up. I have not seen a movie in a long time that made me actually want to stay glued to my seat and not miss a thing. The only problem I had (and it's a small one) is Enrique Iglesias, what is up with his part? I understand El Mariachi (humorously referred to by Johnny Depp as "El") having his buddies with him but Iglesias' acting is weak and doesn't add anything to the action, IMHO.
Putting that aside, however, I would recommend this movie highly and give it a 10 out of 10 stars.
Blade II (2002)
Blows the first "Blade" away
I love this movie. Every time it's on TV I catch it, it's a treat for the eyes, in my opinion. Reading some of the comments from other viewers, I agree that the story is a bit flimsy but it's the action and special effects that make this movie entertaining.
Wesley Snipes is in top form, as he was in the original "Blade," but he's a bit more polished than in the previous movie. This movie is less about his background and the conflicts with other "regular" vampires, than it is about his efforts to aid the vampires in destroying "their" enemies, which are not human.
Luke Goss is astoundingly creepy as Jared Nomak, who seems to have a problem with vampires and humans alike. *SPOILER AHEAD* - - the scene where Daywalker (Wesley Snipes) finally confronts Nomak is one of the best fight scenes in the movie, second only to the fight scene towards the beginning with Daywalker and the two vampires who come to ask for his help.
Kris Kristofferson is his usual crusty self, providing Snipes with a bit of conversation and being his guardian angel (okay, that's a bit ironic).
So it's not a movie to watch for compelling dialogue or moving, emotional scenes, but it grabs you and keeps you watching until the end. The action is practically non-stop and the makeup and special effects are awesome.
I give it 8 out of 10 stars!
Léon (1994)
Besson's Best
We watched this last night and even though I've seen it at least ten times it never ceases to amaze me.
Besson has taken the typical "lone assassin on the move" movie and made it into something ethereal. Jean Reno's Leon and Natalie Portman's Mathilda are absolutely flawless together. The best scene between them IMHO (without giving it away) is the guessing game they play together. We are really able to see Leon's heart melting as he and this girl become closer and closer, and he doesn't allow the relationship with her to change or alter hardly any of the lifestyle he is accustomed to.
Gary Oldman (has this man gotten an Oscar? If not, WHY????) is his usual wonderful, psychotic, static self. Every scene he's in is a wonder to watch. Check out his scene in the men's room with Mathilda. Both Natalie Portman and he give their all in a most gripping scene.
Natalie Portman is a gem. Danny Aiello and the rest of the cast are top-notch also. What more could you expect from Besson? It's best to try and catch this uncut, however, seeing it on cable with dubbing over the harsh language and commercials isn't recommended, but if it's all that's available, it will still do.
10 out of 10 stars **********
John Doe (2002)
Annoyingly improbable, yet.....
This is one of those TV shows that I find absolutely maddening. Within the first 10 minutes of the program you're already pulling your hair out because it's all so hokey, but you find yourself watching the whole thing from beginning to end.
Most everyone here who has posted comments on this show have mentioned "The Pretender," but the first show that leapt into my head when I discovered the premise of "John Doe" was "Quantum Leap," and following that, good old let's-build-an-atomic-bomb-with-a-paper-clip-and-a-wad-of-chewing-gum favorite, "MacGyver." Maybe I have been spoiled to death with good old 2 hour fingernail-chewer movies with twists and turns in the plot that still leave me scratching my head at the end. It's hard for me to compact everything into an hour long show, complete with commercial breaks.
I can't help wondering when the wonderful folks who bring us these shows will absolutely slam up against a wall when it comes to new plots for TV shows. But until that happens, am I the only one who notices that the new shows out now are conglomerations of past shows? Not necessarily a progression *past* the old shows into new territories, but simply a goulash all mixed together. "John Doe" struck me as not entirely without merit, but simply a little bit of this and that and the other, all stuck together with a new "premise." The amnesia of "The Pretender," the knowing-who-he-was-but-never-knowing-where-he'd-land-next of "Quantum Leap," the ingenuity of "MacGyver" or even the unintentional knowledge of "Rain Man," and as long as we're going this far back, what is more fascinating than the man with no name or past? I'm even hearing the theme from "Kung Fu" in my head. The wandering hero reappears!
I realize this little review of mine does not seem very favorable. I actually got a few more laughs out of this show than I'm sure were intended. I watched the episode on 6 December 2002 that took place on an airplane, and it ended with our hero kissing the fair maiden, and all I could do was hoot out loud, much to the dismay of my spouse, when I declared, "Ewww, who'd want to kiss him? You don't know where he's been!!"
Le Cinquième Élément (1997)
One of my three favorite movies of all time!
Let me begin by simply saying, "I love this movie!" With a stellar cast (Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich, Ian Holm, the late Brion James, Chris Tucker, and last, but never EVER least, Gary Oldman), a wonderful, action-packed, funny story, with just the right amount of "let's straighten up our act before we wipe out mankind" sermonizing, I never tire of this movie. I've probably seen it over 100 times and never fail to find some little gem that I missed the time before, and the time before that, and so on.
Bruce Willis is at his best as the reluctant hero, a futuristic Joe Everyman whose future is changed when a woman drops into his life and changes the course of history. Willis is always best when he's able to be his usual wry, sarcastic self, and Luc Besson blesses us with a story which utilizes this to it's full potential. Milla Jovovich is delightfully innocent as our supreme-being-in-the-making, Ian Holm is surprisingly funny as the priest, and Chris Tucker is his usual screamingly hilarious self. Before seeing "The Fifth Element" for the first time in 1997 I was not familiar with any of Chris Tucker's other work, so this was my first introduction to his rapid-fire dialogue and campy hamming. I cannot think of anyone else who can talk as fast as he can and still be understandable. And funny. Gary Oldman tops it all off with a generous helping of his patented creepy villian, which I can never get enough of.
Luc Besson's story is full of action, adventure, comedy, romance, enough-but-not-too-much silliness, and just an all-around sense of fun. The only fault I did find with the entire movie was the mother of Bruce Willis' character hounding him for no apparent reason. What in the world was the reason for this? But it is only a minor distraction in an otherwise fabulous movie.
I would recommend this *very* highly and give it a 10 out of 10 stars. Settle in and get ready for a highly entertaining and enjoyable ride!
Merlin: The Return (2000)
Drop Dead, Mordred
I hadn't ever heard of this movie until I ran across it on cable this evening, and seeing Rik Mayall's name in it, I figured I'd check it out, being a fan of "The Young Ones" from way back. Well obviously he's a young one no longer, but he does a enthusiastic turn as Merlin in this unfortunate mish-mash of I-don't-know-what.
Was this really Patrick Bergin, Tia Carrere, Craig Sheffer (oh what happened to the days of "A River Runs Through It"?)? Throw in a little Stonehenge mythology, Arthurian legend, special effects that look like they flew out of "Ghostbusters" and this could have been a LOT better movie. Bad things happen to good actors, and this movie is proof. Discombobulated plot, confusion abounds, and I kept hoping Elizabeth from "Drop Dead Fred" would pop up and say the magic words and make it all go back in the jack-in-the-box. Craig Sheffer is in no way, shape or form cut out to be this creepy time traveler, he's a great actor and what in the world made him do this movie is beyond me. Patrick Bergin doesn't really have that much enthusiasm either.
Mayall does seem to be the most inclined to try his best, so I'd give this a 5 out of 10.
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
THE Ultimate Indy
What a wonderful, fun, non-stop, rollicking, great movie! In the tradition of the cliff-hangers of the 40's and 50's cinema, Steven Spielberg keeps us rocking and rolling, on the edge of our seats, nail-biting and cheering during this movie's duration.
From the beginning glimpse into Indy's past (with the wonderful, late River Phoenix) to the heart-stopping ending, this movie doesn't ever drag or lag like so many action movies these days. We don't have to endure boring lengths of ho-hum dialogue in order to "cut to the chase," on the contrary! I remember watching this movie for the first few times (and I can't even count the number of times I've re-watched and enjoyed it) and thinking to myself, "I don't think I'll ever tire of watching this over and over again.
I especially love the banter between Indiana and his father, it's corny and goofy and hilarious, and you get the absolute sense of mutual respect and love between the two, despite their bickering. Sean Connery adds a wonderful flair to the role of Henry Jones Sr., a bit fusty and musty but up to the challenge of "keeping up with the Joneses," and he and Harrison Ford play against each other very well.
The rest of the cast is up to the challenge as well, Allison Doody (what has happened to her?), Denholm Elliott, John Rhys-Davies ("You are named after the *dog*? Ah-ha-ha-ha!"), Julian Glover, all are just super as well.
Even though it's been 13 years since it's release, I don't think this film, or the other two in the Indiana Jones series, for that matter, will ever be "dated" or cease to be a joy to watch. Should there be an "Indiana Jones 4"? Well, this movie has left mighty big shoes to fill, it's one of the few movies that I truly feel deserves every single one of it's ten (10) stars. Truly a must-see!
10 out of 10 stars
Vertical Limit (2000)
I reached my horizontal limit about 45 minutes in (SPOILER ALERT!!)
I agree with most of the other comments here......such a good cast, and I'm sure in the case of Martin Campbell, good intentions, but boy oh boy!!
I am by no means an expert outdoorsperson; my idea of exercise is grabbing the remote, firing up the TV and doing some quick warmups at the keyboard before launching into a day of websurfing. But even I found this movie very far-fetched and laughable during the parts of it I managed to stay glued to. In addition to the other "oopsies" everybody else pointed out, if we're going for realism in a movie, can we avoid using fake spray-on Christmas-tree snow on people's faces and sets?? Aacckk, I hate that look in movies! I realize we can't really freeze people to death for the sake of realism, but with makeup and special effects and huge budgets that we have today we can avoid this little faux pas, can't we??
It seemed to me that this movie lasted for about 6 hours. Maybe this is an after-effect that the director was going for, maybe he wanted us to sense that when you're climbing a 28,000 ft. mountain, your sense of time is distorted or something. Personally the only inclination this gave me was to wonder how I could get up and leave the room about 27 times, read about 30 reviews of movies here on the IMDb, and this movie was still running!! Freezing to death probably would have the same effect on the brain, I'd assume.
The first thing that made me dubious of this flick (and I must admit I didn't even catch the first 45 minutes of it) was after Scott Glenn (in his best David Carradine-from-Kung-Fu incarnation) agreed to go on the rescue expedition, and the helicopter has to literally "drop the rescuers off" on the mountain. After watching the (kid's toy-looking) helicopter thrash about in the maniacal winds for about 15 minutes, wondering how the heck, even I knew that a helicopter couldn't survive in a) winds like that for that long, b) hovering at that altitude just wouldn't cut it either, and c) I was ready for that rotor blade to chop the girl's head off just for an encore.
And ok, maybe I'm being a little heavy here, but I'm sorry, I just can't take Chris O'Donnell seriously in a movie while I'm waiting on the edge of my seat for him to dash into the Batcave and come out in the full Robin package. He sure could have used Batman's help out of this mess. He's so, well, golly gee, earnest or something, he reminds me of Beaver Cleaver trying to act in a big-boy movie.
All in all, I would just say, save yourself the time and energy. The little mountain climbing episode at the beginning of "Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls" was far more entertaining for me, and sadly, more realistic. I felt sorrier for that poor little raccoon that for any of the popsicles in this dud.
Holy Avalanche, Batman, get us out of here, quick!!
Seven Worlds Collide: Neil Finn & Friends Live at the St. James (2001)
Like coming home again
I have been transfixed with Split Enz/Neil/Tim Finn ever since the mid-to-late 70's (my high school years). I was lucky enough to see them on tour after True Colours came out and had the distinct pleasure of meeting Neil, Tim and Nigel after the show and Neil and I actually chatted for a few minutes, the context of which has totally slipped my mind but the thrill is still there. I saw them again when Waiata came out but didn't get to meet them afterwards. Neil was a truly sweet and kind fellow and seeing him again in this televised concert reassured me that he's still the same great guy.
I have to say that Neil Finn is probably one of the most overlooked songwriters of our day. His melodies are flawless, beautiful, enchanting, and simply breathtaking. I almost like the fact that he's not "mainstream," as it were, it makes me feel as if I have my own little private wonderful world to listen to. "Paradise" is heart-achingly beautiful, each of his songs has the ability to transform me to another time and place. The band he chose is flawless also, a perfect "backdrop," as it were, for his songs. Lisa Germano, in answer to the above fellow's question, played in John Mellencamp's band for a long time as violinist/fiddler, and here she is perfect, playing keyboards, ukelele, violin, and accompanying Neil beautifully on background vocals.
I love the addition of Eddie Vedder, I had no idea until about 6 months ago that Eddie was a Split Enz fan which kicks my admiration of him up about 100 notches. He sings a lovely version of "Stuff and Nonsense" off the Split Enz album "Frenzy" with accompaniment by Tim Finn, which has always been a favorite of mine, plus the rollicking version of "I See Red" off the same album with Neil's son's band Betchadupa is as kicking as the original. Liam Finn is only nearly 20?? This kid is definitely absorbing his talent from his dad and uncle, if I hadn't been watching the video at the same time I was taping it I would have sworn Split Enz had re-formed with Eddie on vocals. Great job to all.
I would recommend this concert to anyone, even to those who aren't familiar with these Kiwi fellows. Beautiful instrumentation, flawless band-togetherness, it's all here, and best of all, they all seem to be having a wonderful time pleasing the audience, and each other. And isn't that what counts? After 20-odd years Neil's still having fun, and I thank him for it. Thank you Neil, and Tim, for giving my life a soundtrack.
10 out of 10 stars
"And you know that I love you, here and now, not forever.....I can give you the present, I don't know 'bout the future, that's all stuff and nonsense....."
Memento (2000)
I can't remember to forget it (POSSIBLE SPOILERS)
I have been wanting to see this ever since I absorbed the hype from the Internet, primarily because it's that "backwards" movie everybody was talking about.
It takes a few minutes for your mind to wrap around the progression of the movie, but once you do, you are hooked. Put it this way, my kids had to wait until 9 o'clock at night to eat dinner because I refused to get up from this flick :^) By the time the last half hour of the movie was wrapping up I was literally glued to my seat. Bathroom breaks be damned, I cannot remember the last time my jaw dropped at the end of a movie due to the fact that I had absolutely no idea what the end was going to be. I loved it!! I sat in stunned silence for a few minutes gleefully replaying the events of the movie in my mind.
This definitely pushed past "Pulp Fiction" as my top "I wanna see this over and over again" movie. "Pulp Fiction" is the only movie that I can even think of to "compare" to this movie and that's not even fair because "Pulp Fiction" was cool because it was a normally sequenced movie that was basically rearranged out of sequence just to f*ck with your head, and we loved it. We know what's going on in "PF", it's just all scrambled up. Well "Memento" is out of sequence, totally backwards, because of Leonard Shelby's lack of short term memory. We (and Leonard) have to relive each step of his life through the use of Polaroid pictures and the ever present Teddy (the wonderful Joe Pantoliano). Guy Pearce (Leonard Shelby), who was superb in "L.A. Confidential," could have just traipsed, befuddled, through his trek and made this a drag, but instead I was as anxious as he was to bring himself some closure. This could have just been a run of the mill whodunit that relied on flashbacks. Instead we are guessing, guessing, guessing and then boom! we are hit with the end and blown away.
If you like a great psychological thriller, this takes it light-years past what you would normally expect. Set aside two hours, unplug the phone, make sure all pets/kids/spouses are fed, extinguish all smoking materials, and prepare to be riveted.....and perhaps Christopher Nolan did this on purpose (and did it so well), the irony is, Leonard Shelby has to go over and over the same things, repeating himself, having information repeated to him, but I want to see this movie again, so does that mean that we are stuck in Leonard's endless loop of a life once we see this movie? An emphatic YES and that's what makes this movie absolutely *awesome.*
Definitely 10 out of 10 stars for this one.
In the Light of the Moon (2000)
It Grows On Me
I am not usually a fan of so called "low budget" flicks with little-known actors, but when something with a subject that has interested me for a long time comes along, I can't resist. And lo and behold, here's one that's got me hooked.
Steve Railsback has taken a subject which has never been addressed directly in a movie....Ed Gein has been used as the basis for "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," Hannibal Lecter ("Manhunter," "Silence of the Lambs," "Hannibal"), among others too numerous to mention. But here we have a look at Ed Gein himself. OK, it's not for the squeamish, and I will not let my kids (10 and 7) see it. It's a great look into a really twisted mind. Of course the real Ed never really shed a whole lot of light onto his motives, so this is Railsback's "version," as it were, but he does a fine job with it. All the facts are here, and the acting is great, to me. There are a couple moments that are laughable, but we know by the context that they are intentional.
Now let me say am not a fan of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," "Friday the 13th" or any of your "slasher" type flicks. No interest in them whatsoever. But I do love movies, like this one, that afford us a peek into what makes people do exactly what they do, the little mind games they play with themselves and others. "Ed Gein" is not full of the gratuitous gore, the typical "ok, this little teenager knows there's a lunatic on the loose and still she's outside walking by herself and we just KNOW she's gonna get axed next" or whatever. Yes, it's a horror movie, and it is bloody, but not in the force-fed way that those "other" movies are. People were shocked in real life when they found out about what Ed had done, but I think what shocked them more was that he "moved among them" and was just your "average guy next door." OK, so his taste in home decor was different.
I have to be honest and say that I hadn't seen Steve Railsback in any movie since "Helter Skelter," and I really give him kudos here. Well done story, the acting is super (Carrie Snodgress is awesome as Ed's mother), get yourself past the subject matter and watch this movie.
To put it another way, do yourself a favor and watch this little gem, oh, and it might make you keep an eye on your neighbors a little more closely.
I give it 8 out of 10 stars!
American Beauty (1999)
American Classic
A true American classic! Funny, unnerving, poignant, repugnant, each character in the movie has their own flaws and foibles yet you manage to feel sorry for each one of them in different ways. Annette Bening is marvelous as the obsessively driven matriarch of the family. Kevin Spacey is perfection as her husband, who has been literally pushed aside by his wife and daughter. When he finally does decide to rebel, he does it with a fabulous bang, one of my favorite scenes is (MINOR SPOILER ALERT) when he's quit his office job and taken a job as a fast food employee, and his wife and her lover pull up to the drive-through window to pick up their food, the scene is priceless. Kevin Spacey delivers his lines to perfection, dripping with sarcasm and understatement. I was not familiar with Thora Birch's work before this movie, but she has the right combination of teenage angst and ennui down pat, with the total disgust and disrespect for her father as well. It's not an action movie but it's one you can view more than once and pick up on more little nuances you may have missed the first time. The ending was quite a surprise as well, I will definitely not spoil it here. A great movie with superb performances from all, leaves you feeling vaguely unsettled but it's definitely worth the watch. I give it 5 out of 5 stars.
Chattahoochee (1989)
SMALL SPOILERS perhaps
Gary Oldman never ceases to amaze me, he is a chameleon who changes with every movie I see him in. In Chattahoochee, he does it again, tearing your heart apart, making you feel each and every nerve that the "mental hospital" opens. The only thing that was lacking was a little more background on why Emmett Foley snaps. It's not a criticism of Oldman's portrayal, at all, it's the wonderful job he does that really wants us to know more about what makes his character tick. We realize that he's come home from Korea a changed person, but there is no interaction with his family which gives you insight into why he thinks he's not deserving of staying with them, and the reasons he gives are somewhat flimsy.
Other than that, I still give it 5 out of 5 stars, but of course I could probably watch Gary Oldman read the phone book and still be overwhelmed and enchanted!!