Reviews

I rented the movie the other day, not knowing what to expect from it at all. After I saw this complete and utter nonsense, I was glad it only cost me a Dollar Fifty for the rental. For starters, I am not a big fan of Tom Cruise, but I let that slide because I was more curious about Cameron Diaz. She too was disappointing in this production. The story revolves around a unique battery that government agents try to get their hands on. The so called genius who invented this battery is played a young man who looks more like a retard than a genius any day of the week! For an hour and a half You'll see these two running from the government's secret service agents who are after the battery that could revolutionize energy production world wide. Just as this theory is an impossibility, so is getting any enjoyment out of this film which in my opinion is total and utter crap, and a complete waste of time!

I saw this movie on IMDb's Web site where it was advertised as unedited, but to no surprise at all, it was edited for content after all. I really was not aware that these kinds of camps existed in the 1970's. My life experiences in a college dormitory and in Basic Training in the United States Army taught me that when young people are forced into a community, the leaders of these camps maintain their authority with threats of physical violence and fear. As usual there are those in commend who go a step beyond and abuse their power. These abuses of power lead to young women or men being raped, physically abused, or even killed to uphold the power and instill fear in and over the rest of the group. These type of incidents were clearly exhibited in the movie and gave a disturbing feeling while viewing as helpless and innocent children were abused and tortured by their captors without any consequence or punishment.

I saw this melodrama and I failed to get excited about it. For some reason I was unable to connect to the characters, nor to the story of this group of Boston native young Irish bank robbers. Even the bank robbery scenes seemed boring, despite of how cleverly they were devised. Despite that there is redemption for some of the characters' whose sad life stories I heard in the movie, I failed to feel any consolation even when revenge was exacted upon them. The love story between the kidnapped bank manager and the leader of gang was unrealistic, at least to me. What I think was also a goof in the film was that the bank manager lived in an apartment complex, but at the end of the movie she is seen digging in a garden that I never saw before in the film. Here she finds a duffel bag full of money and an orange that looked as fresh as if it were just picked off a tree, despite that weeks had gone by since her love interest left town. Steve H.

When a liquid is poured into a container, the liquid assumes the container's shape is a well known law of Phsyics. The underlying theme of this movie is Energy production. This story uses one's stages of dream states in individuals. Now comes Inception with its notion that it can change the liquid poured into the container, a chosen human target, thus altering that man's dreams and his consciousness for a desired outcome; A Dream within a Dream at deeper levels and stages of the human mind's dream states. This sums up the production of this nonsense spectacular special effects production, onward with baloney gibberish dialogs! It's ending is as pathetic as anyone could hope for! I felt disappointed with this movie, despite of the enormous efforts that were put into it by this production's Special Effects Unit who had copied and duplicated their special effects from "Men in Black" and from "The Matrix." All in all, this Sci-Fi story is an over publicized ESPIONAGE NONSENSE! I MEAN AN UTTER AND TOTAL NONSENSE!!

I gave this movie a 5 stars because of the special effects involved making the movie. It reminded of a sci-fi movie I saw years ago when an alien creature entered a Space ship in the form of Water and it could replicate itself to appear anyone whom it touched, which was a revolutionary special effects production. As far as the story goes, it is the usual good guys against bad guys. This always involves a dictator and his ruling army who preys on the weak and than destroys them. This story is not different, but it lacks originality and misses important themes in the process. The true Airbender's full training is not yet complete, but yet he was able to bend both Fire and Water in the Closing scenes, and thus bring victory to the suppressed and destroy the Evil presence, in a manner of speaking because he is not allowed to kill. The Martial Art movements depicted are from both "Chi Gong" and "Tai Chi," and I also noticed prayer postures from the Hindu religion. As I wrote in my Summary, it is a child's story, and though it was based on previous works, the movie failed to deliver. Steve, Chicago, IL

I rented the movie as I had heard it was action packed. This is absolutely true and nobody could dispute this fact. As far as the story's plot, I believe that Stallone tailored it in his creative mind to support the action set-up and its sequences. I found 2 conflicting ideas in the film: Number 1 is why did Dolph Lundgren's character turned traitor, and Number 2 is why didn't the rescued woman leave with Stallone after he came back for her? I guess he did not want to leave the impression of a Love story of any kind with such a crew of bad ass mercenaries who'd rival the French Foreign Legion who are comparable to U.S. Marine's Elite fighters. In closing, I think it is absurd and laugh out loud ridiculous to believe that 8 men survived an onslaught of hundreds of enemy soldiers, dodged thousands of rounds of ammunition, blew up an entire fortress, and yet all 8 walked away unscathed without a single wound! I think this is absurd! Hey, welcome to Hollywood where everything is possible on the silver screen. In closing, this movie had used the most pyrotechnics in movie history.

I saw this movie during the first week when it was released into the theaters in the USA. I honestly did not know what to except from it because I have never seen a Western with Sharon Stone. I believed that it may had been an interesting movie, but I was sorely disappointed. This was also the first time that I saw Russel Crow in a supporting role that I think was his first appearance in a United State's movie production in 1995. To continue, I believe that even the concept for this movie was absurd and idiotic! I had seen many Western shoot outs, but nothing like the ones depicted in this movie. In the end came the ultimate Western cliché as Sharon Stone conquers the best draw in town to avenge the death of her brother by the ruthless gangster whom she came to face off and kill in the ultimate showdown. I had watched and agonized over this idiotic and stupid movie over and hour and a half, only to walk out of the theater with disgust and having wasted my money and time on it!

I rented "Predators." As I wrote before, the first "Predator" was an original idea that worked really well, the sequel "Predator 2" brought the Alien creature closer to home in L.A., and the third, "Alien vs Predator" was again set far and away from Civilization. The fourth sequel was an entirely hideous garbage production! Here comes the fifth sequel, "Predators" based on a premise that is absurd because it is laughable! A group of men and a woman parachute onto a Planet as criminals whose punishments are to be dropped onto a strange Planet and survive against super Predators. First of all, Brody was the wrong choice as a lead actor. Topher Grace's role was absolutely unnecessary. Alice Braga's only role in the movie was so that another member of the group could comment on her "awesome ass!" My number 4 Vote is for the make-up of the Predators which were very well made with some distinguishing marks as to each one's different individuality, but there weren't any scenes in which one could distinguish the leader from a soldier amongst them? This, however, was seen in "Predator 2". I was really confused about Lawrence Fishburne's role who betrayed the group and I still don't know why? My other confusion came from Brody's belief: "My enemy's enemy is my friend", at which time he decided to free a Predator that's been chained to a pole. (This line came from AVP when Sanaa Lathan joined forces with a Predator to fight against the Aliens.) However, Brody nearly falls victim to the now freed Predator that betrayed him by blowing up the Spaceship that were supposed to take Brody back to Earth. In the closing sequence, there are Brody and Braga, the only 2 survivors, who now see more and more people parachuting onto the planet. As they began to walk into the Jungle and think out loud: "How are we going to get off this Planet?" I think this was a very cheesy remake combined with music from the first and reminiscing stories and quotes from the first and third Predator movies. All in all, I felt disappointed because I failed to see any excitement or real suspense of any kind. Even during the sequence when Brody ran around the Predator and beat it while in a circle of Fire, I failed to feel any excitement as if nothing special happened, until Brody picked up the Predator's hatchet and chopped the Predator's head off. I now wonder if there would be yet another sequel based on the premise of the 2 survivors who were left on that Planet from this film? We shall find out in the near future.

I just finished watching this movie based on the recommendation of the Rental Store's Clerk. I can't say that I was disappointed, but nor was I amused because I do not like melodramas. However, this was an interesting story of a womanizer big shot car dealer/salesman whose fame and fortune left him behind some time ago. As we discover during the events of the first half hour of the film, this man is indeed a philanderer who does not care about with whom he has sexual relations, as long as she is at least 30 years of his senior, nor does he care that she maybe the daughter of one of his trusted friend! This pretty much sums up his character, but there is more! When he tries to start a new business deal with whom he believes are his old friends, he comes face to face with the reality that he himself was an unscrupulous and heartless businessman who abandoned these men; Now he gets payback for his past deeds and has now fallen victim to his own demise. In the end, while looking at a young woman passing him by as he sits on a Park Bench where he and his wife met years ago, he finally realizes and comes to grips with the harsh reality that he can only go back to his wife whom he had betrayed all through their years of marriage. WOW, a punch in the stomach and the taste of your own Medicine! A great conclusion!!

Yesterday I watched the recent DVD release of "Robin Hood," and I felt very disappointed with it! To my dismay, there was but 1 scene for which Robin Hood had known in Engliand's 13.th Century folklore of robbing the rich and giving to the poor; In this 1 scene Robin Hood and his Merry Man stopped and robbed the men who earlier confiscated their village's harvest and seeds for planting crops. The story in which Robin Hood in disguise participated in a Bow and Arrow shooting contest was completely left out. The majority of the movie production employed hundreds of extras in several battle scenes that I think were totally irrelevant to Robin Hood's folklore, and explains why did the production's initial cost was 200 Million Dollars. Once again, Hollywood writers and producers assumed that the movie viewing public are ignorant of history as they rewrote history and made a new story about Robin Hood that really did not show the true character of this legendary man and his Merry Men. Finally, the closing of the movie was yet another let down as the new King, whose Army beat a French invasion, was not credited with the victory but Robin Hood was, and for this the King declared him an outlaw! This is such an utter nonsense! The movie was a great disappointment!

I saw this movie the other day on DVD from my neighborhood's Video Rental store. My first impression from the title was car repossessions. Boy, was I in for a surprise! Shortly after the movie had begun, I realized that I now was watching a movie in the not so distant future. Through the advances of science and medical technology, people in this new world have a second chance at life with the use of artificial organs, provided that they can make the payments for the organ or organs implanted in their bodies. When somebody falls behind in their scheduled payment(s), Repo Men are sent to recollect the organ from those people's bodies. This are indeed repugnant and sickening jobs, but this what the Repo Men do. One of the Repo Men (Jude Law) falls victim to a setup and he too becomes one of patients who now has an artificial heart; He too now owes a large some of money for his new heart. Soon he falls behind his payments and is sent after to recollect his heart by other Repo Men. While evading his hunters, he realizes that the only way to stop the Repo Men is to break into the Head Quarters of the Agency and wipe his account clean. However, the end of the movie offers a very strange twist to close this story.

I have really been enjoying the NCIS TV series for the past few years. Out of its many episodes, the one titled "Endgame" especially caught my attention due to its closing quote by Special Agent Timothy McGee: "Anyone can achieve their fullest potential. Who we are might be predetermined. The path we follow is always of our own choosing. We should never, never, allow our fears or the expectations of others to set the frontiers of our destiny. Your destiny can't be changed, but it can be challenged. Every man is born as many men, and dies as a single one." I believe this to be a profound statement that reminds me of the ancient Hindu philosophy about Karma (A Sanskrit word that means action), which also related that one's destiny can be altered by the actions one takes in his or her life, and so one can choose to pursue any professional goal in life, and change the goal if desired, but he or she will die as the same entity born into human existence. Steve H., Chicago, IL

After I saw this movie I had two different opinions of it. First, it was a repeat of many mistaken identity movie plots, nothing new. The second was that it featured two uprising comedians who in the past few years claimed some Fame. The story of these two starts out as a Dinner at a posh Seafood Restaurant in Manhattan where they could not get a Table for dinner due to their late arrival. So, the husband decides to take on the name of another guest to get a table for dinner in their place. Unbeknownst to him and his wife, the name of the people from whom he chose to take a table are on the Hit List of a Local Mafioso who wants a USB Drive that contains incriminating information about a Senator and the Mafioso himself. As the couple are on the run to save their lives from the crooked COPS involved who want to kill them, they learn more about each other than they had during the boring years of their married lives with their children. In the end the bad guys are caught and the couple go back to their lives but, with a twist that is going add spice to their boring married lives. Steve H., Chicago, IL

I saw the 72.nd Episode of Cold Case Files titled: "The Shopping Cart Killer." New York Detectives had to wait for 6 years to catch a serial rapist and murderer, who was Born "Arohn Malik Kee" on 09/18/1973 in New York. His first victim was a 13 year old Columbian girl whom he raped and stabbed to death in 1990. His second victim was another Hispanic 17 or 18 year old woman who was found dead on a rooftop in the Bronx in 1991. His next victim was a young black woman whose body he set on fire and was found in the East River Projects in the same year. In addition to these 3 murder victims, he also raped 3 other women whom he did not kill. He transported the lifeless bodies of his victims in shopping carts and dumped them when and where he could. He was also known as "Chester the molester" because he bragged about his deeds. Arohn M. Kee managed to keep the Police at Bay as they were not able to obtain any DNA samples from him due to New York State's protective Laws of accused criminals. When the NYPD began to close in on him, he ran from the Law with a 16 year old girl. He made the mistake of calling his family to let them know that he was in Miami. NYPD Detectives traced the call he made from a Public Phone near a cheap hotel and flew to Miami where they arrested him. While he was in custody however, Detectives could not get a word out of him, but he later was allowed to speak with his 16 y.o. girlfriend to whom he confessed his crimes' details, while a Detective was in an earshot of him and heard the admission of his guilt. Kee was extradited back to New York to stand trial. After State's attorney and Medical Examinor presented the DNA evidence found at the crime scenes linking him to them without a shadow of a doubt, the Jury found him guilty after 4 days of deliberation and sentenced him to: Murder in the 1st degree, Class A1, Murder in the 2nd degree, Class A1, Rape in the 1st degree, Class B, and Rape in the 1st degree, Class B; His aggregate Minimum sentence is LIFE Years 99, Months 99, Days 99; His aggregate Maximum sentence is LIFE Years 99, Months 99, Days 99; His earliest Release Date: LIFE, Parole Hearing Date: 99/99/9999, Parole Eligibility Date 99/99/9999; Conditional Release Date: NONE, Maximum Expiration Date: LIFE. This is comforting news to those New York residents whose neighborhood he terrorized while he ran wild killing children and young adults!

I saw previews of this movie from my other DVD rentals and I became interested in it. First, I did not have high expectations for the movie, but it did not disappoint me. Second, the premise of the story is a childish fantasy about a teenager who wants to become a superhero. What teenager doesn't? Third, this follows the young man's adventure as he changes his persona into a superhero after he gets his ass kicked on a couple of occasions. While keeping his promise to his love interest, he meets some pretty bad guys, one of whom does not want to leave his love interest alone. Again, while he is or about to get his ass kicked again, he meets two other superheros and then they team up to defeat a drug dealer who is involved with the Russian mafia. The movie contains many well choreographed fight scenes and space age technology, and modern weaponry. In the end the good guys win and so the story ends. If you are into Comic Heros and enjoy nonsense dialog with many action scenes, than you might enjoy this production. Steve, Chicago, IL

I rented this movie from the Local Video Store and watched it with little or now expectation of any kind. To my surprise, I felt very pleased with this production that touched the base of cross-cultural barriers that we now so often experience in our Society. After all, America is a melting pot of Cultures and of different Ethnic groups of parents who'd migrated to this land of opportunity to better their families's lives. Problems arise when young ones fall in love with each other from different Cultures, and than they have to bring their desire to marry each other to their families who each want to follow their own Cultural Path's to marry the young couple. Here it is what lies at the heart of this story, which is about understanding, cooperating, respecting, and working together with each other's families while joining the young couple in their sanctity of holy matrimony, or simply put, getting hitched. This movie had brought me a lot of laughter and serious issues to think about in terms of Race Relations and Tolarence for each other's Cultures! I think it is a must see! Steve Horvath, Chicago, IL

I saw "Forrest Gump" several times at the theaters and also at home on a DVD I bought since it has become available. I believe this movie is inspirational to what men can accomplish, despite of one's limited intelligence. However, even men with limited intelligence have feelings and can fall in love as did Forrest with Jenny, his life long sweat heart from childhood. Through his life Forrest always loved Jenny and under the most adverse circumstances he always kept her in his mind and close to his heart. Despite of events in Forrest's and his life's direction, he never forgot Jenny as his true love. After Forrest returned from the Vietnam War, he ventured into the shrimping business following the suggestion of his friend Bubba. By coincidence Forrest met Jenny again, by which time she has become infected with an incurable disease (I think HIV). Despite of his best efforts to give her a loving home and try to have her cured, he was not able. Near the end of the movie, I burst into tears when I saw Forrest tending to Jenny's Grave. Beside of all the 60's and 70's historical events Forrest stumble into, I believe this movie was a beautiful Love Story of his Love for Jenny. by Steve Horvath, Chicago, IL