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Reviews
Joe Versus the Volcano (1990)
More than meets the eye
I have seen this movie probably 8-10 times. I am drawn to it, lock on to it, can't resist it. From the opening scenes to the end, I love this movie. I love that Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan were brave enough to make it. Yes, it was pretty much trashed by the critics, but movies are funny; they are completely subjective, so one person's swallop is another's caviar. So who is Joe? He's a miserable man trapped in a rotten life and all his options have long faded away. But a weird proposition comes to him and being so miserable, he accepts. So begins his journey to the volcano. In the telling of the tale, we see why Joe is so miserable (he does have reasons)and why the offer given to him was accepted. He meets new people on the way, discarding his old life completely. His life becomes a roller coaster of new experiences, some good, some not so much. But all through it, he seems to keep his balance, unfortunately because he expects to receive nothing and is pleased and surprised when something great happens. Meg Ryan plays three different characters and they all interact with Joe on a different level. If you watched this movie before, give it another try, if for nothing less than to see Joe dancing on his luggage in the middle of the open sea.
Any Day Now (2012)
Any movie, Mr. Cumming
I wanted to watch this movie because Alan Cumming has a star turn and it sounded interesting. How good is the movie? It's excellent and wonderfully realistic. Story goes, Cumming is rather down and out but balks at social services taking custody of a prostitute's disabled child. How the story winds around the relationship Cumming's character has with his lover and the child is the hook here. Some of the characters seem stuck on or added for effect, but once again, this is Cumming's movie. This is not to say that the other actors aren't good or effective, but Cumming outshines them. The young man at the center of the story is limited. His character is bound by his disability. So, watch the movie because it's very good and if you haven't seen Alan Cumming in a unique role, this is your chance.
Ghost Town (2008)
Ghost with a bite
I remember watching this film for the first time and laughing so hard I had a stomach cramp. Everyone is good in their respective parts, but Ricky Gervais as Dr. Pincus, gets us again and again with his wit and his angry, sad, self-centered and endearing character. Watching him prepare for his 'procedure' could be squirmy, but his reaction is so true and normal that it's not. I have seen this film maybe a dozen times and it never fails to make me laugh even though I know what's going to occur. Tea Leoni is so very good; she isn't afraid to be excited about her character's profession or vulnerable about her stinker of a husband. Kinnear is good, too, but he really doesn't have much to do except look good. Billy Campbell is fine as 'the boyfriend' and Dr. Prashar, Aasif Mandvi, the other doctor in the Pincus office is a gem. But it's Gervais who makes the movie, showing us the other side of his meanness and making it OK to laugh at him, as the beleaguered Dr. Pincus, who sees dead people and is exasperated rather than scared.
Knowing (2009)
Collectible
Sometimes, I really don't like Nic Cage, but sometimes I do. When I like him, I like him very, very much. In "Knowing" I like him very, very much. I like the plot, I like the characters, I like the special effects, the music, the cinematography, the locations... In short I really love this movie and what it has to say and the way it says it. Everything comes together in a seamless way, from the frantic Lucinda scribbling her numbers on a piece of paper, to the confluence of events that lead up to the denouement. Cage is a professor at MIT and he doesn't have time for silliness. But when his son receives the page Lucinda so intensely wrote for her school time capsule, Cage becomes intrigued and then very interested and then... There is much more to the plot than that, but in this case, less is more. I love science fiction movies that not only pull me into the story, but move me viscerally and "Knowing" does that.
The Insider (1999)
A quiet, horrible ride
As a video selector for a public library, I added this amazing film to the collection. I own it and have watched it at least eight times. I believe part of the reason the film succeeds so admirably is Crowe's portrayal of Wigand. The cast in general is excellent and there are so many small moments that resonate. The music is excellent and contributes to the emotional tone of the film. Plummer is good, Pacino is good, but Crowe is excellent as the quiet moral man who bucks a corporation. For anyone who is looking for a 'true' story and an excellent telling of that story. Hopefully, this film will continue to appear on movie channels so that audiences will have the chance to see it. It bears more than one viewing and it is an exceptional film.