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raptor147
Reviews
Love at the Christmas Table (2012)
Very enjoyable, though not perfect.
For those who don't know, in JFS, the play follows two actors, a boy named Brian, and a girl named Beth (the sister of Brian's friend, Jerry) from the ages of 8/7 through 23/22. It's pretty much a mixture of childhood squabbles, having fun, puberty, awkward encounters, comedic jealousy, attraction/denial, over these years. This is all done through a series of flashbacks. The movie is virtually identical. We start when the protagonists, Kat and Sam, first meet around the age of 7, and over the course of the film - specifically for the yearly Christmas party - their relationship changes as they age and as they develop a sense of themselves and of what they want. Weirdly, both stories also have a fairly dramatic sequence where the two leads are about to confess their true inner feelings for the other, before they are drawn into an argument and break off contact for a few years before the big climax.
Although JFS and Love Under the Christmas Table are very similar, so much so that I felt the need to talk about them together, there is one key area where the play's ability to tell a story is superior, and this is the reason why I didn't give the movie a 10/10. In JFS, the play opens with the character of Brian, age 23, introducing himself and the situation to an audience. Beth comes and goes at different ages, and Brian goes back and forth to different ages during the flashbacks, but always has a monologue to help frame the scenes, sequences, and the passage of time. By the time of the big confrontation where Brian confesses his love to Beth, they are in the present day when he's 23 and she's 22. This movie starts off with voice-over narration by the male protagonist on the night he's planning to ask Kat to marry him (so "the present" in the film's narrative), but after that there is absolutely no narration. None. The scenes come and go with only a title card giving their ages. This is helpful, but we have no sense of what is happening between encounters other than what you pick up in conversation with party guests year in, year out.
So here's the big takeaway from my ramble. The movie is very good. There's some excellent chemistry between Danica and Dustin. You believe their attraction, their joy, pain, frustration, and confusion. You see them in intimate moments of friendship and flirtation, and their situation does hold your attention. I like the setting - the same house year after year with the same people, except the kids get a little older, and there are more of them as people get married and have children. There's an adorable dance sequence between the leads, and Danica, in particular, is so captivating you can't take your eyes off her. I mentioned above a big argument. There are three sequences in a row, the dance (age 23, I think), where Kat takes Sam to see her workshop and they confess more than friendship to each other (age 24), and a big fight (age 25, again, I'm going from memory with the ages here). The argument seems forced at first, because you're not given much information about what's going on between these characters over the course of a year, but you understand that Kat is upset that Sam only comes home once a year, and he's upset that she wants to stay right where she is and never leave. Mean-spirited words are said by both, and while they shock you with how hurtful they are, you also get a sense that this feels very real. People fight this way and when people get hurt, or feel vulnerable, they hit back just as hard. We also learn that this is when Sam had originally planned to propose, which he has to put off for (I think) five more years.
Although the payoff is somewhat convoluted - (there's a cardboard workshop that's created, but later the inside of the house is decorated for a proposal, but because of the issues that go down during the climax you're not certain if this is all Dustin, or the family, or who exactly is playing who. Again, this is the biggest problem. The narrative structure could have been tighter with one of the two characters being given storytelling duties. They start off with Sam doing this and drop it no more than five minutes into the picture) - you still feel joyful and moved by their happiness.
It's a good movie for a date. It's a good movie for a romantic. It's a good movie for those who like different storytelling structures, or who like stage plays because it feels like one. It's not the best movie for someone just wanting to pass the night away, since the flashback style of the film requires you to actually think about the story more than a film with a traditional structure.
I say check it out. It's not a bad movie. Just a little confusing at times.
Oh, there is one thing I want to add that irked me, but I didn't take any points off the film for it. So Kat works at a furniture manufacturing place (I think her dad owns it???) and she's either a builder or designer (maybe both???), while Sam is college educated and a newspaper reporter. We learn a little more about Kat than we do Sam, and that's a point that even the characters mention during a specific scene. My issue is that when Sam is talking to his parents about his proposal to Kat (this is when he thinks the proposal is off, since he was told that Kat wasn't interested and he didn't want to break her heart) we find out that Sam bought a house for the two of them in Upstate New York. A little much before the two even went on a date, let alone gotten engaged, but I'll allow it for the sake of the romance of the film. Here's what irked me, Sam tells his parents he gave up his newspaper job to work as a logger. Yeah, no. If you see this guy, the kind of guy he is, there is no way - and in no universe - this guy becomes a logger in Upstate New York. They should have just made him a reporter in Syracuse or something. It's a minor point, but since it comes so close to the end of the film it was fresh in my mind.
See it. Enjoy it. Have a Happy Holiday!
Open Range (2003)
Costner Strikes Gold!
Kevin Costner directs and co-stars in this western that in the true spirit of Dances with Wolves may carry him to another Oscar!
The movie starts slow, and is carefully constructed, no clichés' here folks just good well planned and executed movie making that captures the heart and enslaves the mind.
Unlike other Costner movies this one dose not have a long aftermath, instead of the standard 30-40 minute finish after all the action like we see in most of his movies such as Wyatt Eurp, this movie contains itself to about 20. Great action scenes, light humor and superb performances by Duvall who did fabulous in Gods and Generals and Costner who combines the style of acting used in Dances With Wolves and even Tin Cup.
* * * * * * * * * * - 10/10 Stars for this film, I can't wait to see it again!!!!!!!!
Dragnet (2003)
Dum Duh Dum Dum - Dum Duh Dum Dum DUM
Dragnet is back and better than ever
Unlike the original TV series in the 1950's and the 1960's with Jack Webb, this version is well updated and more serious, built for the more adult look at police work. A far stronger version than the two Jack Webb movies and much greater than the 1989 short lived "Dragnet in the 90's' This version starring Ed O'Neil and Ethan Embry top all, and in my opinion is one of the best TV cop shows on the airwaves today. Personally I still like the chemistry of the 1987 comedy spoof "Dragnet" with Dan Akroyd and Tom Hanks, but this New Dragnet has everything you could want, murder, intrigue, and mystery.
I am going to tape all the episodes just in case the series is short lived. But I think despite what critics say the audience will love this rendition of the classic TV show
The Producers (1967)
One Of Mel Brooks' Best
This movie has the best elements of Mel Brooks'. It involves great emotion and friendship, slapstick comedy, and this movie is a satire ahead of it's time like "To Be or Not to Be" Starring Jack Benny. Unlike other Brooks films this one was not a spoof, and although Brooks made great films out of Blazzing Saddles, Young Frankenstien, Dracula Dead and Loving it, Space Balls etc etc. This movie is original with it's own jokes and it's own soul. Good Movie, watch it
10/10
Getting There (2002)
I'll keep this short
Speaking as a guy who is exactly the same age as these two...... girls.
I must say that this movie is probably the most pointless movie ever done. The jokes have been done before, the plot is wait a sec there was no plot. And the girls as most people would call preps just took that 90 minutes of our time to show off how good they think they look and how funny and witty they think they are.
To tell you the truth at one time a long long time ago I though the twins did have some sort of hot appeal but after watching them do the same thing over and over and over and over and over etc etc again again again that appeal is long gone and replaced with annoyance and hate.
I have produced more and have done more worthy of the screen than they have. At least I am trained to act and write and have some talent.
I predict in the next 3 years if the girls don't alter there methods there so called empire will collapse. God willing.
Peace.
Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)
Very Impressive
I was nervous with all the bad publicity on this movie before the movie even came out!
However when I saw the movie, and heard Jerry Goldsmiths amazing exciting score. I knew everyone was wrong, this movie didn't have the heart of First Contact but it topped the action of Wrath of Kuan and intergrated it with a clever story line and plenty of good graphics.
The even streak continues, the ending was appropriate for the final journey , hopefully maybe one more film will be made with these guys.
I reccomend this movie to everyone who loves action/suspense and sci-fi. Much better than those latest Star Wars movies that have gone too comercial, this movie Nemesis has taken a new approach and intergrated it with tradition and has done great!
10/10