| I Am Legend: Will Smith holds the screen as the "last man on earth" in this remake of the book at was filmed in the 70's as "The Omega Man". Unlike the swaggering Charlton Heston character, Smith's character is a man living on the edge of insanity as he patrols New York during the day, looking for food and hoping to find other survivors. I found his performance touching and authentic in his reactions to his new reality, which includes amazing deserted New York street scenes. Unfortunately the movie falls apart at the end for me, because some of the CGI effects are too fake, looking like a bad computer game, and taking away from the haunting atmosphere of the rest of the movie. But, I do give it a recommend, mainly for Will Smith, who continues to grow as an actor. Seen 12/14/07 |
| I, Robot:
Begins too slowly, but builds to a satisfying conclusion. A cop in
2035 believes against all opinion that a robot committed a murder and goes
into hot pursuit. Will Smith does a solid turn as the smart-alecky cop
(and looks damn good in the shower!!). What drew me to the movie is
the visual conception of the robots and it is amazingly realized in the
film. They go from being absolutely frightening to curiously charming.
Combined with lots of pay-off twists and turns to the plotline and excellent
action, this is ultimately an entertaining, fine film that I am pleased to
recommend. movie seen 07/15/04 RECOMMEND: Conquest of the Planet of the Apes is the darkest in the series. The apes have become slaves to humans and arise in revolt and take control of the world. Roddy McDowell has his angriest turn as Caesar, son of Cornelius (whom he also played in earlier movies) and Zira. |
| Ice Age: Has
amusing tongue-in-cheek and slapstick humor combined for an effective cartoon for the
whole family. Despite the similarities to "Dinosaur" or " Monster's,
Inc.", the voices of Ray Romano as a wooly mammoth, John Leguizamo as Sid the
Sloth, and Denis Leary, as a saber-tooth tiger, make for distinctive, interesting
characters. The story centers around the three characters' rescue of a human child
and their efforts to return him to his family. I enjoyed the film and remember to
stick around the hilarious ending! Great movie for the whole family. movie seen 4/6/02 RECOMMEND: 3 Godfathers is a classic John Ford/John Wayne Western of three rough men who "adopt" an orphaned baby. Its been many time filmed, but this may be the most famous version. Sentimental, but effective. |
| Ice Age: The Great Melt Down:
has the same characters from the first movie driven to
escaping the melting ice before they drown. The storyline mixes global
warming with what makes a family, as the strange mix of critters meet up
with a variety of pre-historic animals, including a confused mammoth who
thinks she's a possum. I found the plot too similar to "Dinosaur", but
the running joke of the squirrel changing the acorn gets more and more
hilarious to the hysterical ending and made the movie for me. Also get
a big kick out of John Leguizamo's voice for
the amusing Sid the Sloth and the funny possum brothers. I can
recommend for the entire family. seen
4/4/06 RECOMMEND: Dinosaur has a dinosaur raised by lemurs, who are forced to run for their lives when a meteor destroys their homeplace. Aladar, the misplaced dinosaur comes into his own with courage and determination as they look for a safe place to live. |
| Ice Princess: Is basically the "Princess Diaries" with figure states. An awkward physics student decides as a project to compute the formulas that can help figure skater perform better jumps and spins. Of course she is shy and of course the project not only helps her blossom, but proves her to be a natural skater who in just one year moves up in competition, knocking out triples. Totally unrealistic, but having a great deal of charm through the sweet performance of Michelle Trachtenberg. Also, it appears that much of the skating was actually done by the actresses, which lends authenticity to it. It is really a chick flick for tweeners, but for its nice heart and warmth and touches of real skating, I'm giving it an "OK only" recommend. seen 3/22/05 RECOMMEND: Sun Valley Serenade is a 40's Sonja Henie film that is like so many of her movies, silly and entertaining. She is a "war orphan" who is fostered by the ever handsome John Payne, who naturally falls in love with her. There is the usual strangely stiff skating style of that time period, but it is definitely upgraded by the music of Glenn Miller and his orchestra. |
| AN IDEAL HUSBAND: This
is a witty, bright story from an Oscar Wilde play that tells more than the
ads would indicate: the need of the lead, Rupert Everett character to get a wife. It
is the story of two couples and their public and private morality and the game of
politics. Julianne Moore gives a brilliant performance as a scheming woman, who does
it all with style, smile, and a witty tongue. movie seen 7/6/99 RECOMMEND: The Madness of King George features Rupert Everett as the Prince of Wales scheming to get the throne from his mentally ill father, King George III. The amazing performance of Nigel Hawthorne as the King drives the film along with strong supporting performances and an intelligence, witty script which highlights the political intrigues and unfortunate state of the medical profession at that time. |
| In Good Company:
Manages to be funny, sweet, and perceptive all at the same
time. Due to a corporate takeover, the Dennis Quaid character is
demoted and a young hot shot (played by Topher Grace) takes his management
position. The sharp look at modern business is balanced by the Dennis'
warm family situation that the Topher character learns from. There are
some laugh out loud moments (the purchase of the sports car is hilarious),
but mostly I just found a smile on my face that it was such a pleasant,
well-rounded film. A high recommend. seen 1/28/05 RECOMMEND: The Secret of My Success is an amusing Michael J. Fox movie that has him as a bright young man who uses a tenuous family connection to get a job at a large New York corporation and through cunning manages to "move up" in the company. It has some very funny parts, even though there isn't a bit of realism in it, but it is enjoyable. |
| In Her Shoes:
Is an entertaining and touching movie about the conflict between two
sisters: the straight-laced lawyer, subtlety played by Toni Collette, and
the irresponsible party girl, played touchingly by Cameron Diaz. But
this multi-layered story takes the sisters through a journey of
confrontation with their family history and forgiveness, when they meet the
grandmother (Shirley MacLaine in a lovely performance) they thought was
dead. I thoroughly enjoyed it and can highly recommend it. seen
10/15/05 RECOMMEND: The Whales of August is a lovely little movie that was just about the last hurrah for Bette Davis, Lillian Gish, Ann Southern, and Vincent Price. Two sisters are nearing the end of the lives and reminisce about the past and try to resolve problems of the present. It is sweet and charming and touching. |
| In the Bedroom: Is
a quiet film that leads you down an unexpected path to a disturbing ending. Sissy
Spacek and Tom Wilkinson brilliantly play a quiet couple unhappy about their son's
involvement with an older woman, whose lives get turned inside out by the tragic event
that occurs from that relationship. Can I say I "like" the movie?
Not in the normal sense, but it will make you think about you might act in the same
circumstances and it will leave you unsettled. The audience sat there rather
stunned at the end of the film. I think it will take me a few days to really digest
it. movie seen 1/6/02 RECOMMEND: Ordinary People was the 1980 Oscar winner directed by Robert Redford that explored the varying reactions of a family to the death of the oldest son. The performances by the entire cast (including Mary Tyler Moore and Donald Sutherland as the parents) are stunning as each family member takes a different road to dealing with the tragic loss. Timothy Hutton won a well-deserved Oscar for his performance as the tortured younger brother. |
| The Incredibles: Is a grown-up cartoon with an edge of violence that may be too extreme for pre-schoolers (who sounded very restless through much of it). It follows the story of a family with super powers who are forced to hide their abilities after a series of law-suits from disgruntled "helped" citizens (like a thwarted suicide victim). I enjoyed the adult humor, such as finding their waist a bit larger 15 years after retirement, when they try to fit into their supersuits again and the amusing cartoon likenesses, such as Nixon and Edith Head. But, it is their sweet relationship with their children and the growth of the children's confidence in their own super abilities that is the foundation of the storyline. It is fun and exciting and definitely works for me - a winner. movie seen 11/5/04 RECOMMEND: Spy Kids began a recent hit series that is the most obvious match this movie. I remember how entertained I was when I first saw it - a totally unexpected match of James Bond special effects with kids playing the spies. It was fun, sweet, and charming and a deserved success. |
| Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull: Is like a really good family reunion - you get to catch up and talk about old times and meet the new members of the family. The action is good, the storyline is acceptable with lots of the old humor, and the performances are entertaining. It was especially great to have Marion back and to see the dynamic with Indiana unfold. I'm usually a big fan of Cate, but her Russian character had me looking for Boris Badenov. But, overall I had a good time watching it and give it a big family recommend. Seen 5/22/08 |
| Inside Man: is
an entertaining heist movie, directed with lots of snap, crackle, and pop by
Spike Lee. Denzel Washington is the world-weary detective with an air
of bemusement put in charge of resolving the hostage situation when a team
of thieves take over a Manhattan bank. Clive Owen plays well off
him as the heist leader with a performance that goes from menace to
wry humor. In the mix is Jody Foster's smug character as a "fixer" of
problems for the wealthy, who becomes involved at the behest of the bank's
chairman (Christopher Plummer), who has a secret hidden at the bank. The
plot has lots of twists and turns, but the satisfying ending will definitely
put a smile on your face. This is a winner. seen
3/25/06 RECOMMEND: Dog Day Afternoon is actually mentioned in "Inside Man" and is a quintessential 70's movie about a bank robbery gone very wrong. Al Pacino leads the hapless bank robbers to get money for his prison boyfriend's sex change. Based on a true story, it becomes a media event, and has some very funny and surprising moments. The most memorable scene is Pacino's calling of "Attica" to rile up the assembled crowd. This is a classic film. |
| THE INSIDER: Is
a retelling of the evilness of the corporate world, this time as seen in the tobacco
wars. Al Pacino is solid as the "60 Minutes" producer who passionately
fought to have the truth told about the tobacco companies, using the testimony and
interview of the insider who risked it all with his revelations. Russell Crowe
plays the complex chemist who begins by losing his job, then has to fight threats against
himself and his family, and ends up becoming a chemistry teacher. I expect to see
some Oscar nominations from this movie. It is a bit long, but worth watching and the
music is haunting. (Note: I didn't buy Christopher Plummer as Mike Wallace;
thought he's a bit too suave.) movie
seen 11/6/99 RECOMMEND: The China Syndrome tells the story of a pair of TV reporters played by Jane Fonda and Michael Douglas who accidentally see an incident at a nuclear plant. Jack Lemmon memorably plays the plant supervisor who fights to reveal the truth about the incident. Three Mile Island occurred right at the time the movie was released, making it oddly prophetic. |
Insomnia:
Al Pacino is the world weary L.A. detective who comes to northern Alaska to solve
a murder mystery for his friend. He becomes engaged in a tense cat and mouse battle
with the murder suspect, well-played by Robin Williams. The terrific plot devise of
the 24 hour daylight causing Al Pacino's character not to be able to sleep adds to the
many layers of this film that explores the evil men do. Hilary Swank is
featured in a solid supporting role as the young eager detective who begins to piece
together what has really happened. Christopher Nolan, the director of
"Memento", has contributed another worthy, memorable movie to his resume.
This is a winner. movie seen 5/24/02 |
| The Interpreter:
Is an intelligent political thriller that is unfortunately
heavy on intellect and light on thrills. I began being intrigued and
ended up being bored. Nicole Kidman plays a UN interpreter who
overhears a plan to assassinate a leader of war torn African country and
Sean Penn is the Secret Service agent assigned to her case. Both their
characters are the walking wounded, dealing with deaths in each of their
families and their performances of tortured sadness in dealing with the
tragedies. But, the picture needs the tightened tension a Hitchcock
could bring to get an edge. So, lukewarm recommend for the
performances even if the picture didn't totally hold my interest and kudos'
to Sydney Pollack for being to film inside the actual UN.
seen 4/22/05 RECOMMEND: Favorite Son is a TV miniseries from the late 80's that had a very sparky performance by Linda Kozlowski (best known for the Crocodile Dundee movies) as a woman who engineers an assassination attempt to further a candidate's election. Although far-fetched, I remember it being very entertaining, sort of poor man's "Manchurian Candidate" |
| Intolerable Cruelty:
is rather like flat champagne: all the elements are there,
but somehow the spark is gone. George Clooney plays a big time divorce
lawyer with the understandable hots for his client's wife, Catherine
Zeta-Jones. Being a Coen Brothers film, there are lots of little
quirky tidbits, including bizarre characters, and unexpected twists and
turns in the plot, but to me it lacks the needed energy to pull it off.
movie seen
10/11/03 RECOMMEND: Divorce: American Style is a sharp 1967 film by Bud Yorkin and Norman Lear that has the All-American couple of Debbie Reynolds and Dick Van Dyke going through the intricacies of divorce. There are some very funny bits of satire and insights into marriage and divorce and a terrifically funny bit by Jason Robards as a buddy showing his pal the ropes of divorce, while trying to get him married off to his own ex-wife. |
| Iris: Is
the story of Iris Murdoch's decent into Alzheimer's, but at the heart is a tender romance
showing the love between her and her husband. She was a sparky, brilliant author and
philosopher and he an awkward scholar, who loved her no matter what. Judi Dench and
Kate Winslet bring the passionate Iris to life and Jim Broadbent and Hugh Bonneville are
superb as sweet, bumbling John. The amazing performances are well-deserving of the
several Oscar nods. movie seen 3/23/02 RECOMMEND: On Golden Pond is the story of an older couple's relationship with each other and their daughter. Henry Fonda and Katharine Hepburn are amazing as the couple who spar with each other with humor and love and Jane Fonda's own troubled relationship with her famous father brings depths to their scenes together. Tender and funny and a very enjoyable film. |
| Iron Man: Imagine while filming "Three Kings" that "Rocket Man" and RoboCop" were thrown into the mix and you have the gist of Iron Man. It is elevated due to Robert Downey's performance as the cocky weapons industrialist who is kidnapped by terrorists who force him to build one of his new missiles. He literally and figuratively has a change of heart and the games begin. There is humor along with the action, making for an entertaining movie, although I can't say it "wowed" me. But, I do see this as the beginning of a new franchise that I hope will build the story telling and do give it a recommend. Seen 5/2/08 |
| The Island:
Retreads storylines, but punches it up with lots of action and chases that
make it palatable. In it a clone played well by Ewan McGregor begins
to question his life in a sequestered community and comes to the
understanding that he is indeed a clone. I decided to see this one
since it was partially filmed in downtown Detroit. It was sad to see
some very elegant old buildings, like the train depot, in such pathetic
disrepair. But, at least we have some of them on film before they're
torn down too like so many other landmarks of Detroit. So, I give a
lukewarm OK to the film - rather like a fast food meal - nothing new in the
Big Mac, but it still tastes alright. seen
7/23/05
RECOMMEND: The Matrix was the amazing hit of a few years ago that covered this same story of self-realization, but seemed fresher and more interesting in its complexity. It's just too bad that they had to muck up its reputation with such lousy sequels. But the original did win several Oscars for the production aspects and has become a new classic of its type. |
| The Italian Job:
is a terrific caper film that begins with a snappy gold heist
in Venice and ends with a terrific car chase with (of all things!!) Cooper
Mini's in L.A. But, there is a story behind the action with
interesting characters and a solid cast that includes Mark Wahlberg,
Charlize Theron, Donald Sutherland, and Edward Norton, and a sense of humor
that gives the movie a lot of strength and makes it a viewer winner.
High Recommend! movie seen
6/6/03 RECOMMEND: The Brink's Job is based on the true story of a 1950's robbery directed by William Friedkin. Peter Falk and Peter Boyle star as the gang that couldn't shoot straight who manages to pull off the job of the decade only to have it all go wrong. Very entertaining. |