| Sahara: Is a
fairly entertaining "B" movie about a search for a Civil War iron-clad
vessel in northern Africa. There is lots of action, comedy, and plot
to keep you interested. Matthew McConaughey brings his roguish charm
(and six-pack abs!) to the character of Dirk Pitt, performing unbelievable
stunts of daring-do, and Steve Zahn is once again a funny sidekick.
Penelope Cruz is the romance interest whose character adds substance to the
storyline. So, I give it an OK recommend. Nothing awful, but
nothing that new or fresh to give it a high recommend. seen 4/13/05 RECOMMEND: Raise the Titanic is an 80's movie of the Dirk Pitt character with a plot about finding and raising the Titanic that was intriguing at the the time, but with our current knowledge of the Titanic wreckage is not only ludicrous, but sacrileges. I remember loving the book, but thinking the movie turned out pretty sad. |
| The Santa Clause 2: Is
enjoyable, though it I didn't find it had quite the charm of the original. But,
there are funny, sweet moments in it. The sets and costumes are lovely and the
reindeer are hilarious (and maybe the best part of the movie.) I did find that
the adults in the audience seemed to appreciate it more than the smaller kids did. movie seen 11/2/02 RECOMMEND: The first half of Santa Claus: The Movie has a magical flavor showing the beginnings of Santa Claus. The second half dealing with a greedy toy manufacturer and bad elf is pretty dopey. |
| SAVING GRACE: Is
another delightful British comedy. Brenda Blethyn is
the newly widowed Grace who discovered that her husband has left in her debt and she will
lose her house. She and her gardener (played by "Drew Carey's"
Craig Ferguson) cook up a scheme to grow a huge cash crop of
marijuana. The charm comes from the twists and turns in the plot and the friendly
warmth of the amusing townspeople. movie
seen 9/9/00 RECOMMEND: The Lavender Hill Mob is a very funny, classic 1951 British comedy with Alec Guinness and Stanley Holloway as unlikely thieves of gold bullion. |
| SAVING PRIVATE RYAN: All the adjectives are true
- this is a powerful, emotional movie which holds the audience in quiet concentration from
the opening to closing scenes. The battle scenes are brutally real with hand-held camera
scenes that make you feel that you are in the middle of the D-day invasion. As one man
said on the way out of the theater - "that was an intense movie." And it is a
film that makes you think - why would and why should men sacrifice themselves for others?
And are we worthy of the sacrifices that others make for us? After all the "big"
pictures of the year, this is the one that the year will really be remembered for - it is
an instant classic. Start dusting the shelf for another Oscar, Steve and Tom. RECOMMEND: An antiwar movie called, THE AMERICANIZATION OF EMILY which takes a satiric look at war and the nonsence that occurs deals with the D-Day invasion and a crazy general's publicity plan. Paddy Chayefsky's fine script gives the movie a cynical edge, with surprising finely etched performances by Julie Andrews and James Garner |
| Scary Movie 4:
I should have been clued in when the guy at the box office asked me if I was
really going to pay to see this movie. There are lots of jokes, most
of them very bad and in bad taste, though some I admit are funny. Ideal movie
for adolescent boys, since that was the group that applauded at the end.
Yep, not a recommend. seen
4/16/06 RECOMMEND: Airplane! is the grand-daddy of all current satire movies. I remember the audience roaring with laughter just at the previews and many of the bits in it have become classics. It was a take-off on disaster movies, which are a cult all in their own (yeah, I happen to love their cheesiness). Unfortunately, it has been imitated so many times that it now looks tired, but in its time it really had us laughing. |
| Seabiscuit: Is
an elegantly sentimental, old-fashioned movie that tells the true story of a
race horse and the three men who come together to make him a champion.
The dialogue is sparse, allowing the heart of the movie to come through
without over-emoting phoniness. The amazing photography is exciting
during the race scenes, but adds dignity to the deeper emotional scenes.
Through it all there is a heartfelt message of redemption and healing that
comes through, echoed in the telling of the time period of the Depression
years. The human performances are all around excellent and I
suspect there will be Oscar nom's next spring for this pony.
Honestly, so into the movie was the audience that they were actually
cheering the horse on during the races and roaring when he won. This
is the best film so far this year: I can't recommend it enough. movie seen
8/1/03 RECOMMEND: Phar Lap is a similar story in that it tells the tale of a race horse who came out of no where in Australia during the Depression, who came to be a winner loved by the people. However, the ending is tragic and a true heart breaker. I loved the movie when I saw it, but found the end so devastating I have never been able to see it again. |
| Secondhand Lions:
Haley Joel Osment is growing up, but can still wring the
tears as a young man left by his wayward mother with her crotchety uncles.
Michael Caine and Robert Duvall have fun as a couple of old rascals who
delight in shooting at traveling salesmen and in telling tall tales to their
nephew. The layers of the stories of their youth combines well with
the storyline of the young man who finds his courage and grows in their
wisdom. A well-done, very enjoyable film. movie seen
9/19/03 RECOMMEND: Two Bits is a charming story of the relationship between a young boy and his grandfather (surprisingly and delightfully played by Al Pacino) and the boy's efforts to get the 25 cents required to go the movies. It's a small movie with a nice heart. |
| Sex and the City: I have to admit I'm not a big fan of the series, but decided to see the movie to see what the buzz was about. I must further admit that I did enjoy it as a decent chick flick with a soap opera storyline, but good performances, lots of laughs, and some touching scenes make it an enjoyable film. I do find that their worship of fashion design borders on silly, but it is fun to see the ludicrous outfits. I do give it a recommend, however this is a hard R flick, so no kiddies. Seen 5/30/08 |
| SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE: Is a sweet romantic
comedy that manages to give substance to Shakespeare the man, performed by Joseph Fiennes,
and tell the apocryphal story of his "muse" glowingly portrayed by Gwyneth
Paltrow. There are delightful twists and turns that give it strength and substance,
while showing what life was like under the rule of Elizabeth I, who is wonderfully played
by Judi Dench. The joy is in watching the originality and vitality the writing
brings to this fresh look at the Bard. movie
seen 1/9/99 RECOMMEND: TO BE OR NOT TO BE is now sadly known as the last movie of the delightful Carole Lombard, but it is also an original film created by Ernst Lubitsch that uses Shakespeare's plays as a backdrop to the beginning of World War II and the takeover of Poland. It is amazingly funny and touching all at the same time. |
| Shall We Dance:
Is a sweet movie about a Chicago lawyer, played with charm by
Richard Gere, who discovers in a raggedy dance studio, something that makes
him happy in life - ballroom dancing. I found myself really enjoying
this warm, cuddly little movie that not only has a good heart, but several
lovely little performances by the supporting cast as his quirky new friends.
Lisa Ann Walter and Stanley Tucci's characters and performances were two of
my favorites and Jennifer Lopez shows some of her previous film chemistry
and some good dance moves. It's amusing film with a gentle wisdom that
worked for me, so a recommend. movie seen 10/23/04 RECOMMEND: Strictly Ballroom is a wild look at ballroom dancing by the inventive director, Bab Luhrmann, best known for "Moulin Rouge!". It tells the story of the pro who takes a shy girl as his new partner to the consternation of everyone in the competitive ballroom dancing group. She overcomes her shyness and he learns to go with his passion when dancing, rather than playing it safe to assure a win (and, of course, they fall in love along the way). The movie shifts from outlandishness to warm tenderness and is one heck of a ride: sexy and sweet all at the same time as being a hilarious satire. This movie is a good companion piece for "Shall We Dance". |
| SHANGHAI NOON: Jackie
Chan has a winner in this off-beat comedic Western as a Chinese guard who comes to the
Old West to rescue his kidnapped princess. Owen Wilson gives a cheerfully
funny performance as the good-natured outlaw who comes to his rescue. There's lots
of the well-done action you expect in a Jackie Chan movie, but with a good heart and sense
of humor that makes this picture a winner. movie seen 5/26/00 RECOMMEND: The Frisco Kid has a similar storyline with an outsider, Gene Wilder as a rabbi, being reluctantly befriended by a Western outlaw, played by Harrison Ford. There is an underlying warmth in the friendship that develops that makes this improbable tale very watchable. |
| Shark Tale: Is
a delightful cartoon version of the children's tale of Jack, the Giant
Slayer. Oscar, a little fish with big aspirations, appears to have
killed a shark and is heralded by the other fish in his reef, while he makes
friends with a gentle vegetarian shark Many of the jokes are skewed to
adults, though there is lots of action and humor for the kids too (though I
did feel they sounded a bit restless in this movie, as apposed to other
cartoons). But the main thing that kept my interest was the amazing
artwork - I found it so lovely that it was enchanting to watch. It may
not have the same heart and soul of "Nemo", but it also easy to see why this
movie has done so well at the box office - it is a visual stunner. I
give it a recommend. movie seen 10/9/04 RECOMMEND: Ferdinand the Bull is a charming Disney short that tells the tale of a bull who would rather smell flowers than fight. It won the Oscar for 1939 for cartoon short film. |
| The Shipping News: Tells
the tale of a sad sack who marries a very nasty woman and ends up widowed with a little
girl. His long lost aunt visits and persuades him to come with her to his family's
home on Newfoundland. He comes out of his shell on the austere island with the
support of its many fascinating residents. There is offbeat humor and mystery of
the residents' secrets and is another of the unusual, but interesting movies from director
Lasse Hallstrom. I enjoyed it and found the flavor rather like his previous,
"The Cider House Rules". Kevin Spacey gives another good performance and
is ably supported by the entire cast, including Judi Dench, Julianne Moore, Cate
Blanchett, and Scott Glenn. RECOMMEND: Murphy's Romance is a much lighter look at a divorcee played by Sally Field, starting a new life with her son in an Arizona town. James Garner received his only Oscar nomination as the town's pharmacist who romances her. But it is the small town and its resident's inter-relationships that form the link to this weeks movie. |
| Shrek: Imagine
if Mel Brooks wrote a fairy tale and had the best computer animators in the world and you
have "Shrek". It is sly, satiric, and oh, so funny, with wry and rude
jokes for both kids and adults. The voices by Mike Myers as Shrek, Eddie Murphy as
his companion, the Talking Donkey, Cameron Diaz, as the surprising Princess Fiona, and
John Lithgow, as the nasty Lord Farquaad add much the characters. The
audience cheered and clapped loudly at the end in real appreciation. Instant
classic. movie seen 5/19/01 RECOMMEND: The Princess Bride is Rob Reiner's sweet and funny fairy tale of love and adventure and friendship. A classic (and of course it has one of my favorite performers, Mandy Patinkin!) |
| Shrek 2: Is a
very amusing sequel to the big hit of a couple years ago. This time
Princess Fiona and Shrek go to meet her parents. The complications
arrive when its realized that the two of them are ogres. Antonio
Banderas adds sly humor as the voice of the new character, Puss 'n Boots,
and Jennifer Saunders is wickedly funny as the not so nice Fairy Godmother.
There are the usual different levels of comedy from the "is that what I
think it is?" to the obvious fart jokes. Of course, the newness is
gone, but this is a pleasant sequel that I can recommend. movie seen 05/20/04 RECOMMEND: Father of the Bride is a sweet little picture with Spencer Tracy playing the unwilling father of the beautiful bride, Elizabeth Taylor. The gentle humor comes out of his unhappiness over losing his daughter and his feeling of being left out of the event. |
| Shrek The Third: Concludes this series and is a prime example of a joke gone flat from too many retellings, sort of like a opened can of soda pop that quickly loses its fizz. The original magic of the first and the added punch of new characters in the second is just not done here. A major disappoint for me, since I really loved the first two, so no recommend. seen 5/19/07 |
| Sideways: Is the story of two obnoxious friends who take a wine-tasting trip the week before one gets married. One was a whiny dufus and the other a jerk who thinks he's a player. I couldn't wait for the movie to end: one road trip to hell. seen 2/11/05 RECOMMEND: Easy Rider is another road trip to hell, but it was meant that way. Two bikers score on a drug deal and take off to see America. It was the little movie that became THE movie of the year and I can remember seeing it many times when it was first out; now it looks very dated and silly. |
| THE SIEGE: Is a talky movie about terrorists in
the U.S. There are twists and turns in the story line and able performances by Denzel
Washington, Annette Benning, and Bruce Willis which make the movie watchable. But,
you could drive holes through the story line, so I can only give it a so-so rating. movie seen 11/7/98 RECOMMEND: SABOTEUR is a nifty Hitchcock spy movie set during WWII about traitors who are sabotaging the war effort. This one has surprisingly strong acting by Robert Cummings as a falsely accused man out to clear his name and find the real traitors. Ends with the famous Statue of Liberty scene with Norman Lloyd. |
| Signs: M. Night
Shyamalan has brought us a creepy tale that begins with a crop circle appearing in a
Pennsylvania cornfield. The family that finds it is the walking wounded, trying to
deal with the tragic death of the mother. Mel Gibson is the former reverend who has
lost his faith, Joaquin Phoenix plays his brother who has moved in to help, and Rory
Culkin and Abigail Breslin play his confused young children. What they think is a
malicious hoax becomes more and more real as the movie progresses. I was really into
the first 2/3's of the movie, but found the ending a bit of a disappointment - not enough
of the twist ending I had expected and much of the movie had a deja vu feeling (see my
recommend of "The Birds", for example). But, I did enjoy the wry twists of
humor and the feeling of being swept into something unusual, so a recommend, though a very
luke warm one. (QUESTION: just how many Culkin boys are there out there and how come
they are all such good actors?) movie seen 8/3/02 RECOMMEND: The Birds is a primo scary Hitchcock thriller that begins with a society girl's humorous prank and takes us into unexpected avenues when the bird world turns on the humans. It builds and builds with tension and suspense and amazing special effects with live (and otherwise) birds. The story is that Tippi Hedren had a nervous breakdown when she was deliberately left in a room with pecking birds after she insulted Hitchcock's advances. Goodness knows, the gruesome scenes have stuck with me since I saw it nearly 40 years ago. A must see of the genre. |
| SIMON BIRCH: This is the story of a little
person who believed he was put on earth to be a hero - who is the best friend of the other
"outcast" of the town. The movie will make you laugh and cry. Ian Michael Smith
brings real heart and intelligence to the role of Simon and the entire supporting cast
(many of whom are wonderfully quirky characters) is strong. A gem of a little picture. RECOMMEND: MY BODYGUARD is another sweet little movie about two boys who become friends because they are the outsiders. The smaller boy hires the larger one to be his "body guard". |
| Simone: Is another
frustrating movie that had a great idea with a terrific actor, yet doesn't succeed.
What should have been a hilarious comedy about a failed director who creates a perfect
actress on a computer is in the end is an unfunny, sad little film lacking the necessary
charm to work. It was interesting to see Al Pacino in a calmer role, but wish it was
in a better movie, rather than a predictable dull dud. movie seen 8/24/02 RECOMMEND: Bowfinger is a fun movie with Eddie Murphy (in a double role) and Steve Martin in high form as a happy bunch of goofy movie people, trying to trick a famous movie star into appearing in their terrible film. Not a box office success, but a worth a look. |
| A SIMPLE PLAN: It begins with everyone's
dream - find a fortune that is yours for the taking - but, in deciding to keep the money,
the character played by Bill Paxton loses everything he hadn't appreciated he already
had. Billy Bob Thornton gives remarkable support in the character of the brother who
is supposed to be slow, but is shown to be the wiser of the two. It is a tale that
not only tells the story of greed and the ramifications to friends and family, but makes
us all think what we would do in the same situation. movie
seen 1/23/99 RECOMMEND: THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE is a classic film about what greed will do to men and to their friendships. It features a brillian performance by Humphrey Bogart, who is driven mad by his greed, and wonderful support by Walter Huston, in his Oscar-winning role as the wise old miner who leads the team to the gold. ("We don't need no stinking badges.") |
| Sin City: Is
amazing to watch, but the storylines are very violent and the humor really
dark. Based on the graphic novels of Frank Miller, the actors were
filmed against green screens and CGI'd. The standout of
the three storylines was the Beauty and Beast storyline that featured Mickey
Rourke (unrecognizable in heavy makeup) as a very rough killer who goes on a
rampage to revenge the murder of a beautiful woman who was kind to him; he
managed to give depth to his character. I would say the film is
definitely an experience that I can recommend, but I must warn that it is
certainly not for everyone's taste. seen
04/02/05 RECOMMEND: Dick Tracy is Warren Beatty's take on the famous comic strip. He used the bright primary colors for the clothes and sets and many of the actors, such as al Pacino, where the heavy makeup to resemble the bad guys characters. The movie ended up not really working that well, but I was pleased that Stephen Sondheim won an Oscar for best song that year (sung by Madonna). |
| SIX DAYS AND SEVEN NIGHTS: I found it amusing, as
did the audiance who were laughing along. Harrison Ford does a wonderful turn as a
rascally pilot and Anne Heche is sparky as the lady who crashes with him a desert island.
There is nothing memorable about it, but it is a pleasant way to spend a couple hours. RECOMMEND: The obvious choice is THE AFRICAN QUEEN. Humphrey Bogart (in his Oscar-winning role) with his very rough edges romances the reverand's sister, Katharine Hepburn, as they fight the German's in Africa in WWI. |
| THE 6TH DAY: Is Arnold
Schwarzenegger becoming an actor? He plays a happy family man who arrives home to
discover that he has been cloned. He spends the rest of the movie running away from
bad guys who annoying enough are constantly cloned after he kills them, while at the same
time trying to protect his unsuspecting wife and daughter. An intriguing plot with
enough twists to make it interesting and a surprisingly tender, human performance by
Arnold. There is humor and action mixed in, but though it is a titch too long,
I did enjoy it as a good popcorn movie. movie seen
11/18/00 RECOMMEND: The Stepford Wives was a successful movie that has now become part of our lexicon. Katharine Ross questions as she watches the wives of the town turn from normal humans to eerily robotic happy little homemakers. The scene with her best friend, played by Paula Prentiss is a classic. I saw it recently and it still stands up. |
| 16 Blocks:
is a pretty standard bad cops movie, but it gives Bruce Willis a good
role as alcoholic burnt out cop looking for redemption. Mos Def is the
prisoner he is charged with transporting, who has the most obnoxious movie
character I've seen in a long time - the guy never shuts up. Of
course, it is meant as humorous, but after a while you hope the bad
cops DO catch him and kill him, just to shut him up!! So, its not
horrible, just has a tired old, been there, done that feeling.
seen
3/04/06 RECOMMEND: The Verdict gave Paul Newman one of his finest roles as an alcoholic lawyer on his last legs, who is given a case and finds his redemption in representing a client in a medical malpractice suite. His Oscar for "The Color of Money" was really for this role. |
| THE SIXTH SENSE: Finally,
this summer, a well-made, intelligent, scary ghost movie! The script, direction, and
acting all comes together to make a movie that not evokes emotions, but thought.
Bruce Willis gives a solid performance as a psychiatrist who attempts to help a young boy
with deep personality problems and ends up resolving his own issues. The real star
of the film is young Haley Joel Osment as the boy who finally admits that he sees dead
people. You feel his fear through his eyes before you ever see what he sees.
There is also strong support by Toni Collette as the boy's mother. This is a movie I
must see again. movie seen 8/7/99 RECOMMEND: The Other was adapted from the Thomas Tryon novel about a spooky pair of twins and their strange family relationships. It has an other-worldly flavor to it of the supernatural. |
| Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow:
Is a stylish sci-fi film set at the beginning of WWII and has
the flavor of movies of that time, but adds the element of an evil genius
who sends out various types of robots. (Curiously played by Laurence
Olivier, who's been dead for 15 years.) The movie is really a delight
to watch, although it really lacked an element of humanity to involve you.
Rather like one of those desert trays that are plastic models - pretty to
look at, but not edible. Also, Gwyneth Paltrow must have the most
annoying character I have seen in a long time. But, it is freshly done
and exciting enough to watch that I give it a recommend.
movie seen 09/24/04 RECOMMEND: Foreign Correspondent is an early Hitchcock film shot in the beginning of WWII that follows Joel McCrea as he becomes involved in a plot involving world domination by a group pretending to promote world peace. It has some terrific scenes, especially a tense one in a Holland windmill (I remember seeing that as a kid and it stayed with me for years, until I saw the movie again as an adult.) Included are many good performances, especially Albert Basserman who nominated for an Oscar for his performance. Just released on DVD and worth a look. |
| SLEEPY HOLLOW: Has a
nice spooky feel to it that reminds me of the old 1930's films, but has enough blood and
beheadings to make any modern kid happy. Johnny Depp is properly dignified and yet
terrified of the ghost; Christina Ricci's large eyes are put to good use in her portrayal
of the innocent heroine. Tim Burton even brings in Christopher Lee in a key scene
(remember when he used Vincent Price in "Edward Scissorhands"?). Burton
has created a nice balance of story-telling with special effects to create a watchable,
pretty scary Halloween tale. movie seen
11/23/99 RECOMMEND: The Bride of Frankenstein is the rare sequel considered even better than the original movie, Frankenstein. Together, the two films set the standard of classic-story telling that included humor, sensitivity, special effects, makeup, sets, and performances that has been frequently imitated or been paid homage to, including by Burton. Take time to watch this Queen Mother of the scary genre - it is a hoot just to watch Elsa Lanchester hiss at the love-struck Boris Karloff. |
| SMALL TIME CROOKS: Woody
Allen returns to his roots in this amusing tale of petty crooks whose grand schemes go in
different routes than you expect. The real stand-outs in the movie are the ladies:
Tracey Ullman does her usual fine job as the wise wife and Elaine May is hysterical as her
befuddled cousin. Honestly, not as funny as I remember his earlier flicks, but had
enough laughs to make it enjoyable. movie
seen 5/20/00 RECOMMEND: Take the Money and Run is one of his first flicks and the current picture could be a sequel to this one. Full of laughs and funny takes on the losers in life. |
| SNAKE EYES: The opening shot is a long continous
one that is exciting to watch and the first half of the movie snaps and crackles with
excitement and plot turns. BUT, the end wimpers out. Nicolas Cage starts out as a wild
character, but ends up as the reluctant chastened hero. It's too bad that the film didn't
keep up the pace throughout to make a better movie than it turned out to be. RECOMMEND: THE TAKING OF PELHAM ONE TWO THREE is a caper movie with interesting bad guys lead by Robert Shaw ransoming a captured New York subway. Walter Matthau plays the subway cop who "cracks" the case. This is a movie I appreciate more each time I see it |
| Something's Gotta Give:
goes from raucous belly laughs to sweet touching scenes and
is thoroughly adorable. Jack Nicholson is his usual sly self, but it's
Diane Keaton who steals the show as his girlfriend's mother, whom he
reluctantly finds himself attracted to. She gives the character
warmth, charm, and solidity (and I suspect will get another Oscar
nomination). Amanda Peet gives warm support as the daughter and Keanu
Reeves is pleasant as Jack's doctor who has a crush on Diane. It is
totally a wonderful way to spend a couple hours, as the laughter from the
audience can testify. Definitely one of the better films of the year. movie seen
12/12/03 RECOMMEND: Cactus Flower is now basically known as the movie that Goldie Hawn won her Oscar for, but it was a witty comedy of a dentist (played with lecherous charm by Walter Matthau) who pretends to be already married, so he doesn't have to marry his girlfriend (Hawn). Ingrid Bergman sparkles in the role of his nurse who pretends to be his wife. |
| SPACE COWBOYS: Clint
Eastwood has made an enjoyable movie about some over-the-hill test pilots who missed out
on the space program, who are drafted into service as they are the only ones who
understand some old space equipment that is losing its orbit and threatening earth.
Clint and Tommy Lee Jones play well off each other and Donald Sutherland is a hoot as a
horny oldster, but James Garner is only given a walk through role. Not a great
movie, but fun to watch with good humor and action space scenes. movie seen 8/9/00 RECOMMEND: Tough Guys has Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster as two paroled convicts who go back to rob the same train they were jailed for decades before. How they deal with a modern world makes for many amusing scenes. |
| Spanglish: Is a
good (but not great) movie that tells the story of a Mexican mother
struggling to bring up her young daughter with values, who comes into
conflict with her employer who wants to take over and indulge the child.
Tea Leoni does her best with a miserable self-involved character of the
employer around whom everyone revolves. Adam Sandler underplays as her
gentle loving husband, Cloris Leachman has some good scenes as her mother,
and Sarah Steele is sweet in her first role as her understanding daughter.
But, Paz Vega's performance as the Mexican mother is the true heart of the
movie. She seeks to strengthen her daughter's character by denying her
the advantages and gifts the Tea Leoni's character tries to give her.
It is a contrary message to the popular feeling, but it rings true.
For these reasons, I give the movie a recommend. movie seen
12/17/04 RECOMMEND: The Farmer's Daughter is a charming story of a young Swedish lady played in her Oscar-winning performance by Loretta Young. She comes into a stodgy family and turns them upside down by entering politics and falling in love with the family's son. It's been a while since I've seen it, but there is a gentle humor and warmth that makes it very watchable. |
| Spider-Man: The
long awaited filming of the Spider-Man comic book story is well worth waiting for.
Director Sam Raimi has made a terrific blend of action with a very human story.
Tobey Maquire plays the geeky teenager who gets bit by a genetically engineered spider and
takes on the biologic traits of spiders. His initial reaction to his body's changes
goes from fear to boyish joy in being able to do amazing feats. He learns however
that there is a responsibility to go with the gifts he has been given and becomes a
celebrated crime fighter. There is a real heart and soul with a warm touch of humor
to Tobey's performance of the everyman who becomes an unexpected superhero. The supporting cast is uniformly good. Kirsten Dunst is the girl he loves, Willem Dafoe plays the malevolent Green Goblin, James Franco is his best friend, and Rosemary Harris and Cliff Robertson add loving support as his aunt and uncle. Comic relief is admirably performed by J. K. Simmons as a newspaperman. I can highly recommend this movie, but the Green Goblin may bit a bit too scary for younger children. The entire audience seemed to really enjoy the film, and I heard a father say to his kids on the way out, "Boy, I can't wait for the sequel." I had to say, if the same group can maintain this quality level, I must agree with him! movie seen 5/4/02 RECOMMEND: Superman is a very classy telling of the Superman legend from his arrival from Kryton as a baby through his move to Metropolis to become a reporter. Christopher Reeve gives ironic humor to the character that is fun to watch, while still maintaining his dignity as a superhero. The special effects were amazing for the 1970's, but the movie relies more on good story-telling and entertaining characters to make it work. The first sequel was also entertaining, but unfortunately the next two weren't very good. |
| Spider-Man 2: Is
a solid continuation of the amazing first film. Although, I felt it
lacked that original spark of the first and the wow special effects, but it
does follow the story along in a logical process. I am not sure what
Tobey Maguire has, but he truly makes the character hum with intelligence,
humor, and a touch of pathos as Peter Parker/Spider-Man struggles with the
responsibilities of his normal and "super hero" lives. Alfred Molina
gives a solid performance as the conflicted villain Doc Ock. I am
giving this a high recommend more for the acting than the special effects,
which is why, I believe this series is so strong and memorable. movie seen 07/03/04 RECOMMEND: Superman II was the sequel that continued the story from the first of the series by bringing the three prisoners from Krypton to earth to do battle with Superman. They gain the superpowers that Superman has decided to forgo because of his love for Lois Lane. I did enjoy the villains in this movie and it has logical tie-ins to the first film (probably because most of it was filmed at the same time) and is fun to watch. |
|
Spider-Man 3:
Concludes the trilogy tying up all the loose ends of the first two movies.
I saw it at one of the many sold out IMAX showings and unfortunately was so
close to the screen, that the action scenes became a bit of blur.
Also, I found some scenes in between the action to drag a bit. The
best part is when Spidey starts to turn to the "dark side" and does his
little Travolta stroll down the street - garnered lots of genuine laughs.
So not as fresh as the first one or as compelling as the second one, but it
still works, so I'm giving it a recommend for and honorable end to the
trilogy.
seen 5/05/07
Some other movies about the
internal good/evil conflicts:
|
| SPY KIDS: Is an
"E" ticket fun ride for kids and adults alike. Antonio Banderas and Carla
Gugino are a happy couple who have "retired" from being the world's best
spies. Their kids, Daryl Sabara and Alexa Vega, effectively come to their parents'
rescue when they are kidnapped. Throw in lots of special effects and humor and
action and you have one terrific movie. Amusing support from the "bad
guys" played by Alan Cumming, Teri Hatcher, and Tony Shalhoub. movie seen 4/3/01 RECOMMEND: Home Alone 3 was less than successful than the first, but the addition of confident spies who find themselves up against the power of one clever kids does make for some amusing moments. |
| Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams: There is lots of amazing machines and effects, but the
sequel lacks the spark of originality the first film had. There are lots of Spy Kids
in this one and the parents, especially Antonio Banderas, get to camp it up. But for
a Saturday afternoon's entertainment with the kids, it has lots of action and jokes that
make it an OK watch. movie seen 8/17/02 RECOMMEND: Explorers is a fun movie of young friends who begin to get signals from outer space and act on going into space. Their adventure ends very amusingly when you discover just who is visiting us. The Joe Dante film helped introduce River Phoenix and Ethan Hawke. |
|
Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over:
The original movie was fresh and clever and lots of fun,
while the second was just OK. This one only saved by the 3-D effects
and the performance by the dignified Ricardo Montalban (who is confined to a
wheel chair in real life).
But, honestly, about half way through I was
ready for the movie to be over. The plot takes place in a video game,
but doesn't even have the excitement of Pac-Man. And, Rocky Rambo
makes a lousy cartoon villain. So, kids who have never seen 3-D should
enjoy it, but frankly, its time for the series to end.
movie seen
7/26/03 RECOMMEND: I never saw Jaw 3-D in the theater, so missed seeing the 3-D effects, which were supposed to be pretty good. BUT, I have a special affection for this sequel to the classic "Jaws". It is better than second or (god knows) the fourth, but it does have a delightful tackiness to it, that tickles me. It has lots of over emoting by the cast with the usual gruesome shark scenes and even water skiers. |
STAR WARS I: THE
PHANTOM MENACE: The original "Star Wars" set the standard that
all other entries are measured by. Not only did it have fantastic graphics, but the
plot had a classic story line and compelling characters. Now over, 20 years later,
there is no doubt that the computer graphics are more spectacular and real looking than
what could be available in the 1970's and "The Phantom Menace" looks
amazing. BUT (yep, you knew that was coming), I didn't find the story as emotional
as the original, and, therefore, not as compelling. I suspect that the plot is just
the setup for the two movies to follow. "Star Wars IV" was more of a
movie in itself, since it was questionable when it was made that there would be sequels.
I even would go so far as to say that I would have been bored watching
"The Phantom Menace", if I hadn't enjoyed looking at the special effects and
costuming of the movie. I will go and see the sequels to the prequel, but cannot say
that this is a strong entry in the series. It is more style, than substance.
movie seen 5/29/99 Link to Official Star Wars Site |
| Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones:
Is a gorgeous to look at movie with tighter action and plot than the last
episode. Ewan McGregor gives another solid performance as Obi-Wan and I tickled to
see the venerable Christopher Lee looking and sounding so great as Count
Dooku. Natalie Portman continues her role though she is no longer a Queen and is now
a Senator (with one swell wardrobe!). Unfortunately, the weakest link is Hayden
Christensen playing Anakin Skywalker, the Jedi in training and Darth Vadar to be. He
is attractive, but his stiff performance doesn't give the depth the character
requires. But, on the whole I would say the movie works for fans of Star Wars, with
the plot links to the original movies, and for its look and feel. But, ah, if only
someone like Joaquin Phoenix had been cast instead as Anakin! movie seen 5/18/02 Link to Official Star Wars Site RECOMMEND: Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior is Mel Gibson's big breakout movie that takes his Mad Max character into a fight for survival in post-apocalyptic Australia. It is a cross between science fiction fantasy and biker and martial arts movies and one heck of a lot of fun. |
|
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith:
Is the best of the newest episodes. The action only
stops for uncomfortable scenes between Anakin and Padme. She grows
larger with the twins and as he sinks into the dark side of the force, the
Republic turns to the evil Empire. The end shows him finally becoming
the infamous Darth Vadar. My main problem is that Hayden Christensen
comes across as merely whiny and pissed off rather than truly evil and lacks
the depth required to make the role really great. The last scene only
reminded me of everything I had loved about the first movie - the humor,
mixed with amazing action, and honest feelings. But, I did enjoy this
movie for the explanations of how Darth Vadar came to being, since he was my
most favorite character from the original movies, so I give it a recommend. seen
5/23/05 RECOMMEND: Star Trek: First Contact was one of the better Star Trek movies. It is the one that had the Borg Queen dueling with the crew. Neat story line matches the special effects to make an entertaining film. |
|
The Stepford Wives: Is actually funnier than I
thought it would be and the ending is somewhat dopy, but finally has a good
pay-off. Nicole Kidman has fun in the main role as the wife trying to
find out why the other women of the village are so peculiar. I am
giving it a recommend for the laughs, though the film as a whole its just
OK. movie seen 06/11/04 RECOMMEND: The Stepford Wives is one of those strange instances when a film becomes part of the culture, so that today, we all understand what a Stepford Wife is. I can remember being chilled by the book and the movie in the mid 70's, but now its become just a joke. |
| STEPMOM: Is a soap opera formula movie that
succeeds because of the performances of Susan Suranden and Julia Roberts. I found
myself rolling my eyes as others in the audience were sniffling at the predictable
moments. What I didn't expect is to find my eyes eventually tearing up at the end
too. Not a great movie, but an effective one. movie
seen 12/31/98 RECOMMEND: DARK VICTORY is the queen mother of all dying heroine movies. Bette Davis perfected the bitchy heroine and here she gets to play the spoiled heiress who becomes noble facing death in this well-done soap opera. (And it has the weird choice of Humphry Bogart as an Irish stable master.) |
| A STIR OF ECHOES: Has
a solid performance by Kevin Bacon as a blue collar working guy who discovers that he is
psychic after being hypnotized. He and his son see the same ghost, but while he is
terrified, the son is comfortable with his vision. Eventually, the unresolved
death of the ghost impels him to do what his wife considers to be irrational acts.
Unfortunately, though this movie has some good moments, it cannot compete with "The
Sixth Sense" for compelling story-telling. But, it will certainly make it to the
movie goofs sites - the boom mike is clearly scene in several shots - very sloppy
filming! movie seen 9/10/99 RECOMMEND: The Canterville Ghost was filmed for laughs during WWII, telling the story of a cowardly ghost played with pathos by Charles Laughton who is doomed to haunt until a descendent does a brave act. It features Margaret O'Sullivan as a charming little English titled Lady who is host to some rowdy American soldiers, including Robert Young, who turns out to be another descendent. It has always been a favorite of mine for the sweetness of the story-telling. |
| THE STORY OF US: Tries
very hard to tell the story of a modern marriage breakup, but only succeeded in annoying
and boring me. Frankly, I found the Michelle Pfeiffer wife to be a whiny bitch and
the Bruce Willis husband to be another version of his David character from
"Moonlighting". The best lines went to Rita Wilson in an amusing
supporting role as a friend. movie seen
10/16/99 RECOMMEND: The absolutely best showing of the desolation of a marriage was created by Orson Welles for Citizen Kane. In the matter of a few minutes on screen, in the same breakfast room setting, he shows Kane and his wife go from gushing newlyweds to a silent married couple. It is only one reason why this was chosen as the number one movie of all time. |
| THE STRAIGHT STORY: David
Lynch has created an intelligently written and directed film that tells the true story of
an elderly man, played with quiet dignity by Richard Farnsworth, who sets out on his lawn
mower to see his estranged brother who has suffered a stroke. Set in the heartland,
it proceeds with a sparse simplicity that belies the heartfelt wisdom portrayed. I
highly recommend seeing this film. movie
seen 10/29/99 RECOMMEND: Harry and Tonto is the story of an old man, played by Oscar-winner Art Carney, who takes his cat and goes out on the road across the country. A nice little bittersweet tale. |
| STUART LITTLE: Is
one of those movies that has a character so adorable, you have to love it. It isn't
quite as wonderful as "Babe", but thankfully no where as big a stinker as
"Mousehunt". It tells the whimsical story of a family that adopts a little
mouse as their youngest son. As you can imagine, combine a teeny family member with
a family cat and all sorts of adventures ensue. I enjoyed the droll humor of how
other humans react to the adoption and to the little mouse, and the voices of the animal
characters should be familiar to you. This is a more than OK family film. movie seen 12/18/99 RECOMMEND: D.A.R.Y.L. is the story of a little boy who turns out to be a sophisticated robot. The childless couple who take him in, learn he is 'different', but grow to love him, as he begins to grow more human. It is a little movie, but one that I have enjoyed for its basic sweetness of tone and humor. |
| The Sum of All Fears: This
film takes our fear of terrorism to the ultimate. Ben Affleck ably steps into the
shoes of the Jack Ryan character from the Tom Clancy novels and all the performances are
uniformly good. Two particular standouts are Liev Schreiber as a chameleon American
operative and Ciaran Hinds as a new Russian president walking a political tightrope.
The end is a little too neat considering what happens in the movie, but the movie
as a whole is none the less effectively tense and terrifying for a strong recommendation.
movie seen 5/31/02 RECOMMEND: Black Sunday is a tense movie about the hijacking of an advertising blimp to drop a bomb on the Super Bowl. Bruce Dern does another fine turn as a crazy bas guy and Robert Shaw is the stalwart investigator working to stop the terrorist action. |
| Superman Returns:
I saw in 3D IMAX and was very disappointed with the special
effects; only three episodes and not very well done. The storyline
revolves around the return on Superman after five years and centers around
his discovery that Lois Lane is now the mother of a little boy.
Brandon Routh and Kate Bosworth do fine as Superman and Lois, but they lack
the twinkle in the eye that Christopher Reeve and Margo Kidder brought to
the roles in the earlier films. Kevin Spacey brings evil menace to the
sarcastic Lex Luthor, but his grand plot ends up looking rather cheap and
not very scary on screen. So, there are some nice moments, but as a
whole just didn't do it for me. I think the film took itself much too
serious and the overdone Jesus analogies got to be annoying, so I am not
recommending, despite other good reviews.
seen
7/6/06 RECOMMEND: Adventures of Superman, the 1950's TV show, was much fun and the opening lines of "Able to Leap Tall Buildings in a Single Bound, etc" is now part of our lexicon. George Reeves looked like he was having great fun in the role of Clark Kent, while bringing nobility to the Superman character. The special effects were cheesy, the plots limited, but Reeves and the whole cast set the mold for all future pairings of the characters. It is an icon of Americana. |
| Sweet Home Alabama: Is
a sometime amusing romantic comedy about a successful New York designer, played by Reese
Witherspoon, who has to get a divorce from her Alabama husband so she can get married to
her New York fiancée. So she goes back home and the results are predictable.
Some pleasant performances by the supporting cast lift the tired script and make it an OK
couple of hours. But, honestly, how lucky can a girl get - to not only have a
successful career, but two knock-out handsome guys in love with her? movie seen 9/28/02 RECOMMEND: The Awful Truth is the hilarious Leo McCarey screwball comedy with Cary Grant and Irene Dunne as a divorced couple each trying to sabotage the others new romances. Wonderfully goofy scenes and physical comedy by Cary - a true classic! |
| Sweeney Todd: The gruesome storyline combined with some truly beautiful songs by Sondheim made for stage history. Mix in Tim Burton's stylized sets, costumes, and makeup with the depth of acting by Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter and the rest of the cast, and you have a perfect meld of horror and heart. In the end, I felt like I was watching a modern day opera, with all the tragedy and heart ache, but without the huge stage voices. In fact the songs seem natural in the flow of the film and not forced like many musicals. Yes, it is bloody and certainly not for the casual viewer, but I give it a recommend as something you have never experienced before. Seen 12/25/07 |
| SWEET NOVEMBER: Is
a sincerely made movie that is an unfortunate retread of the sweet funny dying heroine,
Charlize Theron, who meets the uptight hero, Keanu Reeves, who learns about life from her.
Sorry to say, but there isn't anything new or interesting in it to recommend buying
a ticket. movie seen 2/16/01 RECOMMEND: What's Up, Doc? has Ryan O'Neal learning about life from the amusing Barbra Streisand character. Although a remake of "Bringing Up Baby", it was fresh and funny in its day, with Madeline Kahn hilarious as the fiancée. |
| Swordfish: The
movie gets off to a promising start with a shocking surprise beginning filmed with amazing
special effects. But, then it sinks into a mish mash of old used plot cliches and
lose ends, until the film finally gets to another original action section. Although
some in the audience enjoyed it and I think that Hugh Jackman has good potential as a
leading man, I felt that John Travolta had done a better villain in "Broken
Arrow" and that Don Cheadle was wasted. So if you want a bit of action and to
see Halle Berry topless, it may be the flick for you, but it was a loser for me. movie seen 6/9/01 RECOMMEND: It does appear to me that every action movie now attempts to imitate Die Hard, but it still stands as an entertaining film that doesn't lose anything in repeat viewing. The classic plot of the lone man up against the odds works with the violence and special effects and a notable supporting performance by Alan Rickman make for a memorable film. |
| Syriana:
Is an intelligent story that had me thoroughly confused for
the first hour trying to put all the pieces together. It is a modern
story about the oil world powerbrokers and how they control the world, doing
deals with governments that maintain their power. George Clooney gives
a solid performance in one of the story chains playing a CIA agent who gets
in trouble for continuing to ask the right questions about the wrong action.
With the Katrina oil price scam that was played on all of us and the oil
companies continuing greed, it is an important movie to see.
seen
12/9/05 RECOMMEND: Boom Town is a fun picture with the great team of Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy as oil wildcatters. They are both in love with Claudette Colbert, though, of course, she ends up with Gable. Its a good flick from a much more innocent time then Syriana. |