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SOUL
TREKKING PASTOR
STEVE |
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MOVIE VIEWS AND REVIEWS Archives |
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Page last updated
12-03-2008. |
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1. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - Not only the best of 2003, but one of the best of all time. 'Nuff said. 2. Matchstick Men - Whether you like caper films or films where characters find their true selves, this is for you. Nicholas Cage is outstanding. 3. Hulk - Part art film, part experiment, part human drama, part comic book, part summer action blockbuster, it all works. 4. School of Rock - A laugh-out-loud comedy from start to finish with Jack Black's frenetic performance as a man who truly lives for a cause, rock-and-roll! 5. Kill Bill, Volume 1 - An exercise in ultra-cool by Quentin Tarantino and Uma Thurman. 6. Luther - Wonderfully summarizes and captures the times and influence of the Reformer. 7. Holes - A "kids movie" that's actually hard to define as it touches on philosophy, theology, and relationships, while taking place in a strange, fascinating universe where absurd comedy and human tragedy are equally at home. 8. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl - Fantastically entertaining and the incomparable Johnny Depp as the indescribable Jack Sparrow. 9. Freaky Friday - Jamie Lee Curtis RULZ!!! And Lindsay Lohan can keep up with her just fine in a comedy that touches the heart. 10. X2: X-Men United - Another superb comic book adaptation that will even appeal to non-fans by Brian Singer and company. 11. S.W.A.T. - Infinitely better than I expected and much better than some of the more hyped and anticipated films of the year. Well done Cop Drama with great action sequences and atmosphere. Honorable Mention: Elf - Destined to become a perennial holiday favorite. |
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I rate my movies on a 4
* scale. These are the ratings of the
movies on this page from best to worst.
To see the review for a particular movie, choose the movie from the A-Z listing.
Otherwise, scroll down to read them all in no particular order. Enjoy!
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Looking for a fun read? Then enjoy the following reviews. Please note, however, that they are NOT in any particular order. Have fun! |
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Rating: BOMB!!! One of the characters repeatedly asks "What the ___ is going on?" Another makes some sort of reference to "incoherent ideas and images." And then a character asks, "Are you ___ kidding me?" I couldn't have summed this film up better if I tried. |
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Rating: * * * 1/2 What I thought would be just a "one joke movie" - the joke being that a hockey player known for brawling becomes a professional golfer - turns out to be full of "guy humor," creatively absurd situations, satire, and spoof. And that one particular joke holds up real well, too. I laughed so hard during parts of this film that I had to gasp, "Stop it! Stop it!" and my chest and sides hurt so much I thought I was having a seizure. Hilarious! How could a movie be bad when it manages to use both Richard "Jaws" Kiel and Bob Barker? But it does contain some crude language and humor, so some people may opt to watch the cleaner cable TV version instead. |
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Rating: * * * * Quentin Tarantino delivers a Master Class In Movie Making while he pays homage to the things he loves - Kung Fu movies, anime, spaghetti westerns, old television shows, music, the '60s and '70s, Japanese and American pop culture, and Uma Thurman, who proves that the lead in an action film can deliver an Oscar-worthy performance. She is INTENSE and works wonders with her face, voice, and body language. And talk about a physically demanding role! And the sequence using "The Green Hornet Theme" is one of the most finely crafted, stylish, and cool pieces of cinematic art I've ever seen. |
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Rating: * * 3/4 There's a sweet
story in this film about a 13 year-old suddenly time-shifted into the body of
her future 30 year-old self. It's too bad that the creators felt they
needed crude talk and sex jokes to tell it. While the movie has its
grin-producing and tear-jerking moments, it's never quite humorous or
emotionally involving enough. And you've seen the best jokes in the
previews. Another problem is that the plot and dialog aren't internally
consistent. One moment our heroine is a thirteen year-old trapped in an
alien world, the next she's a wise beyond her years woman of that
world. Jennifer Garner is a skilled and gorgeous true movie star and
she and the other actors give the material their all. But the writing
and direction let them, and us, down. "Big" and "Freaky
Friday" already covered this ground before in 4 star fashion.
Still, the film is okay if you want to have a night out at the movie, and it
can lead to discussions about: the decisions in the past that have made us
how we are today; repentance, redemption and restitution; priorities; peer
pressure; true friendship; God's sovereignty. |
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Rating: ****
Kurt Russell delivers a phenomenal, Oscar-worthy performance. He is one of those actors who gets more interesting to watch as he ages. And what he was able to convey with his face alone, in such scenes as when he returns home from the team's Christmas party to realize that he's missed precious time with his family and when he has to cut a player who has worked so hard for so long, is amazing. Don't let the fact that you know who wins "the big game" keep you away from the theater. Your heart will still be in your throat as you watch the movie. And, if you lived through those days or are a student of history, you'll love all the montages and actual news clips from that era. |
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Rating: * * * 3/4 I have never read a Hellboy comic book, so I didn't enter the theater with any preconceived notions or expectations. The pulp magazine-ish story of evil Nazis, secret organizations, occult practices, unique heroes, and wizard villains won me over. As did all the well-realized characters, including Big Red himself, and all the supernatural smackdown action sequence. The direction, action, and special effects are incredible. And much humor is mined from the fact that Hellboy, for all his near-indestructibility and alien appearance, is all too human. But the movie delivers more than just chuckles and jaw-dropping moments. It also has a heart as it allows we viewers to follow a sweet love story which is all about falling for a person's character instead of looks. Family is also a theme - as well as the importance of belonging and having people you can respect and trust- and the line, "I call him Son," brought a tear to my eye. (Frankly Hellboy's team could probably defeat the Fantastic Four and the X-Men without breaking into a sweat.) A spiritual theme is also explored as the movie asks the question, "What makes a man - the way he starts out or the way he finishes?" Hellboy must choose either the demonic nature he was born with and the destiny the dark powers have for him, or the morals, worldview, cause, and values of his loving adopted Father. Christians might want to ponder Rasputin's statement, "Your God is mostly silent while mine lives within me." Spiritual lessons aside, though, how can one not love a movie that features an amphibian creature named Abe Sapien who was discovered on the day Lincoln was assassinated, a Nazi who always wears a gas mask, has dust in his veins instead of blood and must wind parts of his semi-mechanical body up like a clock, and a re-animated corpse that complains all the time? Hellboy, at the end of the movie, puts a tough guy spin on a Prince Charming moment that is in character, hilarious, macho, and tender all at the same time. And when he and Liz kiss and set each other on fire (don't worry - they are flame proof), we know just how they feel. |
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Rating: * * * 1/4 The controversy that swirled around this film had to do with whether or not it was actually based on a true story. I don't care! It's a lot of fun watching an American cowboy prevail in what should be a "fish out of water" situation for him. And watching the personable, underdog horse go head-to-head with its well-bred rivals. Viggo Mortensen is an appealing hero and could make a career out of playing the old Clint Eastwood roles of the strong, silent type who gets pushed too far and has to respond. Themes - of spirituality, of discovering and being true to one's identity, of sacrificing for a cause, of racial bigotry, and of the nature and importance of freedom - are here in the film, but first and foremost it's an enjoyable Western adventure (though set in the Middle East) with some touches of humor and "feel good" moments. |
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Rating: * * 3/4 A kid's flick that I enjoyed when I first saw it because I was with a kid at that time. Upon further reflection, I find it to be a movie that will reach its target audience with its tale of a "Mission Impossible/Ocean's Eleven" - type heist. It has some scenes that even adults will find suspenseful (ex. Maddy climbing up to the vault) and some that will leave them with a "been there, done that" feeling. The young actors are good and there's a refreshingly innocent "love triangle" subplot that they handle well. An okay way to pass a few hours. |
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Rating: * * * 1/4 The enchanting Anne Hathaway shines brightly as the lead character and even gets to display some real emotional range in the midst of the spoofy goings-on. The film itself is part hearts-and-flowers fairy story, part send-up, and part satire on our modern culture. All the characters are at heart, children of the year 2004 who just happen to inhabit a medieval fantasy world. A fun and charming couple of hours at the movies. |
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Rating: * * * * If you don't know much about Luther, the Middle Ages, and the Reformation, maybe you won't love this movie quite as much as I did. But I, being a seminary grad and a reader of theology and church history, was in heaven. Much of the dialog was direct quotes, and the lives and times were very accurately portrayed. Some historical figures get a lot of screen time, some just pass through the screenplay, but I got a kick out of seeing them all personified. Some characters are composites and/or representatives of groups of people, but they are effective in providing the viewer with an understanding of the world back then and how Luther and his allies and foes affected everyone and everything. If I was to pick nits, I would have wished for more about Luther the man, such as: how he fought against depression, the place music played in his life and ministry, his relationships with his students and his children. But this movie is more about Luther/The Movement and succeeds admirably in what it sets out to do. Even non-Church History students will find the film emotionally and intellectually engaging. And we're left asking important questions such as: Why aren't we as excited about religious freedom, the Gospel of Grace, and the Word of God in our own language today as the characters in the movie were? Do we have an infinitely fascinating God who calls forth our love, as Luther's God was and did? What things in our churches today need reforming? How might God be using the political intrigues, conflicts, and changing situations in our world today for His Kingdom? As a bonus, the viewer gets a painless introduction to basic Lutheran theology, ideas of grace and forgiveness, and a picture of a man wrestling with God, which are very good things indeed. |
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Rating: * * * * I haven't laughed as much or as consistently through a movie since "Galaxy Quest." The film wants us to have a great time and it succeeds admirably in reaching its goal. Jack Black gives a frenetic, career-making performance as the movie celebrates rock-and-roll and will remind you of when you used to be fun, before you became "The Man." Joan Cusack and the kids are all very good, too. There are some heartstring-tugging moments, but they serve the laughter and help the audience get into the story and relate to the characters. Make no mistake, this is a comedy, not a dramedy, and it's even a "sort of" musical. And you simply MUST stay through the closing credits, though you might need the aid of an usher who isn't rolling in the aisles laughing to help you out after you've busted a gut. If you're of a theological mind, you might even ask yourself later if Christians are as passionate for their cause as Dewey Finn is for his, why we can't throw ourselves into musical worship and enjoy ourselves before our God, and if Dewey's "god of rock-and-roll" is the God of the Bible. Believe it or not, I think he is. |
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Rating: * * * * As I was watching "Matchstick Men," I was having a hard time figuring out what to rate this movie. Part of my problem stemmed from the fact that the film isn't what I expected. It is much more of a character study and an explanation of the psychology behind con games and swindles than it is a caper movie, and while it does contain humor, it's more of a human drama than a comedy. But after I adjusted to the idea that it wasn't going to be "Monk" meets "The Sting," I began enjoying it for what it was. Another aspect of the problem was that I felt the movie spent a long time taking us to where we knew we were heading from the previews we've seen. But after the film was over, I realized that the long setups were essential for the emotional payoff at the end. Also, in one of my previous congregations, I had a parishioner who was victimized by telephone con men, much like the protagonists of this film. I was going to have a hard time rooting for them. But then the film made me love the sinners while hating the sin. And I realized that Nicolas Cage's character was being destroyed by internal guilt and conflicts over the "profession" he was so good at and that the suspense in the movie really comes from the question of whether he can give it up and redeem himself or be trapped by his own success forever. And then there are the surprises which I certainly won't reveal here. Suffice it to say, that upon reflection and even more reflection, I realized how well they hold up and fit in beautifully with everything that has gone before. A masterful job of plotting! Speaking of masterful, Nicolas Cage gives an Oscar-worthy, tour de force performance as the conflicted con man and Alison Lohman is superb as the daughter who comes into his life. Director Ridley Scott delivers a seamless, stylish, no-shot-wasted, satisfying job. And the retro sound track can be both cool and heartbreaking at the same time. It perfectly reflects all the many moods of the movie. The controversial "One Year Later" ending is, in my opinion, perfect. It is achingly sweet, wise, affirming and reminded me very much of the biblical story of Joseph and the conclusions that son of Israel came to when he looked back on his life. It also made me reflect on how both the good and the bad that's happened to me have helped make me who I am and have come from the hands of a loving God. |
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Rating: * * * * A perfect update of the classic story with a hilarious and ultimately touching script, and superb performances by the fantastic Jamie Lee Curtis and the talented-way-beyond-her-years Lindsay Lohan. You'll laugh (frequently), you'll cry, you'll feel good about family, friends, and life. And you might just consider the wisdom of the old Indian proverb of not judging another until you've walked a mile in his moccasins, and the fact that many people have hidden depths which are only revealed by time and honest communication. And you'll need to get out your handkerchiefs for the scenes near the end of the film. |
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Rating: * * * 3/4 Much, much better than I thought it would be! I was expecting a half-way entertaining, standard, shoot-'em up. And sure enough, the movie gives us such familiar types as The Legendary Sergeant, the disgraced cop trying to redeem himself, the tough girl making it in a man's world, and the ex-cop turned criminal - but it makes them all seem like real people we can care about. And the movie delivers gun battles, car chases, training sequences, showdowns, stealthy operations, booby traps, and summer movie stunts - but they are suspenseful, plausible, and executed by actors and stunt persons, not done with computer software. The movie has character-driven humor and it spoofs L.A. culture, but the laughs never overshadow the action and drama. The quick cuts during tense scenes make us feel what it's like for S.W.A.T. team members to try to keep level heads in the middle of chaotic mayhem. The movie also makes us feel the terror of the hostages and the horror of hearing the words, "Officer down!" Any policeman, soldier, or even "combatant" in political, corporate, or church wars can relate to seeing friends falling around you. And while the characters' morals aren't exactly Christian, they still demonstrate the God-given Law written in everyone's hearts, as there are some lines the characters absolutely refuse to cross - even for 100 million dollars. This is one of the best cop/action-adventure movies in years! The new lyrics to the familiar S.W.A.T. theme during the end credits are ludicrous, though. |
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Rating: * * * * Expert, imaginative, cutting-edge direction, perfect casting, excellent acting, an exciting soundtrack, and an absorbing story with a thoughtful, literate script all add up to another cinematic winner for Marvel. The cutting between scenes, camera angles, and use of multi-panels per single screen to convey mood, action, time passages, and emotional responses are too cool for words. And the Incredible Hulk himself is pretty cool, too. Yes, he's CGI, but just as you accepted the King Kongs, Godzillas, and giant robots in the movies you grew up watching on TV, you'll accept him, too. The creators manage to give him a personality and his battles with the military are pure comic book mayhem. The effect of the bullets hitting Hulk's skin and bouncing off made my inner fanboy very, very, happy, as did seeing Jade Jaws leaping great distances and climbing on an ascending jet. There's even a supervillain, Hulk gets to say, "Puny human!" and the last scene pays homage to the TV show before the camera pulls way, way, way back to show us Bruce surrounded by green. A great ending to a great film. And if you are in a thoughtful mood afterward, you can ask yourself if you have any emotional hurts inside that are going on forever and, if so, how are you dealing with them? And what is the proper balance between freedom and restraint in your own life? Love, according to this movie, is making an effort to uncover the real person and then accepting him or her. Not a bad message. |
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Rating: * * * * "Holes" is one of those delicious, meticulously crafted tales where throwaway lines and seemingly irrelevant situations become significant later on, and the Past, Present, and Future all tie in together and play off of each other. In fact, Something - Destiny, Fate, Curses, or maybe even God (dwelling under "God's Thumb" becomes important in the film) - is guiding the characters and is at work bringing redemption, closure, and just desserts. I was reminded of the book of Job at one point when the "counselor" in the film is telling our hero that he has nobody to blame for his messed up life but himself, but we, the viewers, know that isn't true. There are forces beyond his control or understanding at work. Set in a detention center/prison camp for juvenile delinquents (and in Europe and the Old West), the movie is full of quirky characters who provide many laughs just by being their strange selves and reacting to what's going on around them, and characters we care about who can bring tears to our eyes as they deal with some very mature themes for a "kid's movie" - prejudice, murder, lost love and broken dreams, friendship, sacrifice, family, cruelty, greed, hope, disillusionment, obsession, revenge, dysfunction, self-image, and redemption. Actually, although the film is based on a "children's book," it's really for anyone in the later elementary grades up through adulthood. It would even make a good "date movie." The acting is uniformly superb. And Jon Voigt and Sigourney Weaver are amazing. The cinematography and locations convey the proper emotions and moods at the right times and make you feel as if you are there. The musical selections on the soundtrack mesh perfectly with what's happening on the screen and in our heads and hearts. The direction is flawless. I'm glad I have a daughter who read and studied the book in school and wanted to see the movie. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't have gone to see it. Don't make that mistake! Rush out to see creativity and craftsmanship on display in one of the best films of the year! |
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Rating: * * * 3/4 Want to see mutants using their superpowers in spectacular ways right and left? Then this movie is for you. Want to be introduced to the coolest, most fascinating new cinema character since Gollum? Then this is the movie for you. Want to see how special effects continue to take quantum leaps forward? Then this is the movie for you. Want to see a modern superhero movie with an excellent musical score, for a change, that even utilizes classic music? Then this is the movie for you. Want a summer action blockbuster popcorn movie that, nonetheless, has deeper themes, character development, and folks you care about? Then this is the movie for you. Want to take the kids along? Then this ISN'T the movie for you. One of my pet peeves is parents who take their under-aged children to PG-13 films without checking them out first. One of the first graders in the theater with us was alternately completely baffled and utterly horrified by what was going on up on the screen and had to react loudly to everything. Parents, be warned! This is a "comic book movie," but not an Archie comic book, or one with Superman winking at the reader or Spider-Man swinging through the steel canyons with joyous abandon. This is based loosely on the graphic novel, "God Loves, Man Kills." Does that give you a clue that maybe you should leave the little ones at home? If you need more, then consider that the movie deals with the fulfillment of Magneto's prophecy, as the day does arrive when "they" come to take away Charles and his students. The sequence in which the school is invaded and children are traumatized and carried off is one of the most intense, harrowing scenes I've seen in recent memory. Be prepared to shed a tear, particularly if you've ever been forced to leave a job, a school, a home, or a relationship by the actions of uncaring, unthinking people, or have ever been the victim of bullying and prejudice, or have had your heart broken by what you see on the news. Still need more clues? Then consider further that: Mystique, Wolverine, and Lady Deathstrike fight viciously, savagely, and cruelly with no holds barred; lots of people die; the United States military and a local police force fire on our heroes; characters suffer physically, emotionally, and spiritually; Mystique uses her bad girl sex appeal to get what she wants; Magneto is utterly ruthless, willing to swat us all away like bugs if he gets the chance; parents in the film despise their "different" children and one even uses and abuses his. But the biggest clue ought to be that it's rated PG-13!!! Amidst the battles, stunts, and close calls, questions are raised in the film which resonated with me and that have no easy answers. When victims of bullying or violence respond with violence, is it always wrong? How much blame do the bullies bear for their victims' illegal actions? Can violence only be countered with more violence? Isn't it true that, at times, there are no other options? When should world superpowers use force and impose their wills on others and when should they let things just follow their own courses? In the film, of course, the United States is one superpower, but really Xavier and Magneto are two others. And Xavier and Magneto don't just possess weapons of mass destruction, they themselves ARE weapons of mass destruction!!! Is humanity totally wrong to fear them and want to contain them? But how does one contain threats without violating the rights of potential enemies, and without treating them as sub-human? How often do we hide our real identifies from others in order to be accepted by them? And is doing so denying our God-given selves or just being "wise as serpents and harmless as doves?" Don't we all long to be part of a group that knows who we are deep inside and lets us use our gifts? (The Church is theoretically SUPPOSED to be such a group.) We respond to Magneto when, in a bit of brilliant screen writing, he asks the young mutant, "What's your REAL name?" Magneto doesn't want to know what the boy's given first name is, he wants to know what his mutant code-name is, and wants him to stop trying to fit in and act "normal." He wants him to reveal his real self and revel in it. Perhaps this is part of what the Bible is talking about when it says that God will, one day, give each of us a new name in the world to come. Of course, in this world, as in the movie, once you reveal your real self to people, you are leaving yourself open to be hurt and maybe even persecuted. But isn't it worth the risk? Speaking of Magneto, Sir Ian McKellen continues to rule the screen as the tragically complex "villain," whether he is humiliated by what the humans forced him to do, or disdaining the X-Men - showing his superiority while still needing their help, or throwing in a shocking plot twist near the end of the film that's true to his nature and goals, or majestically pulling off a bloody escape from his plastic prison. The rest of the actors and actresses are great, too, and Hugh Jackman IS Wolverine. Wolvie's continuing redemption is a theme in the X-Men movies and here he learns what he is apart from Rogue, Jean, and Charles' graces and must make a choice between "the old" Logan and the new. He also has to decide whether to side with a man who can give him everything he desires, or his new-found, down-trodden friends, leading to a great scene where Wolverine, with a child in his arms, faces Stryker. The ladies, Storm, Jean, and Mystique are given much more to do in this movie than they did in the last one. And while Rogue doesn't have much to do power-wise, she's still a central character and does use her power wisely and effectively during the confrontation at Bobby's house. Bobby (Iceman) and Pyro have bigger parts to play this time around and they are up to it. The new character, Nightcrawler, has powers that are visually too cool for words (think of him as a teleporting Spider-Man) and is unique in that he is deeply religious (in an old-country, European, Catholic way) and is the most hopeful of all the characters, bearing the least malice towards humans even though he is also the most lonely and alien-looking mutant we've met in the film universe so far. Long-time X-Men fans will flip at the cameo appearances of other mutants, and some lines and scenarios that reference the comic books, but novices will enjoy the film, too. I truly love this movie and the more I think about it, the more it grows on me. So, why didn't I give it four stars? Well, it's just a tad too long and there are a few short scenes that seem rather slow. The invasion and destruction of Stryker's base is dragged out a little. And there are some lines and moments that seem as if they were merely inserted to remind us of the first movie, not because they were truly necessary to this one. And I still can't decide if the last shots are an affectionate homage to "Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan" or a rip-off of it. So, the movie's not perfect, but it's very, very good. |
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Rating: * Maybe I would have been thrilled with this movie had I not seen many cliché-filled WWII movies, and '50s and '60s monster movies featuring our troops battling THEM, or had I not progressed beyond mid-semester in Philosophy 101, or if I didn't demand that special effects make sense - merely that they fill the screen, or if I didn't realize that that ambiguous, unsatisfying ending was not thought-provoking, but just poor writing, or if I didn't mind the fact that the dialog was unceasingly inept and utterly predictable, or if I didn't care about the three leads from the first movie. Here Morpheus, Trinity, and Neo spend most of their time off-camera and, instead, the second and third level characters that failed to move me in "Reloaded" take center stage. When our main heroes do appear, they keep bland expressions on their faces and speak almost all of their lines in a monotone and/or a whisper. And, hey, let's build ludicrous looking huge defense machines which leave their operators totally exposed. And, hey, let's have the robotic octopi dramatically swarm instead of just having them get down to business. Only good ol' Agent Smith saved this movie from a BOMB! rating. He's still cool and the fights with him in "our" world and in the Matrix were at least entertaining. |
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Rating: * * * 1/4 A sweet-natured story about a human equivalent to SpongeBob SquarePants - a man who was raised as an elf at the North Pole - and who brings his irritating cheerfulness, optimism, and convictions about the way the world should work to New York City as he attempts to meet his real father. Lots of grins, chuckles, and guffaws for everyone, though adults may wipe away a tear or two from time to time over the love story and the themes of family, belonging, identity, and changing the world with child-like faith. And stay for the end credits to hear co-star Zooey Deschanel and the incomparable Leon Redbone singing, "Baby, It's Cold Outside." I've got to get this sound track sometime! |
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Rating: * * * 1/4 A laugh-filled return to the days of hilarious, spoofy, anarchic Warner Brothers animation, with strong, recognizable characters and the way they interact with each other providing part of the fun. Homages to, and parodies of, movies abound. Often, this film is like one of those crowded panels from an old Mad magazine. There's so much going on around the borders, in the backgrounds, and on the signs that you want to see scenes again in order to catch it all. Focusing the movie on Daffy instead of Bugs (though the rabbit's presence is felt throughout) was a good idea. The Daffy presented here is a perfect amalgamation of all of his screen incarnations - the crazy "woo woo" duck, the egocentric star whose opinion of himself outstrips his talent, the "greedy little miser," the conman/salesman, the bumbling frustrated action hero, and the bane of all who would wish to get rid of him's existence. He's a fascinating personality with endless comic potential. |
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Rating: * * * 1/4 It would be easy just to write this film off as a "sports movie" with all the clichés intact, except that here the "sport" is competitive collegiate marching band and the clichés are extremely well handled. And so are the three dimensional, likable characters. The movie took me to worlds I know little about - the fascinating, intense world of the bands, and the world of contemporary black college students. Both worlds were fun to visit. And it's always inspiring to watch people grow and commit themselves to a cause higher than themselves. |
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Rating: * * * * An absorbing drama based on the story of the Navy's first African-American diver displays the humanness of its characters. Determined, heroic, people of integrity can sometimes do stupid things and bigoted, troubled folks can sometimes do the right thing. The film is as much about family as it is about the Navy - how one's upbringing influences one's whole life, how families form, how families stay together, how sometimes unlikely people become, for all intents and purposes, member of a family. It's also about overcoming obstacles whether they be the numerous ones Cuba Gooding Jr.'s character faces in the way of his becoming and remaining a diver, or the more subtle, behind-the-scenes ones that Robert DeNiro's character faces as he deals with his past, a failing marriage, a disappointing life, and alcoholism. There is foul language and cruel, uncomfortable situations aplenty in this movie based on a real life story, but that's because of the characters, the time period, and the subject matter. And the film is still overwhelmingly life affirming. At its heart, this is a work featuring love stories - the love between fathers and sons, the love between men and their wives, the love of sailors for the sea, the love of career Navy men for the service, and the love of morality which is in every person's heart, however dim, deeply buried, or marred almost to the point of being unrecognizable. |
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Rating: * * * 1/4 A perfect summer movie which wants to do nothing more than entertain us for a couple of hours. And it succeeds. There are laughs and thrills, the crime caper stuff is intriguing, and those little cars are about the coolest things you'll ever see on screen. The film also actually gives us characters we care about, a sweet love story, and acting that is way better than it needs to be for this type of storyline to work. Lots of fun and it even tugs on the heartstrings once in a while. |
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Rating: * 1/2 Though this film has a few mild chuckles, it is mostly boring due to the fact that it keeps you at arm's length by giving you unconvincing characters that are nearly impossible to care about and by putting them in a continued and convoluted story that's an uneasy and unskillful mix of comedy, drama, "slice of life" bits, action/adventure stunts, spoof, and crime story. |
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Rating: * As I was watching this film, I thought of an old quote, possibly from Shakespeare, that describes it perfectly. The quote goes something like this: "A tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, and signifying nothing." Let's briefly take up each of these points: - "A tale told by an idiot." This movie is in serious need of editing. The unmoving, unromantic, stupid-looking rave/group dance/national "singles bar"/love scene and the scene where The Council is looking for volunteers are merely two of many examples I could cite of scenes that just go on and on, yet advance the plot not one bit. Subplots and characters are introduced seemingly just to fill up screen time because nothing much of importance is done with them. The movie is incapable of making us care about what happens to anybody, even the main characters, and generates only a few fleeting seconds of suspense, which quickly turn to indifference, over the course of its long running time. Morpheus has been reduced to a guy who can't stop talking and he delivers everything in a flat monotone, Trinity is just Neo's girlfriend, and Neo himself has gone from the ultra-cool and confident messiah/hero at the end of the first film to an unsure, led by the nose guy who is troubled by bad dreams, keeps moaning to his girlfriend that he'd be nothing without her, and has forgotten most of the powers he has while in the Matrix. The Matrix itself is alternately either too brightly lit and normal-looking or too special effect-y and green screen-y this time around. Some of the FX and fight moves are obviously CGI. The big plot twist near the end has some holes in it, as do several of the ideas introduced throughout the movie. Let's hope that, instead of an extended version for DVD, "The Matrix Reloaded" is released as a special "Cut To Shreds" version. - "Full of sound and fury." The movie is talk, talk, talk, talk. Everyone our heroes meet has to make a prolonged, uninteresting speech, and when the new characters aren't flapping their gums, Morpheus is flapping his, endlessly intoning that there's a war going on and/or that Neo is The One and/or that faith should be placed in The Prophecy. As for the fury, the fight scenes endlessly repeat the same moves and effects, while the freeway chase is standard action movie stuff with some extra, endlessly repeated moves and special effects thrown in. - "And signifying nothing." Forget trying to find religious and mythological analogies in this one. The speeches are all pseudo-philosophical clap-trap. (I was a philosophy major in college, so I know about pseudo-philosophical clap-trap. I even wrote some myself!) And in this movie, we finally get to see Zion. Big deal. It looks like the place where Orcs come from. And despite a supposedly "turn the universe upside-down" revelation, we are essentially left at the end of the movie knowing that The Machines are going to attack Zion, Neo and some new found powers are humanity's only hope, love can fuel a resurrection, and Agent Smith is the main antagonist. What has really changed here from the first film? This film earned one star instead of a BOMB! rating because of Agent Smith. He, unlike all the other returning characters, hasn't forgotten how to be purposeful and cool. And I still love the way he talks, particularly the snide, condescending way he address Neo as "Mr. Anderson." Go, Agent Smith! |
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Rating: * * * 1/2 This is the dark, gritty, yet entertaining superhero movie that Warner Brothers wishes their Batman movies were. It's "superhero noir," more pulp magazine than comic book. Not that there aren't plenty of fast and furious action sequences with superhuman stunts and fighting in the film. There are. And the outrageousness of them didn't really bother me. I quickly accepted that the characters could execute the physics-and-gravity-defying stunts. After all, everyone in oriental martial arts movies can. And James Bond, Bruce Willis, and Dirty Harry fight on despite wounds that would incapacitate Navy Seals. I wasn't even bothered, as I usually am, by the quick MTV-like cuts during the action scenes. The lightning fast edits conveyed the chaos, violence, and menace inherent in Matt Murdock's masked alter ego's nocturnal walks on the wild side. And I could still tell when something cool happened on the screen. And the quick cuts help us experience what our hero does. This Daredevil is much more vulnerable than he is in the comic books. Daredevil is supposed to be blind with his other senses enhanced and to have an extra "radar sense" due to his super hearing. In his published adventures, though, his handicap is virtually irrelevant, as Daredevil somersaults around the city and outswings Spider-Man. But in the movie, Matt dwells in a cloudy, murky, shadowy world where clarity is impossible and lack of input or sensory overload are twin threats that could end his life at any moment. (The "radar sense" scenes are mega-cool! Great FX!) This lends more weight to his "Man Without Fear" nickname as he hurls himself into, what for him could be, the void. Hurling into the void and dwelling in a world where clarity is impossible describes Matt's ethical struggles as well. In many ways the movie is an exploration of vigilantism with all sides being presented. Our hero himself represents and struggles through all the sides. Some long time fans were upset at some of the cruelty and disregard for human life that Matt exhibits in the movie, but the point is that he is a work in progress, trying to define himself and his mission and wrestling with his demons to be able to get to the point where he can say what he does in his confrontation with The Kingpin at the end. Matt is not a perfect person, but has an iron will set on trying to be a man who makes a difference. So while we watch him make mistakes and would want to talk with him about his love 'em and leave 'em tendencies, he has admirable qualities as well. He's a three dimensional character who is not all saint, but not all sinner, either. And his track record with the ladies isn't held up as a paradigm to follow, but is used instead to underscore his loneliness and how, ironically, the man who senses more than anyone else around him is also isolated from humanity, and the man with the mission to help people has few people he himself can turn to for aid. (The priest in the film is one of them and, as a Christian and a member of the clergy, I appreciated the fact that he was a sympathetic, interesting, and complex character who has strong convictions he acts on, yet he knows that the world isn't all black and white. He ultimately asks God to forgive whatever sin Matt has committed even when the question of whether our hero's mission comes from the Lord, or the Devil, or Matt's troubled psyche is very much up in the air. The priest knows that a man making the best he can out of a "gray situation" isn't the same as a person who willfully sins.) Matt himself admits that there are only two people he has ever loved - his father and Electra. Speaking of Electra, she has some genuinely moving scenes with Matt. Their date in the rain is one of the most romantic moments I've ever seen on film. The love story and welcome bits of humor provide breaks from the violence, angst, and tragedies. Some other things I appreciated about the film are: the uniformly good acting; Matt finally saying, "Okay," to the bullies' invitation to fight them; the fact that the story is set in NYC and grounded in reality with many locations that are authentically inner city (unlike the "Funhouse designed by crazed aliens" look that Gotham City has in the Batman films); Bullseye (as psychotic, loony, sociopathic villains go, he's a pretty good one); the fact that the villain respected the man of the cloth; the great bit in the hospital that's shown DURING the end credits (make sure you stay for them!); Matt's utter unconcern over the Kingpen's closing threats; the cameo appearances of comic book luminaries and the in-joke name-dropping; the filming of the climactic shot of Bullseye and Electra which matched the classic comic book art; the ability that some scenes, situations, and characters had to bring a tear to my eye; Ben Ulrich's role in the story. So why didn't I give "Daredevil" four stars? It has two flaws that I will mention, while explaining why the flaws didn't wreck the film for me or make me rate it lower:
PARENT'S ALERT: This is NOT, NOT, NOT a kid's movie! Characters die (sometimes horribly), children and others are traumatized, Daredevil lives on painkillers, and when people get hit they bleed and their bones break. Much scarier than anything in "Spider-Man." The film opens with our injured hero clinging in pain to a cross on top of a Catholic Church and then crashing to the floor in front of the altar like a rag doll, setting the tone for what's to come. Jungle Book 2 it ain't! I agree with my son - the studios should have let the director release his R-rated version so that parents wouldn't think they could bring along the whole family, and I credit the discussion he and I had after seeing the movie for sparking some of the thoughts in this review. |
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The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers Rating: * * * * I take back what I said in my review of "The Fellowship Of The Ring" about it being impossible to capture Tolkien on film because, with this movie, Peter Jackson has done it! This is an action/adventure epic spectacle. It didn't bother me or take me out of the story a bit to know that a lot of the spectacle was CGI, because it is a spectacular spectacle! (I think I've been watching too many Popeye cartoons. I'm starting to sound like those characters.) But the human element isn't neglected either. Real emotion is expressed by the intense actors following the wonderfully literate script, and is felt by the theater goers. And the expanded and more complicated love story works. Nor is magic neglected. There's always a feeling that the gods or magical beings are somehow involved in the characters' world and struggles - what with omens and portends, dreams and visions being referred to. I wish, as a Christian, that I'd be more sensitive to God and Satan being actively at work in the world and in my personal world. Opening people up to the "magic" all around them was one of Tolkien's passions. Other Tolkien themes - history marches inevitably on and nothing ever stays exactly the same; war is awesome and exhilarating, but also terrible and horrifying and changes forever those who engage in it; friendship and loyalty; family; the nature of good and evil and heroism and villainy; having a home - share center stage with all the pulse-pounding swashbuckling. Many lines and scenes are especially poignant when one considers what we are facing in our world. The idea that people can find themselves in a war that they never wanted, yet have no option but to fight, and the imagery of a boy putting on a battle helmet hit home powerfully. And Gollum is simply one of the greatest characters to ever appear on screen. Funny, dangerous, horrifying, pitiable, sympathetic, simple, complex, conflicted, trapped, aspiring, guilty, innocent, perpetrator, victim - Gollum is a believable mass of very human contradictions in a monstrous, mutated, tortured body. And, of course, his voice and manner of speech are just SO COOL!!!! My family and I kept talking like him for hours afterward. Though the film is close to three hours in length, the time seemed to fly by. And although I've read the books and wrote a paper on them, the movie still kept me in suspense. This movie is a work of genius and destined to be a classic. |
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Rating: * * * * A deliciously strange movie that transports Homer's "Odyssey" to the depression-era Deep South and throws in homages to Preston Sturges' "Sullivan's Travels" (my son caught the references). All the characters are eccentric, to say the least, and the humor is partly sociologically based, partly satire, partly character study, partly Monty Pythonesque, and partly from some other universe entirely. There are some moments of human drama and emotion, but they don't detract from the laughs and the fascinating, loopy storyline. Southern fried, fundamentalist religion is lampooned, but there are supernatural things going on and the question of how much of our lives is God-ordained is definitely explored. Unbelievers are spoofed as well when George Clooney's character turns to prayer in a moment of crisis and afterwards tries to explain away the divine intervention. The human desires for absolution, redemption, and reconciliation help advance the plot, along with the all- too-human defects of greed, self-centeredness, and bigotry. It was interesting that the white men who had suffered alongside of black men were willing to give "the colored boy" a lift and risked their lives to save his. I need to say a word about the soundtrack. It's not background music. In many ways, the action on the screen is an embodiment of, or a commentary on, the glorious folk/blue grass/American tunes we hear. This film is bathed in music and music is as much its raison d'etre as the telling of the tale. My son and I have been singing snatches of the songs and quoting lines and bits of this film ever since we saw it. Chances are you will, too. |
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Rating: * * * * This R-rated film isn't for everybody, but I found its portrayal of the life of Ed Wood, the cross-dressing, incompetent, writer/producer/director of the worst, cheapest movies of all time, to be alternately hilarious and touching. Filmed in beautiful black-and-white, the story of Ed Wood is told in the style of an Ed Wood movie in terms of lighting, make-up, background music, and, in spots, melodramatic acting. Johnny Depp as Wood and Martin Landau as Bela Lugosi (he won an Oscar) are extraordinary. The stories of their characters can either be seen as examples of the indomitable human spirit or of naive, self-deluded human stupidity. The movie never tells you which way to judge the stories. It portrays both points of view and lets you decide whether the stories are either/or cases or both/and cases (as most of our own life stories are). The stories of Wood and Lugosi are really also stories about the search for love, acceptance, and significance. Ed gathers a community/family of social misfits around him - washed up actors and TV personalities, drug addicts, and homosexuals who are loyal to him and vice versa. When they all have to join a Baptist Church together to get funding for a film, it is a hilarious comedy of fish definitely out of water, though they are being baptized in a pool. It's too bad that the church didn't seem to have anything legitimate to offer them. This film is about film making and the creative process - the depths some will sink to in order to capture their vision on celluloid, the way the "higher ups" and "moneymen" can subvert everything, and the fact that some are convinced that The Muse has visited them when she clearly hasn't, or if she did she must have been drunk or running a fever at the time. The movie's wonderful closing focuses on an enraptured Wood, watching "Plan Nine From Outer Space" as though it were "Citizen Kane." Most films directed and envisioned by Tim Burton disappoint me and I can never quite see why he's considered a genius and why everyone wants to work with him. "Ed Wood" is different, though. This is a masterpiece and definitely the work of a genius. |
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Rating: * * * * Reese Witherspoon
owns and electrifies the movie screen with mega-voltage star power as a
seemingly shallow, materialistic Valley Girl who follows her ex to Harvard
law school and discovers she's more competent and caring than anyone,
including herself, ever imagined. Yes, it's a fairy tale, heart
warming, chick flick with positive messages - don't let anyone put you down,
be yourself, go for your goals, sometimes social rejects make the best
friends - but guys will like it, too, as its "fish out of water"
comedy is hilarious. We care about the characters and the story is fast
paced. There are some adult situations and coarse language, but the
movie isn't sophomoric. And, at its core, it's very sweet spirited.
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Rating: * * * 1/4 Amusing, not hilarious, and engaging, not riveting, this is a good movie, not a great one, although the acting is outstanding and DiCaprio and Walken are nothing short of amazing. "Catch Me" has been called a comedy and a caper film, but it's really a character study of Frank and the FBI agent who pursues him. There's an underlying sadness to the story and our heartstrings are plucked more than once, but the film is fast-moving and so things never get too weepy or maudlin. Being a baby boomer, I enjoyed the fact that the movie was set in the 1960s. The cars, home decors, clothing, and Christmas decorations brought back many memories as did "Sing Along With Mitch," "To Tell The Truth," "Perry Mason," and the music. It was fun revisiting the days when James Bond was ultra-cool, the Silver Age Flash raced through the comic books, airliners were considered modern miracles, and pilots and stewardesses (not "Flight Attendants") were sex symbols. The '60's style animated opening credits were a kick, too. Even though the film is about a con man and forger, Christians will appreciate: that Frank has a sweet, though misguided and ultimately naively futile reason behind all he does; the strong love bond between father and son; the depiction of the heartbreak and devastation of divorce; the fact that Frank wants to be disciplined and at one point tries to sort of repent; his sacrifice at the end when he quickly turns away from the family he can no longer be a part of. And who can't relate to "I just want to stop. I just want to go home." However, there are a couple brief sex scenes and the use of a word which used to guarantee an "R" rating. These didn't detract from my overall favorable impression of the movie, but be warned. |
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Rating: * * The 2003 holiday movie season begins not with a bang, but with a whimper. Actually, the first part of "Die Another Day" is a good, maybe even great, James Bond adventure. There's a rousing pre-credit sequence. And the credits themselves imaginatively portray the torture Bond is going through. (The lackluster title song by Madonna is a different kind of torture.) Bond is vulnerable, rejected and mistrusted by the Secret Service. As a rogue agent out for vindication, redemption, and revenge, he becomes embroiled in a plot that involves a prisoner exchange, terrorism (off screen), smuggling, illegal medical procedures for the rich, and a mysterious new player on the international scene. The action sequences are grounded somewhat in reality and there's a superb sword fight through a private British club. Brosnan is fine as ex-Agent 007, a hurt man out for justice. His iron resolve and ruthlessness comes through. The wisecracks are delivered with a combination of world weariness and laugh in the face of death bravado. There's a great Bond moment when his spirit, very shaken and stirred, nonetheless shines through in a line to his torturer/captor. We also hear that Bond plays hard because every moment could be his last. And a feeling is nicely conveyed in the aftermath of the sword fight that the common people like Bond and he has a type of camaraderie with them, despite his high roller lifestyle, because he deflates and destroys the rich and the powerful. HOWEVER, as soon as Bond is reinstated and finishes his visit with Q, the movie suddenly takes place in some other universe altogether where the physical rules of ours no longer apply. Believability goes right out the window and, with it, any suspense and any sense of involvement with the story. The last half (or is it closer to 3/4?) of the movie is seemingly just one unconvincing, physics defying, poorly staged and executed action sequence and/or set piece after another. Sound and fury signifying nothing. And speaking of sound, the soundtrack has only one volume - LOUD!!! Halle Barry's entire character can be summed up as a tough spy girl who looks good in a bikini. And if I stacked the plot holes in this movie on top of one another, I could probably burrow through the earth and come out in China. Here are just a few: Why does it take so long for the henchmen to ever shoot at Bond? How can Bond outrace a beam of light? Why does the beam quickly destroy the missile, but takes forever to do in the plane Bond and Jinx are in? For that matter, why does the beam stand still? And why does it shut off? Why does the villain don a combat exoskeleton? When did Miranda change outfits in the middle of a crisis and why? How come the guards didn't run into the invisible car when they were running all over the area it was parked? How can Bond and Jinx comfortably recline on a pile of diamonds? And there's a CGI/bluescreen scene that is among the worst special effects sequences I've ever seen. WARNING: This film has one of the most graphic sex scenes ever in a Bond film or one with a PG-13 rating. |
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Rating: * The movie earns one star for some nice "we are family" bits, particularly at the wedding, and for Picard and Data's clever use of a commandeered enemy shuttle. If not for these things and the competent acting of our old friends, I would have rated the film as a BOMB! There are so many deep, major plot holes, continuity oversights, leaps in logic, equipment oddities, coincidences, contrivances, and violations of Star Fleet protocols and procedures that I was never able to take anything that was happening seriously. When my son turned to me during what was supposed to be the suspenseful, climactic battle and made the "wrap it up, wrap it up" gesture, I knew he was feeling the same as I was. But during the drive home after the movie as we vehemently tore this piece of junk apart bit by bit, I did have happy memories of watching the "Star Trek:The Next Generation" TV series with my wife while we both yelled at the screen, "Have you forgotten that you have transporters?" and "Put up your shields already!" and "Uh, duh! Use a tractor beam!" |
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Rating: * * * * There's not a wasted shot or line of dialogue in this masterpiece about a family coping with a past tragedy and with forces bigger than they are over which they have no control. The lighting, cinematography, and editing all make you feel as though you are right there with the characters. The writer/director always manages to get extraordinary performances out of children in his movies and this film is no exception. As for the adults, look for Gibson and Phoenix to be nominated for "Best Actor" and "Best Supporting Actor," respectively. Especially savor the scene where Gibson's character talks to the vet and all of Mel's conflicting emotions, thoughts, and desires are right there playing across his face. Close-ups and reaction shots are featured heavily in this movie and prove to be more terrifying and engrossing than any footage from a special effects extravaganza ever is. The film makes you care about the characters, not by hitting you over the head and commanding, "Care!" but by simply letting the camera follow them around and capturing the mixtures of saint/sinner, quirky/normal, hero/coward that each of them (and each of us) are. Some will quibble about the resolution of the sci-fi plot, but I maintain that it was foreshadowed all the way through the movie, even in seemingly throwaway lines of crude humor near the beginning. And the resolution provides the audience with one of those "Yes!" moments that affirms life and humanity. Besides, this film is really only secondarily about crop circles and aliens. It's about family, ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances, finding faith again, how to keep on keeping on, the nature of reality and how we perceive it, God's involvement or non-involvement in our daily lives, and yes, wrestling with the Divine (the subject of my new book). It's also about mood, and suspense, and the terror that comes from realizing how quickly your "secure" world can change - whether through an alien visitation or a driver falling asleep for a few seconds behind the wheel. The movie uses laugh-out-loud, but unforced, humor based on how thoroughly human the characters are to relieve the tension. And go see the film in a theater equipped with a good Dolby sound system so you can appreciate the sound track - the corn rustling in the wind, dogs barking far away, chimes tinkling, and the outside world threatening to burst down the walls a family hides behind. As a pastor, I appreciate the many philosophical and theological points the movie raises and the questions and discussions that can arise out of a viewing. I also could relate to Gibson who plays an ex-Episcopalian priest. While he is trying to give up his calling, and even Christianity, entirely, he finds that he can't, because God and the people have made these things so much a part of him. Every pastor has experienced those feelings at one time or another. In a summer (2002) filled with terrific movies, this is The Best. In fact, in my humble opinion, it is one of The Greatest Films Of All Time and will endure and be studied and dissected for years and years and years to come. |
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Rating: * * * 1/4 Woody Allen's technical triumph is fascinating to watch and it has a decent enough story, too. Although there are some laugh-out-loud moments and lines, this isn't as hilarious as some of Allen's other films. But it is interesting, amusing, and surprisingly warm hearted. And there's nothing wrong with that. I loved the attention to details and to history. The songs composed to pass as period pieces in the movie are pretty nifty, too. |
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Rating: * * * 1/4 From the trailer, I was hoping for a family movie that would take an absurd premise - what if the animatronic creatures in Disney World's "Country Bear Jamboree" were alive and existed in the "real world" - and have some fun running with it. Then, I read that one of the "Animaniacs" writers was involved with the project and so, I hoped for a wacky movie with the feel of a live-action "cartoon." My hopes weren't disappointed. In the film, puns, sight gags, social satire, pop culture spoofs, and endearing goofiness abound. My wife, my daughter, and I were laughing out loud throughout the movie. The plot is basically "The Blues Brothers," but it worked for Elwood and Jake, and it works for The Bears. The music is just fine and the cameo appearances are fun to spot. The movie does pluck the heartstrings along with the guitars and "One String Thangs" once in a while, but the creators never let things get too emotional and sticky before bringing in more comedy. Surprisingly, a weakness of the film is the usually brilliant Haley Joel Osment, who, in some scenes, is not as effective as a voice actor as he is in front of the camera. The Bears themselves were very expressive and convinced me that they were alive. I left the theater with a smile on my face. Thanks, Disney! |
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Rating: BOMB!!! I shocked my wife when I saw this movie - I didn't stay for the credits! Enough was definitely enough! You might think that it's impossible to make a boring movie about humanity's last stand against a race of dragons, but evidently the film makers are very accomplished and manage to pull it off. The only suspense is whether or not anything interesting is going to happen. Spoiler Alert: It's not. The only time you feel anything watching this movie is when the sheer terror of trying to stay awake to the end strikes you. The problems with the film are myriad: - Thick accents and tons of dialog that takes place under loud sound effects make it impossible to understand what's being said at least half of the time. Not that it matters. - "Acting" that mainly consists of shouting and looking intense and pained. - Plot canyons ("Plot holes" is too mild a term for what's in this movie.) :
On the plus
side, the movie allowed my son and I to play "Mystery Science Theater
3000," particularly during the so-called "climax." |
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Rating: * * * * As a movie fan, I appreciated the world that Steven Spielberg has created in this film - one not that far removed from ours so that it isn't totally alien, but still futuristic and imaginative. Spielberg's direction is masterful, the acting is all topnotch, and the film noir/murder mystery/conspiracy plot is a good one, taking twists and turns as the characters and the audience try to figure out what's really going on. Science fiction, suspense, action, jump-out-of-your seat moments, and some welcome humor blend seamlessly. And as the film goes on, one's emotions are engaged more and more. As a theologian/philosopher, I appreciated some of the issues the movie raises. If there were people who knew your future and your past, how would you react to them? I expect our reactions would be much the same as that of the holo-entertainment tech in the film or the Apostle Peter's in the Bible - "Depart from me, for I'm a sinful man." And wouldn't such beings be like gods? But if a god already knows your future, is it then set in stone, or can you change it? What is the nature of the afterlife and how much interaction do those that have gone ahead have with us? Do loved ones live on in alternate destinies where they didn't die? Which advances in the fields of science and human psychology tend to affirm the existence of God, and are we as quick to acknowledge them as the characters in the movie are? As a human being and a Christian, I appreciated the value the film places on life and family. All humans have worth and the right to live their lives. The movie conveys this message and makes the point that if some must be sacrificed for the good of society as a whole, it should be of their own choice. As one who has experienced loss, I could relate to the hero's pain. And the movie explores how the characters escape their personal hells. As an American living in these troubled times, I realize that there are no easy answers to certain questions and was grateful that the film doesn't provide any. Does increased national security mean the diminishing of personal freedom? Should suspects be detained when it seems probable that they will engage in dangerous activities in the future? As a lover of good writing and literature, I appreciated how the theme of sight and truly seeing was woven throughout the film, as well as how John and the precog's stories are similar, and the way that seemingly throw away ideas from parts of the film become important later on. In fact, the plot hangs together very well, which is not always the case in films dealing with mystery and/or time paradoxes. And Spielberg is an expert at foreshadowing without letting you realize he's doing it and, conversely, making you think you know what's going to happen when you don't. In short, this is a good one, Folks! Look for Spielberg, Tom Cruise, and Samantha Morton to be nominated for Oscars, and deservedly so. Be aware though, that there is profanity in the film and that the movie pushes the envelope just a bit on acceptable PG-13 level gross-outs. Also, the camera briefly pans past couples having sex. The intensity, subject matter, style, and violence would be way too much for pre-teens and some others. |
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Rating: * * * * A children's fairy
tale story that has enough laughs, charm, and emotion to keep adults
interested, too. Though some characters and situations are exaggerated,
as is common in children's movies, the core characters ring true and the
situations are fun and/or move the story along. Adults will enjoy the
cameos by sportscasters, NBA stars, and Hollywood actors, and there's a good
"Fresh Prince Of Bel Aire" in-joke, and a tongue-in-cheek admission
that the musical, "Annie," was one of the film's
inspirations. The performances are all good and Lil' Bow Wow is an
appealing lead who definitely has a future in the movies. In order to
get the PG rating there's brief use of "mild" profanity and we see
a player's attempt at womanizing, but the movie is pretty safe for all ages.
And its themes of family, friendship, loyalty, redemption, reconciliation,
and honesty are certainly welcome in family fare. The evil orphanage
director does do a despicable thing that might upset some kids, but he gets
his in the end. Everyone except the bad guys live happily ever
after. And the fantasy of new sneakers granting super powers is pretty
universal. Nike and other manufacturers count on it. |
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Rating: * Who ever
thought an alien invasion would be boring, predictable, and
uninvolving? Yet here, entire cities are destroyed and yet we feel
nothing. The stereotypical characters (the stripper who is really an
intelligent woman with a heart of gold, the hotshot fighter pilot, the
crotchety old man who speaks wisdom, the estranged couple who get back
together, the techno nerd who saves the day, etc.) don't help matters
any. Nor do all the plot holes, coincidences, and questions. The
advanced aliens don't have anti-virus programs? A first time pilot of
one of their outdated crafts can outfly them? The aliens count down
using our number system and way of telling time? The stripper
just happens to find the First Lady? Why doesn't anyone else join the
stripper and her son in their refuge in the traffic tunnel? A beam can
destroy a city, but not Randy Quaid's aircraft before it gets inside a Mother
Ship? The ragtag group of pilots do better against the aliens than the
trained jet jockeys? (I've got lots more!) And we've seen so much
of what's in the film before - people running from fireballs, cars flying
through the air, "dead" aliens that come back to life, starship
dogfights. The only things the film has going for it are Will Smith's
undeniable screen charisma and the chance it gives you to play "Spot The
TV/Film Actors." Look, there's Alex from "Taxi!"
Hey, Data is an eccentric scientist! Isn't that Cousin Eddie from the
National Lampoon movies? There's genre favorite Jeff Goldblum! Ad
nauseum. At least the aliens get asked if they are going to return
Elvis. On a sadder note, in light of what's going on in our world
today, the scenes of the nations of the world banding together seemed pretty
improbable. |
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Rating: * * * * A sci-fi film classic due to its literate script, effective score, fine acting, and masterfully understated direction from Robert Wise. Some of the images and situations from this film are now embedded in the Collective American Pop Culture Mind, and many a trivia game has asked the name of Michael Rennie's character and what the message was that needed to be conveyed to Gort. But the serious questions the film raises and leaves the viewer with are as relevant today as they were during the Cold War. |
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Rating: * * * * Stan Lee, when asked about the new film, said something like, "It is the Spider-Man I created." And who am I to argue with "The Man?" The movie definitely IS Spider-Man and the cast is perfect. Toby Maquire IS Peter Parker, and Kirsten Dunst (and the writers, directors, producers, etc.) did a good job of bringing together all the various incarnations of Mary Jane that have appeared over the years in the comic books. J. K. Simmons steals scenes as J. Jonah Jameson, delivering some great lines well. Homages to classic comic book stories, bits, poses, and panels abound (as well as homages to Superman I and Superman II) and there's some post 9/11 sentiments thrown into the mix as well. The movie does an excellent job of showing Peter growing up. And it balances the determination and sacrifice that are part of a true hero's life with what every kid knows deep down inside- that it would be a lot of fun to have Spider-Man's powers! If I wanted to, I could quibble about a few lines of dialog that didn't work, or the occasional special effects shot that didn't quite look right, but during the showing, such thoughts left my mind as quickly as they entered because I was being royally entertained and enjoying myself immensely. As an added bonus, stay through the end credits to hear the original classic theme song from the '60s cartoon show. My family and I sang along. Speaking
of family, some scenes were pretty intense and my 11 year-old daughter
had to cover her eyes. But she enjoyed it too. |
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Rating: * * 3/4, or * * *, depending on my mood A mixture, as
most animated features these days are, of heart-stopping moments and
hilarity. For the most part, everything works, though at times the
Looney Tunes-like humor and the bits with Sid The Sloth "inventing"
and spoofing snowboarding and football seemed jarringly out of place
alongside of families being persecuted, loved ones dying, an implied
attempted suicide, and predators plotting murder. I wondered why the
creators didn't decide just to either make a funny film or else a dramatic
one. "Ice Age," in spots, is definitely darker than
"Monsters, Inc." Still, the voice work is first-rate, the
facial expressions are just fine, and there's real dramatic tension between
the mammoth and the man. |
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Rating: * * * 1/4 An all-star
cast and a stylish, skilled director have fun with this slick caper film that
uses one of my favorite movie plots, the impossible mission and how to pull
it off. Clooney and Pitt offer us a Butch and Sundance for the new
millennium and Brad Pitt makes a convincing case that he is the Robert
Redford of his generation. The dialog is witty and the film is filled
with the twists and surprises necessary for movies in this genre to
work. Go enjoy yourself for an evening! |
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Rating: * * * * Is this movie
cool, or what?!?!?! Mind-blowing concepts, intense acting, riveting action
sequences, attractive leads, eye-popping stunts, creepy villains, special
effects that set the standard, a look and feel all of its own, and love,
resurrection, a savior to defeat evil and lead people to The Truth, moments
to cheer, moments to ponder, and two sequels on the way! What this film
doesn't have, a film doesn't need. (Note: I'm reviewing the version
broadcast on TNT.) |
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Rating: * * * * This movie
captivated me with its novel concepts., but it goes even further.
There's even character development as the monsters start to examine what they
really do for a living and begin to care about little Boo. The final third of the film is rousing, touching, and ultimately emotionally satisfying. The jazzy, big band-like sound track is great, the animation is mind-bendingly superb, and Sully is one of Disney's most memorable, endearing characters. The film is family friendly. There is a sequence with very, very mild, minor bathroom humor, but it's pretty inoffensive. If your child is old enough to realize that even though things may look bad during some parts of a movie there's a happy ending coming, then he or she is probably old enough to see this film. You may need to cover very little ones' eyes when Sully is asked to demonstrate a roar to the new recruits. But other than that, take the family and enjoy the movie. |
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Rating: * More plot holes
than you can shake a stick at (if that's your idea of a good time), a story line
that has to be advanced by voice-over narration, cliched characters, and a
heavy-handed anti-pollution message make this film a clunker. The
killer robot looked cool, though. |
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Rating: * * * * San Francisco looks
mah-ve-lous! and Julie Andrews hasn't lost one iota of her screen presence in
this delightful film that delivers both laughs, tugs on the heart strings,
and some tears. I appreciated that I could take my daughter to a movie
without being embarrassed or feeling like I wanted to cover her eyes or plug
her ears. The fact that adults can get a kick out of the story and the
performers, too, was a bonus. It's also good to see a film that makes
the point that character counts, unlike so many movies of today which glorify
scuzzballs. Take the whole family and enjoy it!!! |
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Rating: * * I was
disappointed, not because they changed James West's background and made the
character a vehicle for Will Smith (actually Smith is quite good here and
could easily play more James Bondish-type heroes), nor because West and
Gordon begin as antagonists (the film could be seen as portraying the origin
of their friendship), but because of all the sex, body part, sexual
orientation, and gross out jokes and the partial nudity, all of which pushed
the PG-13 envelope and none of which was necessary to the story. Too
bad, because the action, fight scenes, sci-fi/fantasy elements, and
non-off-color humor worked just fine. |
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Rating: * 1/2 Okay, the apes
are cool - for about 10 minutes or so, but they get old really fast when
there's not much of a story for them to appear in. I did like the fact
that they still acted like animals, no matter how evolved they were, but not
all the make-up was equally convincing and not all the actors were
comfortable with the false teeth or adept at talking with, and through,
them. There are no characters to care about and it's hard to get worked
up over "Crouching Dragon, Hidden Tiger/Xena:Warrior Princess"
fight scenes where a person flies backwards fifteen feet when socked, slams
into a stone wall, and then leaps up again. In fact, the final fight
where the chimp gets knocked around is laughable. And that's one of the
problems with this movie. Director Tim Burton doesn't seem to know if
he's making a comedy, an action/adventure, a social satire, a sci-fi epic, or
an episode of "The Twilight Zone," so none of the elements of these
genres that he tries to include works. And Mark Wahlberg is no Charlton
Heston. In fact, in this film, he has no charisma at all. I won't
even list all the plot holes and all the "surprises" that my son
and I could see coming light years away. |
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Rating: * * * 1/2 An
old-fashioned thrill ride of a movie with the "Us Versus The
Monsters" plot. Better than other summer flicks in that it has
good acting, characters we care about, and just enough realistic, cutting edge
special effects to benefit, not overwhelm, the story. The movie has
emotional resonance, too, because it's theme is family. From Dr.
Grant's and Ellie's implied, regretfully failed relationship, to the Doc's
father-like mentoring of his student, to the divorced couple's reconciliation
while rescuing their son, to even the raptors and the pterodactyls caring for
their young, to Tea Leoni's last line, the movie stresses that sacrifices are
worth it to keep families together, there's no place like home, you should
let people know you love them often, "boring" family members are
actually complex individuals and can still surprise you, and parents ought to
let their instincts take over and actively parent. There's some great
humor in the film as well involving such things as Bill Macy's true
profession, the "mercenary" who ends up with the survivors, an
omnipresent cell phone, and Barney the purple dinosaur. It was great to
see Sam Neal and Laura Dern again (two stars who, like Harrison Ford,
actually get MORE attractive as they age). I know some reviewers have
complained about the film's length, but for me it was like a good roller
coaster - just long enough to be fun, but not long enough to make you
sick. The PG-13 rating is for the suspense, the fearsome dinosaurs, and
violence. There may have been some swearing in it that I can't remember, so
it must have been negligible. |
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Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Rating: BOMB!!!! The Emperor has no clothes! There, I
said it! And I feel so much better now. |
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Rating: * * 3/4 An entertaining
enough movie that held my interest despite some weaknesses. It's very
slow paced. There are plot holes that I can't go into without giving away
spoilers, but one example will suffice: No doctors, coaches, parents,
physical trainers ever questioned a student athlete's claim that he was hurt
in an accident? The scene where the boy has a gun is meant to be
suspenseful, but it comes across as ludicrous. There's a sick sadist
who appears briefly in the film, as well, and I didn't enjoy looking into his
world. The movie ends just when it seems like things are getting
started. And the most serious flaw is that I constantly found myself
arguing with the film's premise that comic books reflect, albeit in an
exaggerated way, a reality in which The Powers That Be send a super powered
hero into the world when things are getting bad. As a comic book fan, I
do believe that many story lines and characters in them reflect reality in
that they say something about the human condition, show the sacrifices that
must be made to advance The Good, are a tribute to creativity, and even touch
on spiritual themes. I don't believe, though, that there is a Clark Kent
living in Philadelphia (or anywhere else for that matter). When I'm
watching "Buffy" or viewing the film about the X-Men, I can accept
their premises because they are taking place in universes where the fantastic
is commonplace. "Unbreakable" is set in "The Real
World," however, and because of that, it doesn't quite work. I
also didn't buy the "yin/yangish" duality stuff which would claim
that, if I'm sick a lot, then my opposite somewhere else is enjoying good
health. But, the acting
is first-rate and the direction and camera work are exceptional. Comic
book collecting is treated with respect. The film gives us plausible
reasons for why a costume could come to be associated with a hero and why a
hero might want to remain anonymous or have a secret identity. What's
said at the end about super villains certainly is true - think Reed Richards
and Doctor Doom, Thor and Loki, Superman and Lex Luther. And the themes
that writer/director/producer M. Night Shyamalan repeats from his "The Sixth
Sense" - we're given gifts in order to help others, marriages are
important and should be treasured and worked on, everyone needs to find his
or her purpose in life - are certainly ones that I, as a Christian, can go
along with. All in all, it's not the best movie you'll ever see, but it's certainly not the worst one you'll ever likely rent. |
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Rating: * * * Yes, Virginia,
there is a Lara Croft. Angelina Jolie magnificently incarnates the
cyber heroine, giving the part her all. It's too bad the creative team
couldn't have given an "Indiana Jones" level script back to her,
but the story is entertaining enough in a "summer movie, see lots of
cool stuff" kind of way. The music video approach to some of the
early action scenes was a little disconcerting to this 46 year-old viewer,
but I could understand enough of what was going on to be able to appreciate
the fact that Lara uses fast thinking, as well as quick reflexes and deadly
aim, to overcome her foes. Some scenes, especially the temple in
Cambodia, play like video games, but is that so surprising seeing what the
source material was? And there are scenes derivative of "The
Fugitive," "Raiders Of The Lost Ark," and "Star
Trek," but they are fun and when I go to see a movie named "Tomb
Raider," I don't necessarily expect it to be startlingly original or to
make perfect sense. In fact, the movie gave me about what I would
expect from a matinee named "Tomb Raider" and in Ms. Jolie it gave
me a lot more. Her riveting screen presence, her air of superiority,
the way she can go from vulnerable to in control and from fun-loving
adventurer to ruthless killing machine, the stunts that she really did (and
in interviews she insists that she's not as crazy as people think she is!!),
and hearing her toss off witticisms as she dispatches her adversaries in a
flawless British accent made me wish that the next 007 movie could be about
JANE Bond and star Ms. Jolie. A smart producer should sign her and Hugh
Jackson to do a spy thriller together. With young talent such as these
two possess, the genre would be in good hands. |
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Rating: * * * 1/4 A sit-com that
is often "fall out of your chair" funny, this film is like
"Galaxy Quest" in that it spoofs an American institution, in this
case, beauty pageants, while also affectionately reinforcing what's good
about it. The film gives some depth to its stereotypical characters,
particularly the main one and her friends who come to appreciate her for what
she is, and the contestants who learn to be human. Sandra Bullock is
equally adept at playing a social misfit and a beauty queen, and the veteran
actors, Shatner, Caine, and Bergen seem to be having a good time. There
are a few unnecessary sex jokes and some crude language (especially at the
beginning), but one sequence is notable for hilariously pointing out the
total absurdity of taking the Lord's name in vain. |
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Rating: * * * 1/4 Though the
first time screen writer "cheats" once in a while (ex. We don't
hear the essay that Sean Connery reads in the lecture hall), this is still a
fine film dealing with creativity, family, friends, grief, commitment,
forgiveness, and love. There is some coarse language and tough talk,
but it's consistent with the characters and their inner city
environment. The performances are uniformly excellent. And there
won't be a dry eye in the house at the end. |
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Rating: * * 3/4 Another of
Arnold Schwarzenegger's sci-fi action/adventure movies. This one has
some great, off-beat black humor involving a talking doll and bad guys who
keep dying and coming back as clones. There are some twists and turns,
as the movie doesn't offer the expected explanation about why Arnold's
character was presumed dead and then cloned, and as we find out we've been
wrong with one of our assumptions near the end of the film. Questions
about cloning, the nature of Man, and souls are asked and explored. Yet
the movie does have some drawbacks: Quick MTV-like cuts that are jarring and
hard on my old eyes and tired brain; An excessive amount of swearing, coarse
language, and sex jokes for a PG-13 film; A story line that's interesting,
but not very suspenseful; An already dated reference to the now defunct
XFL. It will hold your attention, but it's no "The
Terminator" or "Total Recall." |
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Rating: * * Bigger, louder,
and faster doesn't equal better. This film is an exercise in how
many computer generated menaces the producers can throw at our heroes and
whether or not the soundtrack can break the record for the number of gun
loading clicks and hammers being cocked ever in a movie. There are
interesting things to see on screen like in a video game, but it's about as
involving as watching a video game play itself. Too bad, because the
stars are all very watchable. It's just a shame the writer/director
didn't bother giving them much of a story. And there are lots of nits
to pick! Why are mummies able to shrug off shotgun blasts until they
are about to kill a star and then they blew apart? How were Evelyn and
her brother able to keep everybody in their sights and lines of fire and how
were they able to get down from the cliff so quickly and run into Rick?
Where did all those magi come from? Do they let anybody join the
order? How is it that ancient Egyptians know karate and judo? I
could go on and on, but I won't. And I saw the three big
"surprises" in the movie coming a mile away. To be fair,
though, my fifteen year old son loved the film. |
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Rating: * * * 1/2 A fast-moving festival
of imagination for the eyes and a near perfect blend of kid's humor, adult
jokes, thrills, spoofs, and several touching moments that emphasize the
importance of love and the family. And this is a film the whole family
can see together. There are just a couple of mild potty lines to get
the PG rating, but nothing too objectionable. The acting is great and
everybody seems to be having a good time and invites you to join them.
The gadgets are cool, the vehicles are cute, and the villain's castle is
every bit as intriguing as Oz of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. Look
for George Clooney in an amusing cameo role. And the Thumbthumb guys
are delightfully absurd, yet in a strange way logical, too, seeing as how
they are derived from a kid's show, as they dress up as ninjas, visit the
"nurse," and have framed pictures of their families and sweethearts
in their living quarters. I, for one, would love to see a sequel in
which the Cortez family go on another exciting mission. |
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Rating: * * 1/4 This
supernatural thriller uses every old movie trick in the book to get you to
jump - loud noises shattering silence, slow pans around characters that
suddenly reveal shocks, false starts because animals are walking in the hallway
and coming through doors, etc. And jump you do! Although after
awhile it gets kind of tiring, like an amusement park ride that goes on too
long. Speaking of too long, could they have dragged out that ending any
more? The climax of the film was the genuinely terrifying bathtub
scene, but then the movie just goes on and on and on. I agree
with the critics who found it incredible that the creators and the studio
would give away an important plot point in the trailer for the film.
When you watch the movie, you already, therefore, know a partial answer to
the question of what's going on and you know one of the shocking things
that's going to happen, so you find yourself saying, "All right
already! Let's get to it!" Michelle Pfeiffer is still a
knockout and Harrison Ford actually gets better looking as he ages. The
stars turn in fine jobs here with Ford effectively playing against
type. I just wish the script had been better. The film doesn't
use foreshadowing subtly enough, either. I knew the cell phone on the
bridge and the paralysis medication had to figure into the story near the
end. All in all, an okay way to spend a few hours, but certainly no
classic, and not a movie I'd want to see again. |
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Rating: * * * 1/4 A film that the
whole family can enjoy, as a daughter and her mother switch bodies and lives
for a day. Kids will enjoy the slapstick, the exaggerations, and the
silly situations. Adults can appreciate those things, too, but also
will enjoy watching Barbara Harris and a young Jodie Foster act, and a couple
of genuinely touching moments. And this film proves that once upon a
time Disney could make fun live-action features without resorting to bathroom
and booger jokes. |
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Rating: * * * At the heart of
this movie lies an old-fashioned screwball comedy and a family film, and,
indeed, there is much here that everyone can enjoy. However, the
creators threw in sex, crotch, and bathroom jokes, probably in order to get a
PG rating. Too bad. The movie doesn't need them. The
orangutan is funny and expressive, and Faye Dunaway was obviously enjoying
herself as the boss (and bossy) lady. the real revelation here is Paul
("Pee Wee Herman") Reubens as a hilariously macho and obsessively
insane animal control officer. And the climactic fight between Dad and
the villain using food and kitchen utensils is a riot. Another thing
the film didn't need was the Disney-ish references to Dunstan's family having
been killed by the villain. The threats to Dunstan of beatings and
being locked in his crate would have been enough. |
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Rating: * * * * A topnotch
legal thriller with fully fleshed out characters who are neither all good nor
all bad, excellent performances by everyone involved (including the bit
players), and imaginative writing, editing, and directing, particularly in
the use of quick cuts between past, present, and future. Based on a
true story about a lawyer going for broke (literally) to bring suit against
two giant companies for causing the deaths of children because of pollution,
the film rivets your attention to the screen, not with car chases, gun
battles, and spectacular stunts, but with human drama and the questions it
asks about the value and quality of life, our legal system, and the
sacrifices (for good and ill) that EVERYONE must make for their professions
and lifestyles. Given the subject matter, the film stays remarkably
free of sentimentality, self-righteousness, and political correctness.
Even right-wing Republicans can enjoy it! The location shots and
authentic sets made me feel like I was back home in the Northeast
again. The movie is rated PG-13 for intense adult (in the best sense of
that word) themes and brief usages of crude language. |
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Rating: * An extremely
slow moving movie in which supposedly highly trained characters behave
stupidly in crises in vain attempts to generate suspense and advance the
plot. Some of the special effects are good, but the creators saved some
money filming much of the last fifteen minutes in a barren, white room.
The dialogue mostly explains the obvious to us, or becomes mired in
techno-babble. The film doesn't explore new territory, but rehashes
bits of "2001: A Space Odyssey," "Star Trek: The Motion
Picture," "Total Recall," and "Galaxy Quest."
I expect a sci-fi film to take me someplace new. Special dishonorable
mention goes to the soundtrack and the most ridiculous computer voice ever
put on film. HAL is rolling over in its grave. |
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Rating: * 1/2 I know I'm
going against all the critics who hailed the movie as one of the best of the
year 2000, but I found it slow moving, overly long, predictable, and filled
with anachronistic attitudes, words, and actions. The film thinks it's
important (you can tell by all the people wearing pained expressions on their
faces and speaking in intense whispers), but the storyline is basically
straight out of a western or an old Charles Bronson or Arnold Schwarzenegger
movie. The much hyped action sequences are no better or worse than you
would see on "Xena: Warrior Princess," only there you wouldn't find
the R-rated blood, guts, detached limbs, and gore. As for the supposed
"star power" of Russell Crowe, his appeal is lost on me. |
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Rating: * Seeing
traditional two-dimensional animated characters mixed in with computer generated
three-dimensional backgrounds, landscapes, ships, and equipment is jarring
and prevents one from really getting into the story and the action. Of
course the story, action, and characters are about on the level of a bad
Saturday morning TV show. There are more holes than plot, but what
there is of it is derivative of "Star Wars," "Star Trek II:
The Wrath Of Khan," "Silent Running," "Independence
Day," and dozens of Disney movies. I found it hard to believe that
Ben Edlund and Joss Whedon had hands in writing the script. Just goes
to show that anyone can have a bad day, or as my college English professor,
Dr. Hurley, used to say after he'd make a bad joke, "They can't all be
gems." Although if this is the best screenplay the human race can
produce, maybe it deserves to be extinct in the movie. At least the
producers probably saved money by having the lead shout, "Akima!"
and "Go!" just once and then dubbing these into the soundtrack over
and over again. |
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Rating: * * * 1/2 "U-571"
is an old-fashioned submarine warfare movie with modern special effects
including blood and gore, a gritty, Year 2000 feel to it, and some coarse,
PG-13 language. There are some holes in the plot of American sailors
trying to get home with a Nazi Enigma code machine aboard a crippled U-Boat
and some stereotypical characters but you won't care. The movie is
really about holding your breath waiting for the next depth charge to go off
and anticipating the ocean crushing you like an eggshell as the skipper
orders you to dive deeper than the specs allow. And we watch,
fascinated to see whether or not the new captain will be crushed by the
pressures of leadership. The film understands both the glory and,
paradoxically, the horror of war, and the exhilaration, yet sheer absurdity,
of going under the ocean in what could be a steel coffin in order to sneak up
on the enemy. |
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Rating: * 1/2 A boring film
with extremely crude language about people we don't know enough to care for awaiting
the possible end of the world. I never bought the plot complications or
the special effects for a minute. Robert Duvall elevates the material,
as he always does. Tea Leoni does as well, at least initially, until
the creators use her as a cheap narrative device to inform us what's going on
via her news broadcasts. |
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Rating: * * * Let me admit
right off the bat that the movie does have its weak points:
However,
the film has much to commend it as well: -
Breathtaking stunts, scenery, and special effects. And that first
climbing sequence is incredible, edge-of-your-seat stuff. - Surprises
thrown in. Just when you've predicted the last five plot points and
character developments, something happens that's totally unexpected. - Good acting. - Some
appealing characters are religious (though not Christian). - Excellent use
of sound. See the film in a theater that's properly equipped. All things considered, it's an entertaining way to spend a couple of hours. |
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Rating: * * * 1/4 I read that this
film is based on a story the director wrote when he was 14 and I believe
it. The movie is an amalgamation of everything. It starts out as
Indiana Jones/Stargate, then becomes a Silver Age comic book, then morphs
into a social satire and future spoof ala The Jetsons or Futurama or
Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, then changes to slapstick, screwball
comedy, then pokes fun at the travel and entertainment industries before
becoming "Die Hard" in space, then an anti-war film, and finishing
with a "love makes everything worthwhile" moral. And the last
scene is right out of a James Bond movie. But it all works somehow in
this very entertaining package. WARNING: Very brief nudity in the
background of one scene, and one fairly long crude joke in another sequence. |
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Rating: * * 1/2 It was good to
see a studious, "nerdy" type as the romantic lead and to watch him
get in on his share of the action and adventure, too. It was also fun watching
the squad learn how to interact with another culture. All in all, this
movie is an okay way to kill two hours, although plot holes abound and the
defeat of Ra and his chief henchman must have seemed a lot cooler on paper
than it did on the screen. |
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Rating: * * * * As
a fan of both comic books and the movies, I have usually been disappointed
when Hollywood has attempted a marriage of the two. I could count on
one hand the number of good superhero films that have been made. There's
Superman, Superman 2, Batman Forever, The Mask Of Zorro and...that's
it. Until now. Add X-Men to the list because this time Hollywood
definitely gets it right. X-Men
is thoughtful, character driven, and even very touching at times, without
sacrificing the super stunts and action. The material is treated
seriously, which is a good thing seeing as how the X-Men comic books, like
this film, have the themes of persecution, fear, alienation, and trying to
find acceptance, love, and a family running throughout them. The
villains are sympathetic. Seeing the way the world has treated them, we
can understand how easy it was for them to give in to despair and fear.
Serious questions are asked. When does striving to advance a noble cause
become fanaticism? How does one keep loving and sacrificing for people
who hate you (a question Christians constantly wrestle with )? Messianic
and Christian themes are present in the film as well, from Xavier forming a
redemptive community out of rejected misfits, to the most unlikely character
being the one to make the ultimate sacrifice because of love, to each one
being called on to use his or her gifts for the common good. Not
that the movie is all heavy issues and no fun. There are plenty of
"way cool" moments as the characters and their powers are
brilliantly brought to life on the screen. A couple of in-jokes and
many accurate references kept the comic book fan in me happy, but I believe
that the film is accessible to everyone. The final battle, with the
characters first fighting solo and then using teamwork, combining their
powers to escape the trap and defeat the main villain, is classic comic book
stuff. The
acting and casting were uniformly excellent (well, okay, with one exception -
Cyclops was too young and cocky). Special commendation goes to Anna
Paquin and Hugh Jackman as Rogue and Wolverine, the most alienated mutants
and newcomers to the X-Men's world, and hence, the center of the film and the
characters which provide the audience with a point-of-view. Forget
the quibbles that the most zealous comic book fans have with the changes that
were made for the movie - black costumes, Rogue a teenager, etc. Heart
and soul, this film IS THE X-MEN!!! WARNING: This movie is too intense for younger children and there is brief use of crude language. |
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There are some
genuinely scary moments in this little thriller which send chills down your
spine and raise the hair on the back of your neck. (A warning to
parents: There are also a couple of "gross-out" scenes.) And
there are some poignant moments dealing with the death of loved ones and the
process of grieving which will bring tears to your eyes. But
ultimately, the story lets you down as you begin to realize that it has plot
holes big enough to drive several hearses through. And I guessed the
"surprise" ending. If you've watched a lot of old
black-and-white "Twilight Zone" episodes and can put yourself in an
O Henry frame of mind, you'll probably be able to as well. The acting is
uniformly excellent with a subdued Bruce Willis, a convincing and touching
Toni Collette, and an intense, brilliant performance by Oscar-nominated Haley
Joel Osment, who can act rings around many adults I could name. The
writer/director does a good job of sustaining a mood that is both eery and
yet realistic at the same time. It's just too bad that the narrative
fails to live up to its promise and ultimately hits several big bumps in the
night. |
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Absolutely the
best Star Trek movie ever made! And it wasn't made by the crew from
Paramount. Part spoof,
part tribute, part valentine, part nostalgia, part adventure, the film is
both laugh-out-loud-uncontrollably funny and yet, very moving as it gently
probes the natures of heroism, friendship, family, innocence, hero worship,
teamwork, and dreams. And you'll find yourself cheering as the geeks
really do inherit the earth. If you are a fan of Trek, let nothing stop
you from seeing this movie. RESISTANCE IS FUTILE!!! Conversely,
even if you despise The Enterprise, you'll still be entertained by this
picture. The
performances are great with Tim Allen portraying both the disillusioned,
washed-up actor and "come through when the chips are down" hero his
character is. And he and Alan Rickman evoke Kirk and Spock without
trying to do impressions of Shatner and Nimoy. And Sigourney Weaver is
a riot as the Lt. Uhura/Counsellor Troi character - a beautiful woman who
doesn't really have much of anything to do on the ship besides continually
stating the obvious. All involved were clearly having the time of their
lives and it shows. Top-notch special effects add to the fun. You'll be
quoting lines from this one for weeks, months, and possibly years to come: "Don't you guys ever watch the
show!?!?!" "Whoever wrote this episode should be
shot!!!" "At least he's outside." |
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An
old-fashioned B-Movie, only with better special effects, more action, and a
sly, '90s wit. The leading man is handsome, fearless, and
determined. The leading lady is beautiful and plucky. The
monsters are way cool. The supporting characters are intriguing.
What more do you want? Rent it! You'll have fun! |
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A
smart satire on Hollywood that manages to be affectionate and savage at the
same time. Plus, it is "fall out of your chair, laugh out
loud" funny. You won't believe how much fun it can be to watch
people con and use one another. And we root and feel for these lowlifes
who only want to make movies, have someone notice them, and get that magical
delivery from Fed Ex. Every character is fully realized and the acting
is uniformly excellent. Special kudos to Steve Martin (who also wrote
the screenplay) and Eddie Murphy (who is amazing in a dual role).
Murphy is always better in movies that someone else writes, directs, and
produces. If he kept doing movies like this, he would go down in
history as one of the big screen's best comedians. He's that
good. And so is this film. There are enough in-jokes to delight
film buffs, but the majority of the laughs can be had by all. WARNING: Contains some strong language. |
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