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_ in brief : _ this film needs no introduction . if you have n't heard of it , then you must have been up in space on a sabbatical , and if you have n't seen it -- well , i suspect you 're in a small minority ! first thing 's first ? is it all it 's hyped up to be ? well , yes ? and no . it 's a good film , and there 's a lot to like about it , but it 's not without its problems . when i saw the first trailer for " titanic " , it was when i went to see " bean " last summer , i think , my intial reaction was -- ai n't that downright sick to make a disaster movie out of such a dreadful , real - life tragedy ? ! i mean , what 's happened to hollywood 's script - writers , have they run entirely out of new ideas ? gads , whatever next , i asked myself , how about an action film based on hiroshima starring jean claude van damme ? i was not entirely filled with anticipation , but then i was n't alone in that respect . it 's when it came out in the cinema , to rave reviews ( well , mostly ) and anyone who 'd been to see it seemed disturbingly obsessed by it that i started to take notice ! i did n't see the film until several months after its release ( by which time my sister had seen it about four times ! ) , so i went with a slightly more open mind , but i still did n't think i 'd enjoy it much . did i ? yes and no . mainly yes , i 'm happy to say . the first hour or so was beautifully done , not so much because of the scripting ( i 'll talk about that later ? ) but because the re - created ship and sets were stunning to look at , as was cameron 's directing , and the performances of the principal cast were so strong that the " human " aspect of the story , the romance between rose ( kate winslet ) and jack ( leonardo dicaprio ) , was enchanting . the film is told via flashback , with gloria stuart playing the elderly rose in the modern day ( you knew that , a ' course ! : - ) ) . well , it 's an often effective device to use in storytelling -- though sometimes it can fall flat . does it work here ? in script form it does n't add all that much to the story . what does add a lot to the story is gloria stuart , whose stunning performance is the strongest , most moving of the film . her presence brings a much deeper level of passion , and depth to the story , and though her appearances are relatively brief , the film would have suffered without her . also impressive are dicaprio and winslet , who wholly succeed in rising above the often poor dialogue , and the bond they form is both heartfelt and moving . it 's an old story , you know -- forbidden love ala romeo and juliet -- but it works , and jack 's " rescuing " rose ( in both literal and figurative senses ) and teaching her to live life for what counts was pointed and touching . in fact , i enjoyed the first half of the film a lot , largely because winslet and dicaprio bring such and charm , energy to the romance . it 's engaging , touching and very enjoyable . there 's more than a tinge of poignancy to it as well , simply because you know it 's not going to be a happy ending . which leads us to the second half of the film . we all knew it was coming . i 'm sure director cameron was looking forward with eager anticipation to it , because as he 's stated in interviews , the real thrust of the story ( for him ) was the sinking , and the jack / rose romance was a merely a manipulative plot device to get you emotionally into the film . i think that understates the importance of the romance , as i found it far more enjoyable than an hour of watching people die . the iceberg arrives , and the captain announces that titanic will have sunk in about an hour . and it is an hour . my goodness , we do n't miss a second of that hour ? gratuitous ? well , perhaps not by today 's standards , i 'm sure there 's been far worse produced under the banner of " entertainment " in other films . but i certainly was n't prepared for how shocking and graphic the last hour or so would be . not that i 'd expect the word " understatement " to be part of cameron 's vocabulary ( he who brought us such , umm , vivid films as " terminator 2 " and " aliens " ) . is it overdone ? i thought so . understatement can sometimes work wonders in conveying tragedy . no , no one expected a happy ending , but i did n't quite expect the horrendously shocking and powerful scenes we were bombarded throughout the film 's second half . still , whether it was overdone and heavy - handed or not , if it was the shock - factor cameron was after it worked , because i was shocked and moved , in fact i spent most of the last hour in tears ! you really could n't help but get emotionally involved , whether it was wishing someone would knock that dreadfully psychotic fiance of rose 's overboard or desperately hoping that rose would rescue jack , or that jack would rescue rose , or that they would both survive . perhaps the most harrowing scene was when the ship has sunk , and those that sunk along with the ship freeze to death on the water surface . the bit where rose lets go of jack 's hand , while promising she 'll never let go in her heart was particularly heart - wrenching , and the sight of rescue boats sailing amid the ocean of corpses was a pretty powerful image , to put no fine a point on it . i loved the ending , however , which was both moving and slightly uplifting following the horror of the past hour and a half . so , we 've established that the film is powerful and moving , if the last hour was rather excessive . have n't mentioned the script . plot - wise it 's ok , though the jack / rose relationship was beautifully developed , but i 've a feeling that 's to the actors credit if anything . as for the dialogue ? well , titanic is set in 1912 . it 's a period drama . but i saw very little indication of period in so far as the dialogue is concerned . did they really use phrases like " goddamn it ! " back in the turn of the century ? i doubt it . would someone talk like this : " do ya love the guy or what ? " . i doubt it . is such dialogue as " i saw the iceberg , and i see it in your eyes now " not just a bit ? clumsy ? yes it is . a little more attention to dialogue would not have gone astray , and cameron himself is to blame ( he wrote the script ) . stick with directing , dude . but its more than redeemed by the acting , with dicaprio and winslet on fine form , ably supported by a strong cast . star of the show was gloria stuart , though -- why did n't she win that oscar ? ! after all , they were throwing oscars at " titanic " left , right and centre , but gloria was perhaps the most deserving nominee . directing - wise cameron does a spectacular job . like i said , his vision was a bit excessive , but at least he directed it well . i have n't even mentioned james horner 's beautiful score . utterly heavenly , though when your dad and sister play the soundtrack a lot you do start to get a bit bored with it ! ; - ) i 've finished my rant , which lasted a lot longer than i thought it would ! just leaves a couple of questions ; was it worth all those oscars ? hell , do n't talk to me about oscars . bloomin ' farce . it was deserving in a number of departments , though . last question ; is it , as some suggest , one of the best films of all - time ? nope , i do n't think so . it 's certainly one of the most powerful and memorable films i 've ever seen , but i do n't think it quite ranks as one of my all - time favourites . and as for the fact they 're reportedly making a " titanic 2 " ? well i guess that 's typical hollywood for you !

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it much . did i ? yes and no . mainly yes , i 'm happy to say . the first hour or so was beautifully done , not so much because of the scripting ( i but because the re - created ship and sets were stunning to look at , as was cameron 's directing , and the performances of the principal cast were so strong that the " human " aspect of the story , winslet ) and jack ( leonardo dicaprio ) , was enchanting . the film is told via flashback , with gloria a lot to the story is gloria stuart , whose stunning performance is the strongest , most moving of the film . her presence brings a much deeper level of passion brief , the film would have suffered without her . also impressive are dicaprio and winslet , who wholly succeed in rising above the often poor dialogue , and the bond they form is both heartfelt and moving . it 's an old story , you know -- and teaching her to live life for what counts was pointed and touching . in fact , i enjoyed the first half of the film a lot , largely because winslet and dicaprio bring such and charm , energy to the romance . it 's engaging , touching and very enjoyable . there 's more than a tinge of poignancy to it as well , simply because you know it 's not going to , to put no fine a point on it . i loved the ending , however , which was both moving and slightly uplifting following the horror of the past hour and a half 's ok , though the jack / rose relationship was beautifully developed , but i 've a feeling that 's to the than redeemed by the acting , with dicaprio and winslet on fine form , ably supported by a strong cast . star of the show was gloria stuart , though -- why did n't she win that oscar ? ! after all , they were throwing oscars at " titanic , but gloria was perhaps the most deserving nominee . directing - wise cameron does

in some respects , rush hour is the ultimate exercise in cliched filmmaking . the hero is the renegade cop that prefers to work alone . the cop in question can not solve the case until he gets in trouble . all chinese people are somehow involved in the criminal element . the duo must always be completely mismatched . the hero has to say some smart - assed comment before ( and after ) shooting someone . however , that does n't necessarily make for a bad film . rush hour is jackie chan 's first major hollywood film since the dismal the protector ( 1985 ) . proving once again that hollywood can learn many things from foreign film markets ( ie : hong kong ) , jackie chan is given much more free reign than before . still , some die - hard jackie chan fans may be disappointed , as even chan himself has voiced displeasure over the length of the fight scenes ( which he views as too short , according to one interview ) . this film takes a familiar theme of east meets west . jackie chan is lee , the straight laced inspector who is imported to help deal with a kidnapping case , while chris tucker is carter , the loudmouthed , destructive cop that is ` promoted ' to the fbi to help him . or , at least , so he thinks ( also another classic notion in action films : the fbi must always get in the way of our heroes ) . despite the necessary conventions of action films , rush hour is some of the most fun you 'll spend and hour and forty minutes watching . jackie chan continues to be one of the most exciting martial artists on the big screen , continuing to perform his own stunts and dazzling audiences with his flashy kicks and punches . chris tucker , familiar from his whiny , annoying role in the fifth element is more palatable , complementing jackie chan 's straight - laced character . however , jackie chan still maintains his comic - slapstick edge , as expected of him and his films . perfectly downplaying the ` fish - out - of - water ' routine through his character 's attempts at mixing into american culture , he makes up for the down time his character experiences . when he is in action , however , you 'll be amused and dazzled . still being inventive in the use of objects to beat people up ( in this case , a steering wheel , a serving tray , and a barstool ) , jackie chan proves to be the pioneer of slapstick kung fu . chris tucker 's character may come across as irritating , yet is also humorous . since he 's not a physical actor to the level of jackie chan , he uses his main weapon : his mouth ( hence , the tagline , ` fastest hands in the east meets the fastest mouth in the west ' ) . while dialogue is not necessarily shakespeare , it is appropriate for the film and still very funny . while not necessarily poignant , attempts at character development and growth between characters come off surprisingly well . lee 's ` knowledge ' of american pop culture ( ` that 's the beach boys ! ' ) when contrasted against carter 's lack of knowledge of chinese culture makes for an interesting scene where lee teaches carter the kung fu disarming trick , while carter teaches lee hip - hop dance moves . while rush hour is not at the same level as police story 3 and 4 ( known in north america as supercop and jackie chan 's first strike , respectively ) , it more than makes up for the poorly received films operation condor and mr . nice guy . with its appropriate mixture of high kicks and lots of laughs , it makes for a fun film . as well , it is a true departure from jackie chan films , as it is missing one common element : a whiny female co - star .

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the necessary conventions of action films , rush hour is some of the most fun you 'll spend and hour and forty minutes watching . jackie chan continues to be one of the most exciting martial artists on the big screen , continuing to perform his own stunts and dazzling audiences with his flashy kicks and punches . chris tucker , 's straight - laced character . however , jackie chan still maintains his comic - slapstick edge , as expected of him and his films . perfectly experiences . when he is in action , however , you 'll be amused and dazzled . still being inventive in the use of objects to beat people up ( serving tray , and a barstool ) , jackie chan proves to be the pioneer of slapstick kung fu . chris tucker 's character may come across as irritating necessarily shakespeare , it is appropriate for the film and still very funny . while not necessarily poignant , attempts at character development and growth between characters come off surprisingly well . lee 's ` knowledge ' of american pop culture received films operation condor and mr . nice guy . with its appropriate mixture of high kicks and lots of laughs , it makes for a fun film . as well , it is a true departure from

my fellow americans is a movie that at first glance looks to have little substance ( or a movie that we 've all seen a million times ) , two lifetime rivals thrown together and then the fun begins . this is exactly what happened in this movie , but fortunately , they managed to do it in an interesting and funny way . the movie starts with a quick ( and i do mean quick ) glance of two presidents russell kramer ( jack lemmon ) and matt douglas ( james garner ) . william haney ( dan aykroyd ) and ted matthews ( john heard ) are the new president and vice president . there is a scandal that arises involving a kickback from a contractor and haney is positive that he buried that years ago . he finds a scapegoat in kramer and now everyone wants kramer and douglas dead . this movie was exceptional for many reasons . one being that they found people ( lemmon and garner ) that have good chemisty together . they worked very well as a unit and they mirrored each other perfectly , one being a ladies man and one being the old man ( i 'll let you fiqure which is which ) . also , they found people that know their parts as govenment officials well . it seemed to me that garner played almost exactly the same role that he played in the distinquished gentleman ( except then he was a congressman ) . experience counts for a lot ! !

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million times ) , two lifetime rivals thrown together and then the fun begins . this is exactly what happened in this movie , but fortunately , they managed to do it in an interesting and funny way . the movie starts with a quick ( and i kramer and now everyone wants kramer and douglas dead . this movie was exceptional for many reasons . one being that they found people ( lemmon and garner ) that have good chemisty together . they worked very well as a unit and they mirrored each other perfectly , one being a ladies man and one being the is which ) . also , they found people that know their parts as govenment officials well . it seemed to me that garner played almost exactly

in , " the muse " albert brooks plays steven phillips , a hollywood screenwriter who after winning a humanitarian award for his work is dumped by his studio . they claim that he 's lost his edge and his agent is quick to agree with them . he knows that he needs to write something fresh and original and quick or else his career will be over . so he turns to his " best " friend , jack ( jeff bridges ) another screenwriter who 's enjoyed success after success . on the way over to jack 's house steven sees jack helping an attractive woman ( sharon stone ) into a cab and begins to think : is he having an affair ? when confronted , jack relunctently tells him that this mystery woman is , in fact , a muse , a mythological figure who is believed to have inspired all creativity , and has helped him garner his success . " she does n't do any actual writing , " he is told , " but inspires you . " steven is excited by what he 's hearing and asks jack to call her up to see if she 'll take steven on as a new client . jack arranges a meeting between the two and suggests that steven bring her a present , preferably something from tiffany 's . after the meeting the muse , sarah decides to take on steven , but at a price : she wants a suite at the four seasons and wants steven to perform odd tasks for her ( like bringing her salads in the middle of the night . ) steven 's wife ( andy macdowell ) sees him at a food store and questions him about why he has tampons in his wagon . steven confesses everything and , although at first suspicious , she later allows sarah to move into their guest room and eventually into their life . the only question for steven is if the muse is worth all the trouble he 's going through for her . and that 's a question only time will tell . " the muse " is albert brooks ' sixth film as writer / director / actor ( he co - wrote with monica johnson ) and although it 's a good movie it 's not up to the level of his best works ( " defending your life " and " mother " ) . the problem lies in the script , and for a movie that relies on its dialogue for its humor , there are n't nearly as many laughs as they are chuckles despite a few good one - liners . it has a great premise but does n't deliver up to it 's full potential . but , i like albert brooks in this film and i think that we can all identify with steven phillips a little bit . he may whine and complain , but he just wants to support his family and be happy . and i like sharon stone in this movie too ; it 's a nice change of pace for her . and i also enjoyed the cameos featuring the likes of rob reiner , james cameron and martin scorsese . and although " the muse " does n't have as much to say about hollywood as robert altman 's " the player " i still left the theater feeling good . and that 's something i wish i got out of more movies .

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he co - wrote with monica johnson ) and although it 's a good movie it 's not up to the level of his best are chuckles despite a few good one - liners . it has a great premise but does n't deliver up to it 's full potential . but , i like albert brooks in this film and i think that we can all identify with steven phillips a little bit . he may whine and complain , but he just wants to support his family and be happy . and i like sharon stone in this movie too ; it 's a nice change of pace for her . and i also enjoyed the cameos featuring the likes of rob reiner , james cameron and about hollywood as robert altman 's " the player " i still left the theater feeling good . and that 's something i wish i got out of more movies .

plot : good ol' texan kid suddenly gets to play first - string quarterback on his high school team 's football team , in a town where football is considered religion . the coach is just about the biggest a - hole you 'd ever want to meet , who will do practically anything to win . the good ol' texan boy does not approve of said man 's methods . critique : a fun football movie . this film was obviously geared towards the teen market , with mtv behind its production , a big tv star actor in the lead role , rockin ' hip music galore , and plenty of t&a . having said that , i enjoyed the look and feel of the movie , thought james van der beek gave a solid performance , loved the slick sounds , and yup , loved that t&a ! i actually thought this was a comedy going in , but overall , it plays more towards the dramatic , than a comedy . i also enjoyed jon voight 's performance as the stubborn dick coach , as well as many of the other character players on the team . this is not a classic film by any stretch of the imagination , but it might teach some kids the hard lessons behind the " fun " game of football , or just allow them to have a good time for about an hour and forty - five minutes in the movie theatre ( or in the comfort of their own home , depending on where you watch this stuff . ) all in all , i would definitely watch this movie if you like football , play football or want your kid to succeed in high school football . you could also watch it if you like teen flicks with a lot of cute guys and girls running around doing their stuff . and did i mention the t&a ? : ) little known facts about this film and its stars : james van der beek actually started acting after a concussion stopped him from playing football in real life . he is the oldest of three children , and his father is a cellular phone salesman while his mom runs a gymnastics studio . he 's born in connecticut and received $ 200 , 000 for his role in this film . actor scott caan , who plays football player " tweeder " in this film , is the son of famed actor james caan in real life . that 's right , he 's sonny 's son ! actress amy smart , who plays van der beek 's girlfriend in this movie , also played the main star 's girl in the 1999 film outside providence ( 6 . 5/10 ) . screenwriter w . peter iliff also had a part in writing the screenplays for the 1992 harrison ford film , patriot games , and the keanu reeves surfing flick , point break . director brian robbins might be best remembered as the " cool dude " from the tv series " head of the class " . his name was eric mandrian and he generally wore a long , black trench coat on the show . the book mox ( james van der beek ) is reading on the sidelines in this movie , hidden inside the team 's playbook , is " slaughterhouse - five " by kurt vonnegut , jr . the high school fight song played at the pep rally is the texas a&m war hymn .

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not approve of said man 's methods . critique : a fun football movie . this film was obviously geared towards the teen market , and plenty of t&a . having said that , i enjoyed the look and feel of the movie , thought james van der beek gave a solid performance , loved the slick sounds , and yup , loved that t&a ! i actually thought this was a comedy going in , towards the dramatic , than a comedy . i also enjoyed jon voight 's performance as the stubborn dick coach , as well as many you watch this stuff . ) all in all , i would definitely watch this movie if you like football , play football or want your kid to succeed in high school football . you could also watch it if you like teen flicks with a lot of cute

the film starts out with a creepy opening sequence to which has the now classic and creepy score by writer / director / producer john carpenter who in my mind is a brilliant director , he really is . he wrote this film , he directed this film , he produced this film and he made the excessively creepy score to this film . i think he is and always will be famous for this classic which after 21 years has not lost it 's popularity or it 's ability to scare the wits out of people . i think i have seen ' halloween ' over 100 times and each time i find something new and brilliant , and each time i am scared even though i know what is going to happen . i own three different versions of the film : a vhs regular version that came with a limited edition 20th anniversary t - shirt , a boxed edition vhs in a hardcover case digitally re - mastered with the original theatrical widescreen presentation , in a nifty plastic picture decorated box with a numbered snow - globe . in other words i am completely and utterly obsessed with the film . it has changed horror movies forever and spawned six sequels with only 2 , 4 , and 7 being truly good . it also spawned several cheap imitations of the film that were offensive in some ways to a true halloween fan . since i heard about halloween being released on dvd in a limited edition of 30 , 000 copies , i knew i had to buy one no matter what ! i did and man to me it 's the best dvd ever manufactured with the brilliance of the film . no words can describe the dvd . in ' halloween ' michael myers is a evil person whom killed his sister in cold blood 16 years ago in 1963 . now in 1978 grown up and in a mental hospital michael myers escapes to go back to his hometown of haddonfield , illinois , followed by his past doctor sam loomis . the person michael is targeting is laurie strode who is played by jamie lee curtis in her film debut . why is he stalking her ? check out halloween ii it explains it all . on this unholy night on october 31 , 1978 laurie strode and her two friends are going to have the time of their lives , which is trying to stay alive . the whole film is filled with terrifying moments most coming from just seeing michael myers walk . nick castle who played the shape in the first movie did an incredible job , and no other person in any other halloween flick can do what he did . what john carpenter did in 1978 is made a ground - breaking new film , with scares , wit , and style . the movie is flawless if not perfect . no other movie or sequel has lived up to this one , and in my opinion never will . ' halloween ' will be like ' psycho ' and still be extremely popular even almost 40 years later . i just hope someday ' halloween ' will be released in a new dolby soundtrack with the 4 extra scenes on the dvd edition . ' halloween ' is n't just another slice - and - dice horror flick , it 's an intelligent , horrifying and best film experience ever made . see ' halloween ' and be scared . . . . then watch it again ! reviewed by brandon herring october 7 , 1999 .

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score by writer / director / producer john carpenter who in my mind is a brilliant director , he really is . he wrote this film , he directed this film the excessively creepy score to this film . i think he is and always will be famous for this classic which after 21 years has not lost it 's popularity or it 's ability to scare the wits out of people . i think i have seen ' halloween ' over 100 times and each time i find something new and brilliant , and each time i am scared even though i know what is going to happen . i own three different versions of the film : with a numbered snow - globe . in other words i am completely and utterly obsessed with the film . it has changed horror movies forever and spawned six sequels with only 2 , 4 , and 7 being truly buy one no matter what ! i did and man to me it 's the best dvd ever manufactured with the brilliance of the film . no words can describe the dvd . in ' did . what john carpenter did in 1978 is made a ground - breaking new film , with scares , wit , and style . the movie is flawless if not perfect . no other movie or sequel has lived up to this one , and in my opinion never will . ' halloween ' will be like ' psycho ' and still be extremely popular even almost 40 years later . i just hope someday ' halloween ' will be just another slice - and - dice horror flick , it 's an intelligent , horrifying and best film experience ever made . see ' halloween ' and be scared . . . . then watch it again ! reviewed by brandon herring october 7 , 1999 .

i have to admit that i disliked this film initially . it certianly is n't for every taste , and it 's sheer torture to sit through if you 're in a restless mood . that said , if you are in the right mood , it 's absolutely incredible . this was my second favorite movie of 1998 , and would have been a shoo - in for first in almost any other year . perhaps the big turn - off for many was this film 's unconventionality . i 'd be hard - pressed to compare it to any other film that i 've seen - it is very , very artsy , incredibly slow - and amazingly , it works beautifully . on my second viewing , i realized that the film follows the three act structure ( i did n't think it had any sort of structure at all when i first saw it ) . the first act serves to set up the characters - sort of . it exists even moreso to set a mood of tension and restlesness , and perhaps even feelings of boredom . and then it is shattered by the intense violence of the second ( which encompasses most of the movie ) . the majority of the film is one extended battle scene , intercut with brief flashbacks and voice - overs . the artsier elements do not detract from the action , but add to it - they succeed in briefly letting the viewer peek into the minds of the soldiers , only to be suddenly yanked back into reality when the battle resumes . the battle scenes are amazing ( second only to " saving private ryan " in my opinion ) . they 're brutal , horrifying , and at times beautiful due to the amazing cinematography . the second act is as immersive , brilliant , and haunting as any film that i have ever seen . the only problems come during the first and third acts . malick takes a little too long to get the film started . although the initial scenes - which consist of two soldiers ' experiencing a near - eden - like paradise while going awol , and the preperations for battle - are effective and necessary , hints of pretentiousness sink in . the film is just a tad too artsy near the beginning , and a lot of people that disliked the movie probably gave up on it because of this . the final act is effective at winding the film down , but the problems from the first persist - it 's a bit too long , and comes over as pretentious at times . that said , there are two sequences ( one where a soldier gets a devastating note from his wife , and another where one of the main characters is killed ) that are nothing short of incredible . the performances are phenominal all around . the two standouts are nick nolte and newcomer jim caviezel , both of whom should have been nominated for oscars . nolte is riveting and intense as the colonel in charge of the operation . his character is hard , mean , and somewhat reckless with the lives of his men , and yet nolte somehow manages to evoke sympathy for him . caviezel is forever questioning the nature of war , his place in it , and if there 's any deeper meaning to the hell that he 's going through . he is absolutely perfect - genuine , sympathetic , sincere , and yet strong when he needs to be . although restricted to a relatively small role , sean penn is also very good as the company 's pessimistic seargent . as to how it stacks up to " saving private ryan " - it was my second favorite movie of 1998 , " ryan " was my first . it 's really hard to compare the two - they are so , so different - so i wo n't , beyond saying that spielberg 's film had more of an impact on me . however , the two are comparable from the standpoint of quality ( i can easily see why someone would " the thin red line " above " ryan ) . i highly recommend both of them , and consider them to be the two best war movies ever made . all in all , " the thin red line " is filmmaking of an incredibly high order . it 's slight faults are easily offset by the sheer brilliance of what is done right . it 's a real shame that it tanked at the box office - films this unconventional , powerful , and thought - provoking do n't come along very often .

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said , if you are in the right mood , it 's absolutely incredible . this was my second favorite movie of 1998 , and would have been a shoo - in for first in almost any other year . perhaps the big turn is very , very artsy , incredibly slow - and amazingly , it works beautifully . on my second viewing , i realized that the suddenly yanked back into reality when the battle resumes . the battle scenes are amazing ( second only to " saving private ryan " in . they 're brutal , horrifying , and at times beautiful due to the amazing cinematography . the second act is as immersive , brilliant , and haunting as any film that i have ever seen . the only problems come during the first and third while going awol , and the preperations for battle - are effective and necessary , hints of pretentiousness sink in . the film is on it because of this . the final act is effective at winding the film down , but the problems from the first persist - it one of the main characters is killed ) that are nothing short of incredible . the performances are phenominal all around . the two standouts are nick nolte and newcomer jim caviezel , both of whom should have been nominated for oscars . nolte is riveting and intense as the colonel in the hell that he 's going through . he is absolutely perfect - genuine , sympathetic , sincere , and yet strong when he needs to be . although restricted to a relatively small role , sean penn is also very good as the company 's pessimistic seargent . as to how it stacks up to " saving private ryan " - it was my second favorite movie of 1998 , " ryan " was my first . the thin red line " above " ryan ) . i highly recommend both of them , and consider them to be the two best war movies ever made . all in all , " the thin red line " is filmmaking of an incredibly high order . it 's slight faults are easily offset by the sheer brilliance of what is done right . it 's a real shame that it tanked at films this unconventional , powerful , and thought - provoking do n't come along very often .

it was a rainy friday afternoon in columbus when i persuaded a friend to see a matinee performance of mst3k : tm . he had never seen any episodes of the show , and i have watched a scant few , due to its unsocial airtime on comedy central and the uneven nature of many of the episodes . for those of you not familiar with the premise , dr clayton forrester ( beaulieu ) wishes to take over the world by finding the worst film ever made and unleashing it upon an unsuspecting public . to achieve this , he ( in the words of the tv series ' theme , which is missing in the movie ) " bumped [ mike nelson ( nelson ) ] on the noggin and then shot him into space " , and is monitoring nelson 's reactions to the movies he is forced to endure . rather than succumb to the sheer awfulness of many of the movies , nelson spends his time making wisecracks with the help of his two robot companions , tom servo and crow t . robot . the format of the show consists of nelson , servo and crow making their comments while silhouetted against the movie being watched , and breaks every 20 minutes or so for segments set on the satellite of love , the ship on which our heroes are marooned . only two things are different in the movie : the absence of forrester 's sidekick , tv 's frank , and the slower pace of the jokes . this latter change is presumably deliberate to avoid the viewing audience missing some of the best lines while laughing from the previous joke . for their big screen outing , the producers have chosen " this island earth " , a 1954 classic , and one of the first sf films to have a special effects budget larger than the average grocery bill . unfortunately for that film ( but making it ideal mst3k fodder ) , acting and dialogue appear to have taken a back seat to the effects which , by today 's standards , are less than impressive . nelson & co . make jokes about everything from japan 's dominance in the world market , to star trek , to the state of disrepair of seattle 's kingdome , and most of them work . unfortunately , the segments set outside the satellite 's movie theater seem out of place and are n't particularly funny , but at least they 're fairly short . the big question about this movie though is : why ? i presume it was an attempt to gain a larger following to keep support behind the series ( rumours of its impending demise circulated for some time before the plug was eventually pulled a few months ago ) , but the format gains nothing from its transition to the big screen -- there are no special effects to dazzle you , no action sequences to keep you on the edge of your seat , and no use of digital surround sound . so , it seems pointless to spend $ 8 per person to see this movie when in a few months it will be out on video and you can watch it for $ 3 , and not have to sit in a room full of popcorn addicts . nevertheless , mst3k : tm provides more laugh - out - loud opportunities than any film you 're going to see this year , and i thoroughly recommend it to anyone with a pulse . given its uniqueness , i hesitate to grade it against other films , but it fulfils its claims and so in the class of " unsubtle comedy films whose laughs come at the expense of bad b - movies " it does well .

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to the state of disrepair of seattle 's kingdome , and most of them work . unfortunately , the segments set outside the satellite 's of popcorn addicts . nevertheless , mst3k : tm provides more laugh - out - loud opportunities than any film you 're going to see this year , and i thoroughly recommend it to anyone with a pulse . given its uniqueness , i hesitate to grade it against other films , come at the expense of bad b - movies " it does well .

the uncompromising nudity bared throughout petrice chereau 's intimacy has already garnered much notoriety , but it 's in the naked faces of fearless actors mark rylance ( angels & insects ) and kerry fox ( welcome to sarajevo ) that the tender ache of emotional resonance is discovered . with sharp , intelligent eyes that reflect experience and maturity , rylance and fox are refreshingly detached from the false glamour of hollywood idols . their sex scenes together are bracing in their raw honesty , in the acceptance of flesh and messiness . less apparent , but no less remarkable , are the astute observations of behavior revealed through those carnal beats of haste and hesitance , often without a single line of dialogue . not aiming for the spiritual poetry of in the realm of the senses or the philosophical transgressions of crash , chereau keeps his sexual odyssey firmly grounded in terms of straightforward character development . that may be the very reason why intimacy seems unerringly impressive but never particularly significant on more than a tactile , sensory level . the themes of human isolation are barren and obvious , a science project devoid of any especially groundbreaking hypothesis . intimacy does manage to stand out from lesser portraits of " human interconnectedness " and pinter - esque rummages through psychological dirty drawers ( okay , kill me ) . shallow though it might sound , it 's amazing how much is filled in through an inspired cast , perceptive camerawork , and imaginative ways of treating the love scene . those ingredients are too assured and confident to merely dismiss as icing on the cake , especially since they are the substance of the cake itself . adapted from a pair of short stories by british novelist hanif kureishi , intimacy weaves desperate lovemaking between two strangers in london . every wednesday , jay ( rylance ) and claire ( fox ) meet in his cluttered , dank apartment for an hour or two of sexual release from their uninspired lives . he 's been head bartender at a posh restaurant for over six years . she 's a mystery to him but her glum workaday appearance reveals a similar dissatisfaction . they 're both married , but his relationship has curdled into an embittered separation . as the weeks draw on , jay obsessively takes it upon himself to uncover claire 's personal routines . in his attempt to gain a fuller semblance of who she is , he opens wounds that had n't existed before by single - handedly corrupting the fantasy . if it were n't for a few unnecessary subplots involving jay 's brother and his bevy of disgruntled co - workers , this minimalist premise might be described as a modern fable on the perils of wish fulfillment . chareau 's restless camera ( once again wielded by superb and ever - attentive cinematographer eric gautier ) is less appropriate here than in his family transit - oriented those who love me can take the train . the scenes that linger are the still ones where rylance and fox separately , pensively attempt to carry on with their makeshift household routines . these are often captured in lingering , unblinking wide shots that view them stranded amidst their drab workplaces and homes . separation proves haunting in a melancholy series of intercut shots as rylance and fox undress on opposite sides of the room , crawling across the floor to meet in the center . despite being as restless as a fly during the hyperactive restaurant scenes ( all the better to blend in with a hustling crowd of gabby trendsetters ) , you 'd be hard pressed to find a single uninteresting image . intimacy takes an interest in its sordid world of the lower - middle class , with lonely pubs and busy shopping streets -- it also understands the people who inhabit those spaces , viewing them with sympathy scraped raw . an evaluation would be incomplete without highlighting the great timothy spall ( the robust scene - stealer of many a mike leigh collaboration ) . as claire 's cuckolded husband , this jocular heavyweight plays out his handful of bitter pill scenes with the unforced menace and self - effacing embarrassment of his imposing bulk . bangs in his eyes , his mouth forming into quizzical pouts and dry smirks , he may seem the fool in his barroom encounters opposite a sarcastic , gleaming mark rylance ( whose jay has arrived on the scene looking to stir up some trouble ) , but spall is no one to trifle with . his overreaching best pal demeanor suggests a mind abuzz with secret passageways of guile , his pointed questions only na ? ve if you choose not to read into their crafty insinuations . in his unassuming way , spall 's carefully etched interpretation of hostility buried under a mountain of surface propriety may become one of the most criminally underappreciated performances of the year , but maybe also one of the best . he 's that good .

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the tender ache of emotional resonance is discovered . with sharp , intelligent eyes that reflect experience and maturity , rylance and fox are refreshingly detached from the false glamour of hollywood idols . their sex scenes together are bracing in their raw honesty , in the acceptance of flesh and messiness . less . that may be the very reason why intimacy seems unerringly impressive but never particularly significant on more than a tactile , science project devoid of any especially groundbreaking hypothesis . intimacy does manage to stand out from lesser portraits of " human interconnectedness " and pinter kill me ) . shallow though it might sound , it 's amazing how much is filled in through an inspired cast , perceptive camerawork , and imaginative ways of treating the love scene . those ingredients are too wish fulfillment . chareau 's restless camera ( once again wielded by superb and ever - attentive cinematographer eric gautier ) is less appropriate here than in his in with a hustling crowd of gabby trendsetters ) , you 'd be hard pressed to find a single uninteresting image . intimacy takes an interest in its sordid world of with sympathy scraped raw . an evaluation would be incomplete without highlighting the great timothy spall ( the robust scene - stealer of many a mike leigh collaboration ) . as claire crafty insinuations . in his unassuming way , spall 's carefully etched interpretation of hostility buried under a mountain of surface propriety may become one of the most criminally underappreciated performances of the year , but maybe also one of the best . he 's that good .

george little ( jonathan lipnicki ) wants a little brother . after mr . and mrs . little ( hugh laurie and geena davis ) visit the orphange , they decide to adopt stuart , a talking mouse ( voiced by michael j . fox ) . george is n't so fond of his new brother when stuart arrives at the little house , and neither is snowbell the family cat ( voiced by nathan lane ) . george and stuart eventually bond while preparing for a remote control boat race , but snowbell wants stuart out of the house ( he 's unable to live with the taunts of other neighborhood felines saying it 's ridiculous that a mouse has a pet cat ) . stuart little is a mix of live action and computer generated imagery ( cgi ) . the character of stuart , while obviously a computer generated image , grows on you as the film progresses and you 'll soon see him as much more than a mere special effect . there is also a great deal of animal training involved with this film , as many of the " supporting cast " are actual cats ( with computer animated mouths so they can speak ) . it 's fascinating to watch these cats give performances without an actual mouse to interact with . stuart little is a charming family film . there are some great laughs in the movie ( with a script co - written by the sixth sense 's m . night shyamalan no less ! ) , some moments that can only be described as " too cute " ( the boat race sequence is what won me over ) and even the majority of the one - liners ( common nowadays in children 's films or films featuring nathan lane ) are tolerable . kids and parents will love this one . stuart little is available on dvd from columbia tristar home video . there are two different dvds on sale : one contains the film in full frame , and the other presents the film in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 1 . 66 : 1 . both versions feature choices of either dolby surround or dolby digital 5 . 1 audio . both versions also contain the following extras ( and hang in there with me here . . . there 's a lot of them ) : a full length audio commentary track by director rob minkoff and animation supervisor henry anderson , a full length audio commentary track by the visual effects supervisors , an isolated score track , an interactive trivia game , an interactive featurette that goes step by step through eight of the effects in the film , a making of documentary that originally aried on hbo , and a stuart little read - along story ( which you can read yourself or have stuart read for you ) . there are also three music videos , and six theatrical trailers ( called thecatrical trailers . . . get it ? it 's funny ! ) for stuart little and five other columbia tristar releases : the adventures of elmo in grouchland , madeline , the nuttiest nutcracker , muppets from space , and baby geniuses ( the only bad thing about this entire dvd . . . i did not want to be reminded of the awfulness that is baby geniuses ) . dvd - rom features are also on the disc , including web links and a demo of the stuart little cd - rom game . but wait . . . there 's still more ! there 's a section called " basement treasures " where you will find the auditions of the film 's animators , six deleted scenes which you can select to view with or without commentary from the director , a visual effects gag reel , a production gag reel , and an incredible eight minute storyboard sequence detailing the original concept for the boat race scene ( with commentary from the director ) . the first commentary track features director rob minkoff and animation supervisor henry anderson . they give insightful and detailed thoughts about the film 's production . minkoff likes to point out scenes where other screenwriters came in and polished up the script , namely writers like scott alexander and larry karaszewski ( who wrote the people vs . larry flynt and ed wood ) and lowell ganz and babaloo mandel ( who wrote splash and multiplicity , among others ) . anderson is very appreciative of the animators who worked with him and often points out which animator worked on each scene as they occur . the second commentary track features visual effects supervisors john dykstra and jerome chen who discuss more specific details of the effects in the film . movie fans will enjoy the informative first commentary track , serious animation buffs will love the second one . now i know this is slightly off topic , but it is related specifically to this dvd so i must voice this now . one of the music videos on the disc is for a song called " i need to know " by a group called r angels . this video features four mid - teenage girls ( the singers obviously ) having a slumber party . the girls ask a ouija board " i need to know . . . who to do , who to do , who to do " as the song begins . they then sneak out of their house , and along the way they strike a pose and their slumber party pajamas are magically transformed into middle class streetwalker outfits . then they head to a party and dance suggestively with the guys while singing lyrics like " i 'll be your pleasure all the time . . . just say the words that you 'll be mine " . um . . . what the hell ? what does this have to do with stuart little ? how is this in any way a song suitable for a kids movie , let alone a video suitable for a kids movie on dvd ? when the video concludes , the words " to be continued " appear . oh i ca n't wait to see who they 've slept with when the toy story 2 dvd comes out . kids wo n't care about most of the special features on this dvd , but those of us who can sometimes be turned into a " kid at heart " thanks to a winning family film sure appreciate them . this is the way to do dvd , a good movie loaded with great features at a reasonable cost . the di$ney people could learn a lot from columbia tristar .

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of stuart , while obviously a computer generated image , grows on you as the film progresses and you 'll soon see him as much more than a mere special effect . there is also a great deal of animal training with computer animated mouths so they can speak ) . it 's fascinating to watch these cats give performances without an actual mouse to interact with . stuart little is a charming family film . there are some great laughs in the movie ( with a script co - written films or films featuring nathan lane ) are tolerable . kids and parents will love this one . stuart little is available on dvd from columbia tristar sometimes be turned into a " kid at heart " thanks to a winning family film sure appreciate them . this is the way to do dvd , a good movie loaded with great features at a reasonable cost . the di$ney people could learn

countries and legal systems that take the rule of law principle seriously , had forbidden judges and juries to make judgements in all matters that could involve them personally . luckily , movie reviewers are n't burdened with such legislation . otherwise , small pool of very special movies would be forever ignored by this reviewer . in case of star wars , 1977 science fiction epic by george lucas , the consequences would be even more severe , because that film is very special for tens of millions , if not hundreds of millions of fans . in any case , objectivity is something seldom seen in star wars reviews , because undisputed majority of reviewers rate it as one of the best , if not the best film of all times . those who do n't usually have some difficulties in hiding their artistic snobbery . the author of this review must also concede his inability to use cold , objective standards in reviewing this film . like so many previous reviewers , i must note that i watched star wars for the first time twenty years ago , and that i remained enchanted by the experience ever since . perhaps it was childlike fascination with , until then unimaginable , wonders that happened long time ago , in a galaxy far away . or perhaps it was the rush i felt minutes before the opening shots , with my expectations already pumped up by serialised comic books and novelisation i had read before . anyway , watching of star wars was one of the most important movie going experiences of my life . and it was also unmatched for many years to come , because very few movies managed to have such a strong impact on me like george lucas ' epic . star wars was n't just important movie for me ( or the millions of fans who probably share the same sentiment ) . it was the defining moment in the history of modern cinema . until than , american motion picture industry was in a limbo ; social turmoil in 1960s practically destroyed the old hollywood , and new authors filled the void , mostly by using hollywood 's financial and technical resources to create serious , " personal " or " artsy " movies . as a result , audience , traumatised of dark reality of vietnam and watergate , did n't want to see the same dark and serious content on the silver screen . george lucas with its science fiction epic was among the first to come into rescue . the audience responded with unprecedented enthusiasm , and huge financial success of the movie , later backed by supplement industry of toys , books , comics , role playing games and other merchandise , slowly began to change the face of hollywood . serious , adult movies with artistic ambitions faded into oblivion , and were replaced by industrial products of " blockbuster " philosophy . one of the biggest casualties of that trend was the science fiction movie genre . until 1977 , science fiction movies were mostly in b - production domain . in late 1960s , bigger budgets for science fiction did n't look so strange anymore , thanks to the great success of 2001 : a space odyssey . but the same success coincided with the surge of pesimism , and hollywood science fiction was as bleak as the rest of its production - mostly dark , dystopic movies . however , in 1977 star wars showed once and for all that this genre can be inspiration for popular movies , even among the audience that usually does n't like it . as a result , seriousness in cinematic science fiction began fading away , although some good , dark and cult quality sf and continued to be filmed until early 1980s . after that , science fiction continued to be considered a synonym for family entertainment . ironically , the man responsible for star wars was in its time considered to be member of " new hollywood " generation of young movie authors who made " artsy " and " personal " films in early 1970s . george lucas established himself with the dystopic sf movie thx 1138 , and nostalgic drama american graffiti . both movies were considered " personal " in its time , despite latter one becoming very popular . in a sense , star wars is an also very " personal " film , and the thorny way to the final production shows that commercial considerations were against it , not for it . but unlike many " personal " movies of the era , its " personality " was in line with the wishes of the general audience . the plot , set " a long time ago , in a galaxy far away " , begins in a time of civil war . the evil empire is threatened by rebels who want to restore the old republic . in order to quash any opposition , the empire had built death star , superweapon powerful enough to destroy whole planets . the information about death star , acquired by rebel intelligence , is being transported by princess leia organa ( carrie fisher ) when her ship gets intercepted by imperial cruiser . princess is arrested by imperial warlord darth vader ( played by david prowse and voice by james earl jones ) , but the information is being sent to nearby desert planet of tatooine via two humanoid robots - c3po ( anthony daniels ) and r2d2 ( kenny baker ) . those two robots are sold to the family of luke skywalker ( mark hamill ) , young restless man who wants to leave his farm and become space pilot . his adventure begins when r2d2 escapes , because the information must reach mysterious local hermit obi wan kenobi ( alec guiness ) . old man is actually the last surviving jedi knight , member of the ancient order that defended republic through the use of mystical force . after some hesitation , luke agrees to join obi wan in his mission to save the princess , while the old man would teach him the ways of the force . their small band comes to the colourful spaceport of moss eisely , where they hire the spaceship owned by rogue pilot han solo ( harrison ford ) and his furry sidekick chewbacca ( peter mayhew ) . critics who do n't like the movie , especially those who ca n't forgive lucas for his contribution to the quashing of " new hollywood " , are prone to point the lack of originality . on the surface , they might be right ; lucas himself admits that he found a lot of inspiration in the lore of old hollywood - westerns , wwii aviation movies , old sf cliffhanger serials of the 1930s and 1940s ; yet the most obvious element would be akira kurosawa 's samurai classic the hidden fortress . on the other hand , those who had spent last two decades studying the movie to death would say that the inspiration for star wars went even further - into collective subconscious of western civilisation ( hinted by some mild tolkien references ) . the others would find the author 's element within the story - star wars could be seen as an anti- establishment film ; young , long - haired , easy going , nature - loving heroes are fighting against old , uptight and oppressive forces who use supertechnology in most demonic purposes . even out of its historical or social context , star wars is an impressive as a strictly technical piece of the seven art . george lucas ' direction is very good , with the clever editing and a well - paced segments between action and dramatic buildup . characters are well - drawn and deliver all the necessary ingredients , both for the space opera and hollywood blockbuster . we have a " coming - of - age " hero , damsel - in - distress ( somewhat toned down due to the popular feminist trends of the time ) , reluctant helper , benevolent mentor , diabolical villain and , finally , comic relief in form of two non - human characters . some of the actors are very good - alec guiness in his most famous role to date , james earl jones whose voice is enough to cause unease , peter cushing as an incarnation of pure evil in human form . unfortunately , the same ca n't be said for the main leads - among the main trio of mark hamill , carrie fisher and harrison ford , only the last one had the character three - dimensional enough to launch his further acting career . the thing that looked like the most important segment of star wars phenomena during its initial release was the new level of special effects technology . often comparisons with 2001 : space odyssey , another ground - breaking sf film , were citing the sheer number of effects as a proof of the lucas ' superiority over kubrick . however , the special effects by john dykstra and john stears are indeed impressive , even after two decades ( although 1997 special edition did improve them significantly ) , yet they are n't the most remembered trademark of the movie . that honour should definitely go to the " oscar " -winning soundtrack by john williams , whose work on star wars is probably the brightest gem in his brilliant career . newer generations of viewers might be somewhat deprived of the enchantment that still holds those lucky enough to witness star wars original release . yet , even if they are immune to the george lucas ' magic they should watch this film nevertheless , perhaps only to become familiar with something that is essential part of contemporary culture .

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read before . anyway , watching of star wars was one of the most important movie going experiences of my life . and it was also unmatched for many years to who probably share the same sentiment ) . it was the defining moment in the history of modern cinema . until than , american motion picture industry was in silver screen . george lucas with its science fiction epic was among the first to come into rescue . the audience responded with unprecedented enthusiasm , and huge financial success of the movie , later backed by supplement industry of toys , books of its production - mostly dark , dystopic movies . however , in 1977 star wars showed once and for all that this genre can be inspiration for popular movies , even among the audience that usually does n't like unlike many " personal " movies of the era , its " personality " was in line with the wishes of the general audience . the plot , set " a long time ago technical piece of the seven art . george lucas ' direction is very good , with the clever editing and a well - paced segments between action and dramatic buildup . characters are well - drawn and deliver all the necessary ingredients , both for the space opera and hollywood blockbuster . relief in form of two non - human characters . some of the actors are very good - alec guiness in his most famous role to date segment of star wars phenomena during its initial release was the new level of special effects technology . often comparisons with 2001 : space odyssey , another of the lucas ' superiority over kubrick . however , the special effects by john dykstra and john stears are indeed impressive , even after two decades ( although 1997 special edition of the movie . that honour should definitely go to the " oscar " -winning soundtrack by john williams , whose work on star wars is probably the brightest gem in his brilliant career . newer generations of viewers might be somewhat deprived of if they are immune to the george lucas ' magic they should watch this film nevertheless , perhaps only to become familiar with something that is essential part of contemporary culture .

frequency n . , the number of times a specified phenomenon occurs within a specified interval as the number of repetitions of a complete sequence of values of a periodic function per unit variation of an independent variable ? etc do n't worry . when watching the thriller frequency , you wo n't have to know what the heck frequency means . the premise , although it may sound complex , is very basic on the big screen . a new york cop , john , ( jim caviezel ) finds a radio in his house , which allows him to communicate with his new york firefighter father , frank , ( dennis quaid ) who died thirty years ago . immediately john warns his father that he will die trying to stop a fire in an abandoned warehouse . when frank takes his advice and survives the accident he was n't supposed to , the two eventually realize that by changing that one moment in the past , they have created a whole new future in which a serial killer murders john 's mother and nine other women . it is now up to john and frank to use their special connection and save thirty years ago to make present time a better place . ( i told you that was n't confusing ? ) . overall , i was very pleased with frequency . it 's occasional sappy moments perfectly synchronized with its suspenseful serial killer scenes . i usually do n't buy those cheesy " i love you dad " segments in movies , but this one surprisingly satisfied me . maybe because the plot is so creative and universal that i believed that this is how most people would act when talking to a dead relative . frequency 's creepy premise left me thinking once the film ended , what if ? what would i do ? would i help my own family or save a historical figure from being assasinated ? or stop some kids from shooting other kids ? or buy stock from yahoo ! ? ( a character in the film does the latter with humorous consequences ) . frequency also reminded me of the fantastic back to the future . both share that " change the past slightly , and you 'll change the future heavily " warning . the changes between the present and the past , such as different newspaper headlines or people disappearing and reappearing in photographs , are very similar . both are also wonderful feel - good family films that can attract to a number of generations . the only difference worth noting is that frequency 's final scene does n't set up a possibility for a lucrative sequel already in the making . there are some problems with the film though . first , there is a major flaw in the story towards the end that is somewhat distracting ( email me if you have seen the movie and want to know what i think it is ) . the plot must have confused even the filmmakers who frequently ( no pun intended ) switch from 1969 to 1999 while telling the story . another problem is that the supporting cast , including noah emmerich and andre braugher , are underused . while in the film , which is not enough , the aforementioned actors steal every scene they are in . frequency was a pleasant surprise for me and the audience i saw it with who cheered at the end . even if you know what is going to happen or if you think the preview ruined the movie for you , like it almost did for me , check this movie out . you may be surprised as well .

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you that was n't confusing ? ) . overall , i was very pleased with frequency . it 's occasional sappy moments perfectly synchronized with its suspenseful serial killer scenes . i usually do n't buy those i love you dad " segments in movies , but this one surprisingly satisfied me . maybe because the plot is so creative and universal that i believed that this is how most people would ? ( a character in the film does the latter with humorous consequences ) . frequency also reminded me of the fantastic back reappearing in photographs , are very similar . both are also wonderful feel - good family films that can attract to a number of generations . the only difference worth noting is that frequency 's film , which is not enough , the aforementioned actors steal every scene they are in . frequency was a pleasant surprise for me and the audience i saw it with who cheered at the end . even if you know what is going to happen for you , like it almost did for me , check this movie out . you may be surprised as well .

" psycho meets the exorcist with no holds barred " . a blurb like that sounds like desperate publicity for some low budget , third rate rip - off . but no , this tacky plug comes from the poster for suspiria , perhaps italian horror director dario argento 's most consistently successful film . what impresses most in re - watching this surrealistic , supernatural thriller is that argento 's directorial flair and stylish visuals are matched by a near - fully coherent narrative . screenplays have always been his achilles heel ; confusing subplots , gaping holes , totally illogical incidents and reactions . no question : argento has always been a better director than a writer . fortunately , he gets the plotting pretty well right with suspiria , taking his cue from a book by thomas de quincey called " suspiria de profundis " . the film 's storyline suffers from no major lapses in logic , provided one can accept the premise of a ballet school being a front for a coven of witches . jessica harper plays an american who travels to germany to further her studies in dance . arriving at the school late at night in driving rain , she sees a girl leave and run into the storm in a clearly distressed state . what happens next - and i do n't make the comparison lightly - is a murder sequence that for intensity , shock value and sheer directorial flair ranks alongside alfred hitchcock 's infamous shower scene in psycho . it 's quite possibly a homage to hitchcock , but with its baroque sets , graphic gore and brilliantly chaotic musical accompaniment by the gothic rock group goblin , this stunning sequence remains very much argento 's own . though nothing else quite equals the intensity of suspiria 's opening 15 minutes , the film continues to be never anything less than engrossing as harper begins her own investigations and slowly comes to realise this is no ordinary ballet school . we meet an assortment of slightly sinister characters , most notably the head ballet teacher played by alida valli in another one of those delicious sour - old - matriarch - from - hell roles she does so well . several more violent murders ensue , including a startling scene in a deserted square where a blind man is . . . well , i would n't want to spoil things now , would i ? and the film 's climax , staged amid secret corridors and hidden rooms , has a gothic ghoulishness that 's most impressive . the english language versions of most argento movies usually suffer trimming , and not just for the violence - deep red and phenomena , for example , have been appallingly hacked about . fortunately , the cuts to suspiria ( about 7 minutes in this version ) have not adversely affected the film . the dubbing of the italian actors into english is quite competently done , too , excepting one appalling and unintentionally hilarious effort with a conversation between harper and a professor about the history of witchcraft in the region . and the soundtrack ? it is interesting to imagine what power the film would have lost if it had been scored by someone else . as it stands , the use of goblin 's music in suspiria is outstanding . apparently , argento played the soundtrack on location while filming so the actors could hear the music as they acted out their parts . a stereo video player adds greatly to the viewer 's overall experience . even better , see suspiria in a cinema , where you 'll get the added bonus of widescreen . and the colours ! deep reds , eerie blues , a superb use of shadow and contrast . the cinematography of luciano tovoli , whose more recent credits include reversal of fortune and single white female , is uniformly superb . a nod also must go to production designer giuseppe bassan for his wonderful baroque interiors . these kinds of settings are crucial to the atmosphere of argento 's more surreal excursions , the other most notable example being inferno ( 1980 ) on which bassan also worked . suspiria is the film that broke dario argento into the major league of european directors , and it is fully deserving of its cult status . the gore is at times a little excessive and overstated - that 's always been one of argento 's shortcomings - but overall this is a fascinating , compelling example of italian horror .

1POS

for suspiria , perhaps italian horror director dario argento 's most consistently successful film . what impresses most in re - watching this surrealistic , supernatural thriller is that argento 's directorial flair and stylish visuals are matched by a near - fully coherent narrative . screenplays have always been his achilles heel ; confusing has always been a better director than a writer . fortunately , he gets the plotting pretty well right with suspiria , taking his cue from a book by intensity of suspiria 's opening 15 minutes , the film continues to be never anything less than engrossing as harper begins her own investigations and slowly comes to secret corridors and hidden rooms , has a gothic ghoulishness that 's most impressive . the english language versions of most argento movies usually to suspiria ( about 7 minutes in this version ) have not adversely affected the film . the dubbing of the italian actors into english is quite competently done , too , excepting one appalling and unintentionally hilarious effort with a , the use of goblin 's music in suspiria is outstanding . apparently , argento played the soundtrack on location while they acted out their parts . a stereo video player adds greatly to the viewer 's overall experience . even better , see suspiria in a cinema , include reversal of fortune and single white female , is uniformly superb . a nod also must go to production designer giuseppe bassan for his wonderful baroque interiors . which bassan also worked . suspiria is the film that broke dario argento into the major league of european directors , and it is fully deserving of its cult status . the gore is at times a little excessive and always been one of argento 's shortcomings - but overall this is a fascinating , compelling example of italian horror .

jackie brown entered theaters with little fanfare and a lot of expectation . even though advance publicity on this one was fairly limited , the audiences waited for the showings with heightened anticipation . this is , after all , the first movie quentin tarantino has directed since the highly touted pulp fiction . to say he has been inactive in between would be to tell a falsehood , since he has been involved in such projects as destiny turns on the radio , desperado , four rooms , and from dusk ' til dawn . he was also called in at the last minute to help punch up the screenplay for crimson tide . ( i 'm willing to wager the debate over which silver surfer is the only true silver surfer was penned by him . ) tarantino contributed on and off screen to these films , but never took the director 's helm . nearly four years since gaining notoriety on the hollywood scene and making john travolta a star once more , tarantino returns with a film he can call his own . the film opens up with an homage to the graduate , with jackie brown ( pam grier ) on one of those airport people movers as the credits are displayed in front of her . jackie is a flight attendant for air cabo , which flies back and fourth between los angeles and cabo san lucas . this makes jackie a convenient cash courier for gun dealer ordell robbi ( samuel l . jackson ) who is currently keeping his money stashed in mexico . however , while bringing fifty thousand dollars back into the u . s . for ordell , jackie is apprehended by fbi agent mark dargus ( michael bowen ) and atf agent ray nicolet ( michael keaton ) , who catch her not only with the money , but with a bonus of a couple of ounces of illicit drugs . jackie did n't know they were in the package with the cash , but that 's of no consequence to the authorities , who threaten jackie with a couple of years hard time if convicted . of course , dargus and nicolet are just using the sentence to get jackie to turn over the big fish , ordell . ordell uses honest bail bondsman max cherry ( robert forster ) to get jackie out of jail , but while max is immediately attracted to her , jackie is more concerned about her immediate safety , since ordell killed the last one of his operatives who got picked up by the police . sure enough , ordell shows up at jackie 's apartment that evening and tries to silence jackie for good , but she " borrows " max 's pistol and manages to turn the tables on ordell . instead of closing the irony circle and relocating a bullet from the pistol 's chamber to ordell 's head , jackie proposes a deal . since ordell wants to get his money out of mexico , jackie will get back up to her old tricks and be a courier for him once more , but this time for a more substantial fee : fifteen percent of ordell 's half million dollars . with a gun in his face , how can ordell not agree ? by itself , this premise might have been interesting enough to carry the film . however , we are also introduced to a number of double crosses which make us pay attention and think . jackie claims to be bringing the money in for ordell , but she 's also making a deal with the feds as well as with max . the film throws us off every once in a while by leading us to believe the deal we thought was authentic is actually a sham , but it is in no way done to the extent that we feel jerked around . instead , it 's actually a nice departure from the predictability which is prevalent in so many of today 's movies . at least this film has a little imagination . most of the performances in jackie brown are above par . pam grier , of whom i had never taken notice before , plays jackie with a mix of confidence and vulnerability which makes her character believable . samuel l . jackson has a kind of mesmerizing quality about him as he handles himself in situations where you know he is in total control . robert forster is thoroughly likable because he comes across as such an honest guy , trying to do his best . . never mind that he belongs to a profession where sneaking into a guy 's apartment to zap him with a stun gun is simply a matter of course . he 's just so down - to - earth , the nature of his job really does n't occur to us , even when we 're shown him bringing a handcuffed woman to prison , or when we see the tools of his trade . in supporting roles are robert de niro as louis gara , a recently paroled friend of ordell 's , and bridget fonda as melanie , one of the girls ordell keeps around town . unfortunately , de niro is basically wasted as his lines are few and far between , and then they are mostly clipped sentences . in this film , he 's not really de niro , but stereotypical de niro , uttering things like , " little bit , " and " pretty much . " fonda , on the other hand , plays the slightly spaced - out melanie with satisfactory relish and cuteness , such that even when she is annoying louis , we are taking her side . as is characteristic of any film in which tarantino has had a hand , the dialog is quick and snappy . it grabs our attention and is actually interesting , and in many respects , this makes jackie brown a film which needs few visuals ; the lines are a form of art in and amongst themselves . do n't count tarantino out when it comes to using the camera , however . there 's a scene where max is unwittingly watching a dry run of a money exchange , and he 's not really sure what 's happening , but by composing the scene just so , his realization of what 's going on is felt simultaneously by the audience . we look at the screen and think , " gee , that 's clever , " and then think the same thing about how the film induced us into that wonderful feeling of catching on . although tarantino is n't afraid to drag out a shot for dramatic effect , it unfortunately works to varying degrees in this film . there are shots where a character is simply driving , and we watch this person and somehow get an idea of what is going on in his or her head . this is a tribute to both direction and acting . however , there is at least one other scene where we follow jackie through a mall , and she is looking for something ; desperately looking for something . we get the idea of the frantic nature of her search , but we follow her for so long that we end up not really caring about what she 's looking for , but instead hoping she 'll just stop . overall , viewing jackie brown is time spent well . some flap has already been made about the language used in the film , but it 's really not much worse than many of the other movies out there today . in fact , one might even be able to say that the way in which these " offensive " words are employed almost cause them to parody themselves and therefore transcend their own offensiveness . go see the film and see what i mean .

1POS

in so many of today 's movies . at least this film has a little imagination . most of the performances in jackie brown are above par . pam grier , of whom i had never taken notice before , plays jackie with a mix of confidence and vulnerability which makes her character believable . samuel l . jackson has a kind of mesmerizing quality about him as he handles himself in situations where you know he other hand , plays the slightly spaced - out melanie with satisfactory relish and cuteness , such that even when she is annoying louis , any film in which tarantino has had a hand , the dialog is quick and snappy . it grabs our attention and is actually interesting , and in many respects , this makes jackie brown what is going on in his or her head . this is a tribute to both direction and acting . however , there is at least one other scene for , but instead hoping she 'll just stop . overall , viewing jackie brown is time spent well . some flap has already been made about the language to parody themselves and therefore transcend their own offensiveness . go see the film and see what i mean .

directed by : pixote hunt , hendel butoy , eric goldberg , james algar , francis glebas , gaetan & paul brizzi conducted by : james levine composed by : ludwig van beethoven , ottorino respighi , george gershwin , dmitri shostakovich , camille saint - saens , paul dukas , sir edward elgar , igor stravinsky rated : g scripture references : 1 samuel 16 : 23 , ephesians 5 : 19 , 1 chronicles 15 : 15 - 16 in 1940 , walt disney released a filmed experiment . fantasia was a blend of two art forms : classical music and animation . while it was not immediately popular with the audiences of its day , it has since become recognized as something of a classic . according to the program notes , it was mr . disney 's intention to have fantasia be a continual work in progress . sixty years later , thanks to the ongoing efforts of walt 's nephew , a new fantasia is being released . it was not only worth the waiting , it is evidence to just how far animation has come during the past half - decade . with seven new sequences and one old favorite , fantasia 2000 exhibits an imagination and respect for its art form that is absent from most other feature films . like the original , fantasia 2000 will more than likely bore the very young , although there is more narrative appeal in this newer version and the segments appear to be substantially shorter , perhaps a nod to the shorter attention span of the studio 's primary audience . ranging from the silly to the sublime , each segment is preceded by a short , humorous introduction or interstitial by a guest celebrity host , steve martin ( bowfinger ) being the first and most effective . these are quickly forgotten as conductor james levine leads the chicago symphony orchestra through the musical program which , along with the images drawn by the disney team of animators , is thoughtfully and beautifully brought to a stunning synthesis . fantasia 2000 is being released exclusively in the giant - screened imax theaters , making for a unique viewing experience . there is enough variety in the program to provide something enjoyable for everyone and surely , people will exit the theaters with their own personal favorites . for me , that would have to be the jazz age story of four unconnected and discontented people living in nyc who , unknowingly , help each other realize their dreams . drawn in the style of caricaturist al hirschfeld and inspired by george gershwin 's rhapsody in blue , the music and images are blended perfectly resulting in a product greater than the sum of its two parts . children will like the short piece set to carnival of the animals by camille saint - saens . here , a goofy looking flamingo irritates the rest of the flock with his yo - yo playing antics . they will also giggle as donald duck , playing noah 's assistant , tries to load the animals into the ark to the familiar strains of pomp and circumstance by sir edward elgar . ( while the depiction is not biblically accurate , it is entertaining and might be excuse enough to familiarize ourselves with the true record by reading what is written in genesis 7 . ) a positive note is that the studio has avoided any segment which is as perversely dark as nihgt on bald mountain upon which the original film ended . there are some images based upon fantasy such as the flying whales in respighi 's pines of rome or images which have their roots in mythology such as the ethereal creatures which tell the story of nature 's cycle of life , death , and rebirth in igor stravinsky 's firebird suite . but the stories they tell are uplifting , containing nothing too frightening for our younger children . the darkest segment , spiritually speaking , actually belongs to the only holdover from the original fantasia , mickey mouse in the sorcerer 's apprentice by paul dukas . but overall , the emotions evoked from fantasia 2000 are positive ones , being full of hope and promise . music has an impact which can be undeniably felt , capable of leading the listener to emotional peaks and inspirational highs simply not attainable through other mediums . it is no wonder that the levites , as the priestly tribe of the old testament , were also the appointed musicians . if fantasia 2000 is able to introduce a new audience to music which inspires and exalts , it will have done an incredible service .

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's nephew , a new fantasia is being released . it was not only worth the waiting , it is evidence to just how far animation has come during the past half - decade . with seven new sequences and one old favorite , fantasia 2000 exhibits an imagination and respect for its art form that is absent from most other feature films . like imax theaters , making for a unique viewing experience . there is enough variety in the program to provide something enjoyable for everyone and surely , people will exit the theaters with their own personal favorites . for me , that would have to be the product greater than the sum of its two parts . children will like the short piece set to carnival of the animals by camille saint - by reading what is written in genesis 7 . ) a positive note is that the studio has avoided any segment which is as perversely and rebirth in igor stravinsky 's firebird suite . but the stories they tell are uplifting , containing nothing too frightening for our younger children . the darkest segment , spiritually speaking , actually belongs positive ones , being full of hope and promise . music has an impact which can be undeniably felt , capable of leading the listener to emotional peaks and inspirational highs simply not attainable through other mediums . it is no wonder that the levites , as a new audience to music which inspires and exalts , it will have done an incredible service .

ingredients : little orphan boy , rural grandparents , mountains , native american lore synopsis : in this loving film portrayal of an idyllic and pivotal time that a young boy spends with grandpa and grandma , the self recollections of an unseen narrator focus on his world view as a tennessee orphan boy learning of his heritage through his grandparents . the setting is after the first world war , during the great depression years . a nine - year - old orphan named little tree ( joseph ashton ) is taken in and taught the wondrous ways of the woods by his caucasian moonshiner grandpa ( james cromwell ) and his native american grandma ( tantoo cardinal ) in the wilderness of the mountains of tennessee . here little tree learns an almost magical appreciation for nature and farm life - - and experiences beautiful and wondrous things such as the sunrise . everything is miraculous to a child . but it all comes crashing down for the boy when the u . s . government forcibly takes custody away from grandpa and grandma , and forces little tree to attend the notched gap boarding school , a kind of internment camp where multiracial cherokee kids are indoctrinated to dress , pray , speak , and think like white people or face solitary confinement and corporeal punishment . through his childhood experiences , little tree learns lessons about love , race , life , death , people , nature , and folk wisdom . opinion : this excellent , excellent family movie . it is one of those priceless screen gems that nobody knows about because it 's not highly advertised . you wo n't find any formula schlock , cutesy characters , canned spirituality , sequel teasers or commercial tie ins , but you will find the education of little tree to be a refreshing , impeccably acted , original , wonderful , and touching film . take the whole family and bring a box of tissues for the tearjerkers . this one 's as good as old yeller .

1POS

people , nature , and folk wisdom . opinion : this excellent , excellent family movie . it is one of those priceless screen gems that nobody knows about because it 's not highly advertised you will find the education of little tree to be a refreshing , impeccably acted , original , wonderful , and touching film . take the whole family and bring a box of tissues for the tearjerkers . this one 's as good as old yeller .

disney cements their place in the forefront of feature animation with the release of their latest animated adventure , mulan . while it adheres a bit too close to the disney formula to be perfect , it is nonetheless an entertaining film for both kids and adults . fa mulan ( ming - na wen , singing : lea salonga ) wants nothing more than to be a dutiful daughter and honor her family . . . it 's just that she does n't quite fit in with the chafing customs of her time . while most girls her age are trying to quietly and demurely seek the approval of the local matchmaker ( miriam margoyles ) , mulan would prefer speaking her mind . but there is trouble on the horizon . the evil huns , led by shan - yu ( miguel ferrer ) , are invading china . the emperor ( pat morita ) has decreed that each family must donate one man to serve in the army . the only male in mulan 's family is her father , fa zhou ( soon - tek oh ) , who , old and with a bad leg , honorably accepts his fate . mulan , on the other hand , decides to save her father 's life . . . by secretly masquerading as a man and taking his place on the battlefield . mulan , under the assumed name of ping , appears at camp where she , along with the other bumbling recruits , yao ( harvey fierstein ) , chien - po ( jerry tondo ) and ling ( gedde watanabe ) , are trained in the art of war by captain shang ( b . d . wong , singing : donny osmond ) . but she 's not alone in her tasks . . . in typical disney fashion , she has three animal companions : her horse khan , a lucky cricket crickey , and a pint - sized " guardian " dragon called mushu ( eddie murphy ) . much like the gargoyles in the hunchback of notre dame , the humor in mulan is lukewarm and does n't flow well with the rest of the more serious story . sure , some occasional comic relief is welcome , particularly in a film geared for the younger set , but mulan overdoes it . the overdose of humor turns what could have been a powerfully great film into a good , but schizophrenic experience . but , that commentary aside , this is a very well made film ( which makes the formulaic additions all the more regrettable ) . the animation is on par with some of disney 's best . the story itself is interesting , and the action scenes are awe - inspiring . the musical score to the film is enjoyable , though , as has been the case with disney 's recent work , the songs are mostly forgettable . at least , we 're only subjected to four of them this time around . mulan boasts the highest death toll of any disney cartoon to date . most of the killing is off - screen and it 's all highly depersonalized ( there 's nothing to compare with the death of mufasa or bambi 's mom ) . there 's nothing graphic , and the film resides snugly inside a g rating . children will probably have more questions about the restrictive ancient customs than of the slaughter of armies . it 's ironic that a film concerned with bucking tradition is hampered because of its strict adherence to disney tradition . if the filmmakers had the guts to lessen the humor , ax the compulsory songs , and remove the obligatory ( and somewhat unrealistic ) romance , they could have had a classic on their hands . instead , they merely deliver a very good time at the movies .

1POS

disney cements their place in the forefront of feature animation with the release of their latest animated adventure , mulan too close to the disney formula to be perfect , it is nonetheless an entertaining film for both kids and adults . fa mulan ( ming - na wen , singing but schizophrenic experience . but , that commentary aside , this is a very well made film ( which makes the formulaic additions all the more regrettable ) . the animation is on par with some of disney 's best . the story itself is interesting , and the action scenes are awe - inspiring . the musical score to the film is enjoyable , though , as has been the case with disney classic on their hands . instead , they merely deliver a very good time at the movies .

capsule : the world will come to an end at midnight . everyone knows it and must make a final peace with the last hours of their lives . this is an intelligent science fiction film with no special effects , just personalities and ideas . , high +2 ( -4 to +4 ) - it is the last night of the planet and several different people are reacting each in their own way to the end . the film covers 6 pm to midnight . the main character is patrick played by david mckellan who also wrote and directed . - reminiscent of on the beach . but much more so of a story richard matheson wrote , " the last day . " ( p . s . on rereading the 1953 matheson , this film is almost a loose adaptation of that story . the similarities may be mere coincidence , but they are numerous and they are very striking . ) - us release may be problematical . the title is lackluster and non - memorable , though very appropriate when you know about the film . also provincial americans may not care about the end of the world coming to toronto . they probably would feel it would not affect them . perhaps a pbs release would be possible . - patrick 's family has declared it christmas and are hurt that the ( adult ) children will not spend the whole evening with them . - grocery stores mostly looted . it seems though that one of everything is left . - some people continue business as usual , some want sex , some react with religion , some riot . some people are in total denial . - much comedy , much drama . - very canadian cast . - it does not get dark . it is just always daytime . - radio playing " last night i did n't get to sleep at all . " how appropriate . - david cronenberg as a kind of bland functionary manager at the gas company . genvieve bujold as french teacher visiting former student . - science fiction film with no special effects , cost about two million dollars . - the person you have been thrown together with by chance becomes the most important person to you for the rest of your life . - why would it be so precisely at midnight ? what about other time zones ? what is the nature of what is destroying the world ?

1POS

with the last hours of their lives . this is an intelligent science fiction film with no special effects , just personalities and ideas . the title is lackluster and non - memorable , though very appropriate when you know about the film . also provincial americans

the rich man 's wife is one of those movies like final analysis or body double , where the story and characters are so one - dimensional and contrived that you know you should n't be enjoying yourself . but somehow , the movie just tries so hard that you begin to forgive it and get into the swing of things . not that it 's bad , it 's just that it 's been done before ; and better , in my opinion . i realize that this is going to sound pretty bizarre , but it 's probably the best analogy that i can come up with right now ; you know how when you see a spider or something in your toilet , striving helplessly to get out , and instead of just flushing him , you end up kind of rooting for the little guy ? that 's basically how i felt about this movie . i mean , it 's not very good , but it 's not completely bad either . the wife of the title is josie potenza ( played nicely by halle berry ) . she is married to tony ( christopher mcdonald . . . you know , the guy who looks like joe piscapo ) , a really stressed - out businessman who drinks way to much and does n't give josie the attention she deserves ( * cough , cough * ) . thus , she is driven into the arms of another man , jake golden ( clive owen ) . near the beginning of the film , josie decides to try and work things out with tony by dumping jake and going on a vacation to a remote cabin in the woods . once there , however , tony has to leave almost immediately due to business details ( i 'm still not quite sure what line of work he 's in ) . making the best of her situation , josie stays there and begins making the rounds at the local bars . one night , she meets a stranger named cole ( peter greene , finally getting a meaty role ) . they have dinner together , and eventually , both josie and the audience start to realize that cole is homicidal . after learning that she is not happily married , cole offers to " take care " of the problem . managing to escape from the psychotic maniac , josie returns home and starts a reconciliation with her estranged and very wealthy husband . but then one night , cole shows up . . . and here is where the fun begins . from this point on , it 's going to be a no - holds- barred cliche - fest , ripping off every movie from strangers on a train to the usual suspects . this is why most critics panned this movie when it first came out . and for the most part , they 're right ; the rich man 's wife has nary one original bone in it 's body . but who cares ? if you 're looking for good ol' dumb suspense movie , you ca n't do much better than this . and if you suspense buffs are n't already sold , it has a killer of an ending too .

1POS

get out , and instead of just flushing him , you end up kind of rooting for the little guy ? that 's basically how i felt about this movie . i mean , it 's not very good , but it 's not completely bad either . the wife of the title is josie potenza ( . but who cares ? if you 're looking for good ol' dumb suspense movie , you ca n't do much better than this . and if you suspense buffs are n't already sold , it has a killer of an ending too .

with a team of 200 graphic artists and animators working on this first film production from game developer squaresoft 's square pictures , final fantasy , inspired by the top - selling game franchise , is visually awe - inspiring and groundbreaking . no doubt , you have never seen anything like this film , and the hyperbolic fanfare surrounding its release is absolutely deserved . but why does such a tremendous feat of eye candy have to be weighted down with a problematic story , wooden dialogue and generally uncharismatic voice acting ? obviously , the primary goal of the film is to stun and amaze audiences with extremely sophisticated cgi . everything you see in the film is rendered in great detail : individual threads in the fabric , individual strands of hair swaying , wrinkles and pimples on skin , incredible water effects . overall , the expressions and lip movements fairly accurately match the emotions and dialogue ; and the times when they do n't sync perfectly really stand out , since the animation is usually so dazzling . but you wo n't spend much time dwelling on those gaffes -- as soon as you catch one , the next stellar monster or effect will have you muttering , " wow . . . " like the series of games , final fantasy 's plot and characters have little to do with its predecessors , outside of being born from the same japanese mastermind , hironobu sakaguchi . it 's the year 2065 , and humans are prisoners in caged cities of their own making that guard them from an outside world now overrun with deadly alien " phantoms . " whenever a human comes in contact with the ghostly visitors , the often - invisible beings pass through the body and wrench out its soul ( for some unexplainable reason ) . while many humans agree with a plan by monomaniacal general hein ( james woods ) to blast the aliens with a " zeus cannon , " dr . aki ross ( ming - na ) and dr . sid ( donald sutherland ) plan to build a " wave " using eight collected " spirits " to counteract the phantoms and kill them off . while the images serve the sci - fi aspect of the film well , the storytelling does n't . it 's unfortunate , because the plot seems so intricately thought out . perhaps it was far too complex and enormous to be entirely incorporated into the script . some could blame this weakness on the fact that it was a japanese concept translated to english , except two americans wrote the screenplay . nevertheless , the end result is an elaborate story complicated by confusing holes . why do these aliens feed on souls ? if they can pass through bodies and ships , how can humans hurt them with guns ? what is so special about the " spirits " that they would create a force strong enough to destroy the aliens ? worse yet , the dialogue is scripted to be either like a science - heavy star trek episode , an installment of die hard , or a sappy love story , depending on who 's doing the talking . for the most part , it 's bearable considering the genre , but tedious speeches and cheesy lines do n't do anything to help the actors and can get annoying in the longer scenes . the only exception is steve buscemi as pilot neil fleming , who always has great cracks during tense moments . but , when the lights come up and the credits roll , you 're more likely to be remarking on how fantastic the film looked . there 's no question that the roughly 33 million people who have bought at least one final fantasy game will be eager to see this movie , and so should anyone who enjoys being floored by the best cg animation ever put to film . you 'd be living in a fantasy world of your own if you expected much more .

1POS

inspired by the top - selling game franchise , is visually awe - inspiring and groundbreaking . no doubt , you have never seen anything like this film , and the hyperbolic fanfare surrounding its release is absolutely deserved . but why does such a tremendous feat of eye candy have to be weighted down with a problematic story , to stun and amaze audiences with extremely sophisticated cgi . everything you see in the film is rendered in great detail : individual threads in the fabric , individual strands of water effects . overall , the expressions and lip movements fairly accurately match the emotions and dialogue ; and the times when they do n't sync perfectly really stand out , since the animation is usually so dazzling . but you wo n't spend much time dwelling on you catch one , the next stellar monster or effect will have you muttering , " wow . . . " like the series of games , final fantasy 's plot the storytelling does n't . it 's unfortunate , because the plot seems so intricately thought out . perhaps it was far too complex and enormous to , except two americans wrote the screenplay . nevertheless , the end result is an elaborate story complicated by confusing holes . why do these aliens feed lights come up and the credits roll , you 're more likely to be remarking on how fantastic the film looked . there 's no question that the roughly 33 million people who have bought at least one final fantasy game will be eager to see this movie , and so should anyone who enjoys being floored by the best cg animation ever put to film . you 'd be living in a fantasy world of

ladies and gentlemen , 1997 's independence day is here ! it 's title : starship troopers . and surprisingly , it is more entertaining than id4 . i realize that i gave last year 's sci - fi hit a 4 star rating , but i was under the spell of the powerful first hour . after subsequent viewings , i feel that independence day really was n't as great as it seemed -- though i still give it a positive review . starship troopers , on the other hand , has a mocking sense of humor , knowing perfectly well how ridiculous it may seem . as a result , starship troopers is a more exciting , energetic , and lively science fiction film . in fact , i probably could never get tired of watching this film . starship troopers is very reminiscient of star wars , another kick - ass space opera which reinvented the sci - fi drama altogether . while starship troopers is no star wars , it comes quite close , and the easiest assessment would be to call this film : " the ' star wars ' of the 90s . " am i being to generous to this film ? perhaps , but when a science fiction film comes along that can mix humor and romance , effectively , into the warring races . in essence , this is the science fiction equivolence of pulp fiction . the easiest way to write a review of this film would be to compare it to other science fiction films , and i may have to . starship troopers is not quite an original film persay , but director paul verhoeven gives the film a " kick - the - aliens'-asses " style . id4 had this same style , except it was forced , most likely the cause of will smith having a major role . this new " star wars " has a very simple , basic plot : mankind vs . an alien species . the alien species in question here is the bugs , a seemingly advanced civilization of arachnid - type insects . however , the underlying morals of starship troopers are fleshed out with deadly accuracy . sometimes the morals are buried by the bloody violence and intense action scenes , but during quiet moments , we realize that starship troopers has something to tell us about our civilization . more than likely , these morals will be overpowered and quickly forgotten by the time the movie ends . and they should be . i doubt verhoeven intended this film to be a thought - provoking film . this is an " event " film , but surprisingly above average . it is extremely refreshing to watch a sci - fi war film , and actually root for the human side ( something independence day never achieved ) . starship troopers begins with a satirical portrayal of those strange " join the army " ads . mixing a web - based interface , these summations of events are refreshingly original . stating , " would you like to know more ? " , these short news bulletins give the film an immediate sense of humor , and we know we should not take it seriously . however , we also witness the murder of several troopers in battle , in a gory , yet funny , way . after witnessing the slaughter , the film jumps back one year , to setup what we just saw . we are introduced to johnny rico ( casper van dien ) and carmen ibanez ( denise richards ) . rico flirts with carmen by sending her messages over computer terminals in school classrooms . however , carmen is n't as interested in rico as she is in becoming a pilot . however , another classmate , dizzy flores ( dina meyer ) , has her eye on rico . unfortunately , rico is n't interested in dizzy . this setup is rather cliched , as is the result of the setup , but it still is fun to watch . carmen signs up to become a starship trooper , and as a result , rico signs up . and as a result , dizzy signs up . everyone is assigned a certain position in the academy : carmen gets the pilot position she wanted , carl jenkins ( neil patrick harris ) , a psychic , gets a position in the training program , and rico is left in the lowest class of the starship troopers : the mobile infantry . the main story follows rico through his trials and relationships . in reality , i found myself watching a space version of " melrose place , " but with better special effects . an hour into the film , the war begins . a sense of tension grew in the audience i watched this film with . the first hour may have been a funny ( sometimes unintentionally ) setup , but we grew to care for the flat characters , because no matter how hard i tried not to like the characters , their gorgeous looks won me over ( call me superficial , if you must ) . following the training sessions , which had many dramas in themselves ( too many to mention here ) , the troopers are sent to war . the bugs live on the planet klendathu , a planet which consists of dirt and rock , and pretty much nothing else . many dramas occur during the war , until finally the troopers realize that their is something behind the bugs ' attacks . a sort of intelligence which masterminds the defense . the troopers are ordered to locate the " brain " and capture it . i hopefully left the plot as vague as possible , because starship troopers is not about plot . it 's about special effects and gory violence . director verhoeven , most known for his nudie film showgirls and basic instinct , returns to his sci - fi days , which gave us good films like total recall . verhoeven likes to push the envelope of the mpaa , but despite all the violence , the comic book feel gives the film a sense of falsehood . starship troopers is extremely violent , with more gore than this year 's event horizon . the r rating is well deserved , and hopefully parents will not allow their 12 year old children to see it . my guess is that verhoeven 's target audience is the 18 to 25 male group . the film has a testosterone level off the charts , with chiseled men and beautiful women . despite these superficial elements , starship troopers also creates a world which made star wars so successful . while watching the film , we never second guess the character 's decisions because they seem perfectly clear . thankfully , no hero is punching aliens in the face , which gives the flat characters some depth for which we can identify with . the cast of starship troopers is quite annoying to begin with , but they soon grow on you . casper van dien has the chiseled facial features and tan skin which will make most girls swoon . to most guys , he will come across as artificial . fortunately , van dien is the worst of the cast , despite how hard he tries to come off as a real character . dina meyer does a much better job of fleshing out her character . her dizzy is extremely likeable . denise richards also does a good job , and her scenes are very well done . jake busey , gary busey 's son , gives a wonderfully funny performance , and provides one of the biggest laughs of the film . neil patrick harris ( remember , he was doogie howser ) is a little wooden , and slightly out of place with the rest of the cast . however , he does give a good performance . michael ironside gives the best performance of the film as the teacher with one arm . his performance rises above the rest . perhaps it is because his character is the most developed , but i think it is just ironside 's presence on screen . unfortunately , no particular cast member gives a star - making performance , which is too bad because the material here could have made many of the cast members stars . director verhoeven is the main star of the film . his direction is fast and unrelentless . he never slows down his pace , which makes for a wild ride . writer edward neumeier adapted the screenplay from the book by robert heinlein . the writing is usually very funny , and sometimes very corny . the dialogue is smart but not too smart . we are n't required to know everything , but some plot holes are left unanswered . thankfully we are not intended to notice , and we really do n't ( except for one which lingered in my mind for quite a while ) . amazingly , with all the wars and romance going on , the screenplay manages to include some surprising governmental issues . in fact , these governmental changes seem fairly plausible , and this adds another layer to the story . the moral debate of the characters is quite surprising to find in a film of this genre , but what is even more surprising is the amount of humor included into all the carnage . i have n't laughed this loud , even in some comedies . oh , and the special effects are first rate . starship troopers is rated r for graphic sci - fi violence and gore , and for some language and nudity . believe me when i say this : do n't take young kids to see this film . it is extremely violent . in fact , it is probably the most violent film out this year . however , if you are old enough ( over 17 ) to see it , starship troopers is guaranteed to entertain . it 's been a long time since i have cheered for the heros , while also cheering for the bad guys . and still , it is my dream to see a sci - fi film in which the alien race destroys mankind , and take over the world . now that would be entertaining !

1POS

it 's title : starship troopers . and surprisingly , it is more entertaining than id4 . i realize that i gave last year review . starship troopers , on the other hand , has a mocking sense of humor , knowing perfectly well how ridiculous it may seem . as a result , starship troopers is a more exciting , energetic , and lively science fiction film . in fact , i probably could never get tired of watching this film . starship troopers is very reminiscient of star wars , , but when a science fiction film comes along that can mix humor and romance , effectively , into the warring races . in essence , this " ads . mixing a web - based interface , these summations of events are refreshingly original . stating , " would you like to know more a space version of " melrose place , " but with better special effects . an hour into the film , the war begins the character 's decisions because they seem perfectly clear . thankfully , no hero is punching aliens in the face , starship troopers is quite annoying to begin with , but they soon grow on you . casper van dien has the chiseled facial features and to come off as a real character . dina meyer does a much better job of fleshing out her character . her dizzy is extremely likeable . denise richards also does a good job , and her scenes are very well done . jake busey , gary busey 's son , gives a wonderfully funny performance , and provides one of the biggest laughs of the film . neil patrick harris ( remember , he was doogie place with the rest of the cast . however , he does give a good performance . michael ironside gives the best performance of the film as the teacher with one arm . his performance rises above the rest . perhaps it is because his character is the most star - making performance , which is too bad because the material here could have made many of the cast members stars . director verhoeven is the main star of the film . his direction is fast and unrelentless . he

billed as a " feminist sex fantasy " , this spirited , imaginative and thoroughly engaging film by the award - winning canadian director cynthia roberts , is destined for extreme reactions . camille paglia enthusiasts will no doubt champion this heart - felt tale of the title character bubbles galore ( nina hartley ) , a porn - actress - turned - porn - producer who faces an uphill battle in her quest for sexual and economic independence . however , those in the andrea dworkin camp , will no doubt loathe the film 's decidedly pro - porn stance . political considerations aside , however , this is a delightful lesbian love story as the film takes us on a whirlwind tour of bubbles ' romantic entanglements with a naive and virginal young porn starlet dory drawers ( shauny sexton ) . in the backdrop , however is bubbles ' loyal assistant vivian klitorsky ( tracy wright ) who pines longingly for the affections of her bubbly boss . this femme - butch - femme triangle is what provides the film with considerable humanity * and * sensuality . in addition to the romantic aspects of the story , bubbles is being stalked and terrorized by her ex - boyfriend godfrey montana ( daniel macivor ) , a slimy porn mogul who wishes to make her life as miserable as he can possibly make it . when his plans to sabotage her latest film fall through , he snaps and psychotically decides to kill her . these proceedings are presided over by a most heavenly presence . god herself - yes , in the world of this film , god , is most definitely a " her " - and a chorus of undulating , scantily - clad angels , have their most watchful and lustful eyes on the events as they unfold , adding a lovely fantasy element to this frothy concoction . this bright , colourful and deliriously sexy film is chock - full of great performances . making her dramatic debut , after appearing in over 300 triple x adult films , porn star nina hartley takes command of her role with considerable assurance and a screen presence which puts many other contemporary ' straight ' actresses to shame . hartley has overwhelming star power , and one wonders why other non - triple - x producers have n't used her bountiful talents . it is also interesting to note that hartley appears in the recent release of " boogie nights " , a film which takes a far more traditional doom - and - gloom approach to the porn industry . making a cameo appearance in the role of god , former porn actress annie sprinkle , a true artist in her own right - gives the entire film an earthy , sensual glow and certainly solidifies and , by her very appearance , downright justifies the themes of the movie . the other performances are equally solid . daniel macivor appropriately chews up the scenery as the villainous godfrey and tracy wright lends able support with her complex role . shauny sexton , an erotic dancer and pin - up model , makes an impressive screen debut . overall , bubbles galore is a film which wears its politics on its sleeve and very proudly indeed . at one point , the title character declares that " instead of trying to save women from the sex trade , we should be working to ensure that the sex trade is a safe place for women to work " . the direction by cynthia roberts is daring and subversive . roberts is not afraid to plunge the otherwise straight - ahead and simple narrative into extended and extremely avant - garde montage sequences . the love scenes between the women are especially beautiful . the musical score by nicholas stirling blends cool jazz and lounge stylings , while the skilful cinematography by harald bachmann terrifically captures a blend of garish 70 's porn and psychedelia . amazingly , this film appears to have received a good deal of its funding from a variety of canadian government cultural agencies . this speaks volumes towards the importance of state funding for culture , as one can not imagine such an entertaining , original and vital film being made in a traditional setting where conformity and formula rule the day . bubbles galore seems to be making the film festival rounds and does not , at present , appear to have any traditional distribution in place , so keep your eye on the alternative film listings for this one . it 's funny , sexy and subversive . and it should n't be missed .

1POS

billed as a " feminist sex fantasy " , this spirited , imaginative and thoroughly engaging film by the award - winning canadian director cynthia roberts , is destined for extreme reactions stance . political considerations aside , however , this is a delightful lesbian love story as the film takes us on a whirlwind tour of . this femme - butch - femme triangle is what provides the film with considerable humanity * and * sensuality . in addition to the romantic aspects of the story and lustful eyes on the events as they unfold , adding a lovely fantasy element to this frothy concoction . this bright , colourful and deliriously sexy film is chock - full of great performances . making her dramatic debut , after appearing in over 300 triple x adult films , porn star nina hartley takes command of her role with considerable assurance and a screen presence which puts many other contemporary ' straight ' actresses to shame . hartley has overwhelming star power , and one wonders why other non - triple - x producers have n't used her bountiful talents . it is also interesting to note that hartley appears role of god , former porn actress annie sprinkle , a true artist in her own right - gives the entire film an earthy , sensual glow and certainly solidifies and , by her very appearance , downright justifies the themes of the movie . the other performances are equally solid . daniel macivor appropriately chews up the scenery as the , an erotic dancer and pin - up model , makes an impressive screen debut . overall , bubbles galore is a film which wears to work " . the direction by cynthia roberts is daring and subversive . roberts is not afraid to plunge the otherwise straight into extended and extremely avant - garde montage sequences . the love scenes between the women are especially beautiful . the musical score by nicholas stirling blends cool jazz and lounge stylings , while the skilful cinematography by harald bachmann terrifically captures a blend of garish 70 's porn and psychedelia . state funding for culture , as one can not imagine such an entertaining , original and vital film being made in a traditional setting where conformity and formula eye on the alternative film listings for this one . it 's funny , sexy and subversive . and it should n't be missed .

seen at the 21st portland international film festival film title : supermarket woman director : juzo itami country : japan 1997 cinematography : yonezo maeda music : toshiyuki honda cast : nobuko miyamoto , masahitko tsugawa , shiro ito , yuji miyake , akiko matsumoto super features : typical itami film . . . funny and pointed in its own way . if you do n't care how and what the food you buy goes through in your local supermarket , then this film is not for you . . . . maybe it is better to ignore it , as this strong and biting satire , as only juzo itami can deliver , will give you an insight as to what some foods go through . having , in the past , made films that pulled every punch imaginable , from the family traditions ( the funeral ) , to taxes ( a taxing woman & a taxing woman returns ) , to the diabolical gangsters ( minbo ) , to hospitals ( the seriously ill ) , juzo itami , this time takes on the supermarkets ' own war , to get the consumers . and while this film has its funny side , in the crazy situations that it creates , it also shows another side , which is very much the attitude of a corporate structure that is more concerned with its profits than it is with any customer . goro has a supermarket . and a competitor comes into the neighborhood , trying to take him out of business by providing less expensive prices for everything that is sold in the supermarket . bargains galore , its name , has in mind the closure of goro 's humbler venue , so that in the end it can mark up its prices in any way it can . goro hires hanako , a housewife whose talents seem to be better suited to management , than they are in anything else . hanako , as she gets familiar with the operation , discovers many of the tricks of the trade , done by many of the elders in charge of each section of the market . and the procedures , are not always " fresh " food , but a new packaging and a new date , to try and convince the customers that quality is on the shelves . hanako 's ideas take hold , starting with a few of the women that work in the supermarket , being that they do not even shop there at all . and hanako discovers along the way that a few giveaways here and there make a bit of a difference . if not cause some serious problems in the running of the store . a price error , forces them to give away eggs for very low prices , and causes the store a few hassles , but , it brought the people in , and everyone knows that these customers will buy a few other things . as the operation gets stronger , the competition also has trickery up its sleeve , and it has been undermining much of the operation by paybacks to one of the store managers , as well as the meat and fish elder supervisors . eventually these people are found out , and hanako has to tread slowly and carefully , until in the end they all have a showdown . and here , the truth and honesty win out , and even one of the elders decides to stay rather than go to work for the corrupt opponent . in the process , they also find that " freshness " ( with some very funny jokes on this word as well ) becomes a much more important tool than they imagined . with some very nice performances , in this hectic , and fast paced film , this film gives us a sitting of two hours that is satisfying in many ways , although a failed love story between goro and hanako does not come off much , even though towards the end it is suggested . but this would take away from the satire and its strengths . with food gags all over the place , the film lets you have it . and what fun it is . worth seeing . ( editorial ) the director of this film , juzo itami , died shortly after the film was finished , and he left behind a legacy of comedy and satire that is rare , and uncompromising . we would wish that he had been able to make one about film making , of which he must have had a few stories to tell , but we will have to do with much of the japanese society , and its many errant ways . . . . not to say that these things do not happen anywhere else . . . . america is no less guilty of any of these subjects at all , should anyone have the guts to tackle it . . . we could learn something along the way , too . . . . worth seeing , specially , is a taxing woman and its follow up a taxing woman returns . the funeral is also good , although not as funny as the later films . tampopo is also very enjoyable . all four of these films are available in video , which means your best local site for foreign film may have them . . . ask for it .

1POS

matsumoto super features : typical itami film . . . funny and pointed in its own way . if you do n't care how and what the process , they also find that " freshness " ( with some very funny jokes on this word as well ) becomes a much more important tool than they imagined . with some very nice performances , in this hectic , and fast paced film , this film gives us a sitting of two hours that is satisfying in many ways , although a failed love story between goro and hanako place , the film lets you have it . and what fun it is . worth seeing . ( editorial ) the director of this film ,

i can sum up first strike in one word : awesome . never in my life have i seen an actor as insanely dedicated as jackie chan . for the simple reason that he has performed his own stunts in his every movie he 's ever appeared in , he should be awarded greatly . the same tom and jerry formula that was used to make chan 's rumble in the bronx and supercop so entertaining can be found here as well . however , first strike was probably the most exciting out of the three , for the simple reason that practice makes perfect . his last two movies were almost like practice and this one was great . like rumble , this film is about the mafia , the former kgb . now chan must do battle in the freezing arctic temperatures of the ukraine against a group of very large bad men . the trailer for the film sums it up quite well . first strike is action - packed , but the fight scenes are so fast and furious , they almost have a witty , italian - like humor to them . jackie chan is a regular comedian . well , he 's no eddie murphy , but he can really crack you up . for example , he is hanging off a roof and he humorously taunts his foes to come and get him , as he claims to be the korean 007 ( that 's secret agent james bond ) . even the plot to this film improved above the others , as a sort - of twisted nuclear - weapon smuggling deal is botched and jackie takes the blame . but never fear , as the chinese mafia aids him in uncovering the truth behind the incident . with some of the most high - flying stunts and side - splitting comedy , first strike is a sure - fire hit that 's guaranteed to draw some major , world - wide attention . ,

1POS

i can sum up first strike in one word : awesome . never in my life have i seen an actor as insanely dedicated as jackie chan . for the simple reason that he in his every movie he 's ever appeared in , he should be awarded greatly . the same tom and jerry formula that was used make chan 's rumble in the bronx and supercop so entertaining can be found here as well . however , first strike was probably the most exciting out of the three , for the simple reason that . his last two movies were almost like practice and this one was great . like rumble , this film is about the mafia film sums it up quite well . first strike is action - packed , but the fight scenes are so fast and furious , they almost have a witty , italian - like humor to them . jackie chan is a regular comedian . well , he 's no eddie murphy , but he can really crack you up . for example , he is hanging off a roof 007 ( that 's secret agent james bond ) . even the plot to this film improved above the others , as a sort - of twisted nuclear him in uncovering the truth behind the incident . with some of the most high - flying stunts and side - splitting comedy , first strike is a sure - fire hit that 's guaranteed to draw some major , world - wide attention . ,

as a devout atheist and an avowed believer in aliens , i have some idea of how ellie aroway ( jodie foster ) feels . but because my reasons for not partaking in religion are different than hers , i ca n't say that i do exactly . her reason is that she needs solid proof : there is no proof that god existed , so therefor she does not believe . ellie also believes in aliens , and has spent most of her life trying to prove they exist . how can she say she does n't believe in god because of the lack of proof , and then say she believes in aliens , which are gereally less believed in than god without sounding like a hypocrite ? that 's the catch-22 . when aliens from the star vega fax her some plans for a device to transport someone to them ( okay , well , they did n't really * fax * them . . . ) ellie wants to be the one to go , but because of her atheism she is denied the position . how dumb is that ? she discovers the transmitions , then she is n't allowed to go . well , because of a bomb and a psychopath ( jake busey ) , she * does * end up going , but not in the way that we would 've thought . contact is based on a novel by carl sagan , who died during the filmmaking . it is the best alien movie since close encounters of the 3rd kind , and will end up being the best film of the year . its views of science and religion will no doubt aggrivate some , but will stimulate more . i 'm glad at least one movie of the ' 90s can portray aliens in a psitive light , rather than a bunch of slimey beasts who will eat your insides and then put on your body .

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by carl sagan , who died during the filmmaking . it is the best alien movie since close encounters of the 3rd kind , and will end up being the best film of the year . its views of science and religion will no doubt aggrivate some , but will stimulate more . i 'm glad at least one movie of the

by now i figured i 'd seen every alfred hitchcock film at least a half - dozen times -- not that i 'm complaining . to call him the " master of suspense " is an understatement . the paradine case ( 1947 ) , admittedly one of hitchcock 's lesser movies , turned out to be one i 'd missed . this one , like all hitchcock films , is well worth savoring . the story opens with the rich mrs . maddalena anna paradine being arrested in her home for poisoning her blind husband . as mrs . paradine , alida valli plays an aloof but alluring woman of the world . to franz waxman 's stark and moody music , we see the prison guards divesting her of her luxurious garments and jewels . stripped of her fine raiment , she becomes a commoner again , which , as it turns out , was what she was before she met her husband . " a brief skirmish , and you 'll be lunching at the savoy again , " anthony keane , her ultraconfident attorney tells her in their first meeting , predicting a fast and easy trial . gregory peck plays the successful and debonair barrister . " she 's no murderess , " he argues simplistically , smitten by her beauty . " she 's too fine a woman . " his attitude upsets his beautiful and increasing jealous wife , gay ( ann todd ) . unlike most hitchcock movies , which are centered on the thriller and the mystery , this one is more a romantic melodrama . typical is the scene in which gay flings her head back and shakes her hair while bathed in light . she deflects her husband 's affections as she fears that he is beginning to fall in love with his client . the dramatic music then comes up high as the camera dwells on mrs . paradine 's portrait nearby . in the relatively unsatisfying first half , little happens other than domestic squabbles and overtones of intense adulterous desires . to the sound of sweeping violins gay tells anthony that he must get mrs . paradine acquitted because , if mrs . paradine dies , his heart will go with her . if she is freed , he will be able to forget her . as part of the soap opera , a mysterious louis jordan plays mr . paradine 's valet , who has had some not to be discussed relationships . charles coburn plays anthony 's legal partner , sir simon flaquer . and charles laughton , who looks like coburn , is judge lord horfield . this being proper british society , they will all dine together at the judge 's house not long before the case begins . court tv junkies will probably pick up the many differences , some subtle and others not , between the american and the british judicial systems . one , for example , of which i was not aware is that the barrister can not speak to his own client during the recess if she is the process of testifying . one sometimes wonders what the academy is thinking when they make their oscar nominations . as the judge 's wife , lady sophie horfield , ethel barrymore got a nomination for best supporting actress -- the film 's only nomination -- for an inconsequential part with which she did little of merit . ( so the big question is when does hitchcock make his obligatory walk - on ? at 37 minutes into the film , he leaves a train station carrying a large musical instrument case . do n't miss it . ) in the second half the story finally comes alive when it gets into the courtroom . the great master shows his hand there as the tensions build as rapidly in the second part as they lay fallow in the first . watch how the camera angles are sometimes from the back and other times from way on high to set the exact tone for the trial 's action . as anthony explains it , the simple case has only 3 possibilities : mr . paradine poisoned himself , mrs . paradine did it , or the valet did it . the end includes many devastating revelations and some nice twists so it is too bad the first half is so languid . the paradine case runs 1 : 53 . the picture is in black and white . it is not rated but would be pg for mature themes and would be fine for kids around nine and up if they are interested .

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- dozen times -- not that i 'm complaining . to call him the " master of suspense " is an understatement . the paradine case ( 1947 ) , admittedly one to be one i 'd missed . this one , like all hitchcock films , is well worth savoring . the story opens with the rich mrs . maddalena do n't miss it . ) in the second half the story finally comes alive when it gets into the courtroom . the great master shows his hand there as the tensions build as rapidly in the second part did it . the end includes many devastating revelations and some nice twists so it is too bad the first half is so

it 's wednesday , march 27 , and a murder investigation is underway in charlotte , south carolina . the crime : a young prostitute , elizabeth ( renee zellweger ) , has been brutally slain . one half of her severed body was found in a bag at the train station . the other half was discovered in a trunk at the harbor authority , miles away . the police duo of braxton ( chris penn ) and kennesaw ( michael rooker ) are strapped for leads . at the moment , they have only one possible suspect : wayland ( tim roth ) , a wealthy , unemployed genius who graduated summa cum laude from princeton and appears to be the least likely character to commit such a heinous act . that 's the premise for deceiver , a new thriller from the pate brothers , jonas and josh , who made their mark on the film world two years ago at sundance with the movie the grave . deceiver plays out like a mind game between the intellectually superior wayland and the two not- so - bright cops ( captions early in the proceedings let us know that wayland 's iq is 151 ; by contrast , kennesaw 's is 122 and braxton 's is 102 ) . the setting is a police interrogation room where a lie detector test is about to be administered . over three days , as wayland returns to answer more questions , the drama and tension among these three characters gradually escalates until , inevitably , it boils over . other plot elements are thrown in for good measure . wayland suffers from a peculiar kind of epilepsy that can , in stressful situations , render him virtually catatonic or extremely violent . braxton , a compulsive gambler , is deep in debt to a local syndicate . and kennesaw is haunted by a dark , abusive side that delights in terrorizing women , especially his wife ( rosanna arquette ) , whom he suspects of being unfaithful . the foibles and failings of these three are brought into the open as the mystery around elizabeth 's death deepens and it becomes unclear who has the upper hand : the suspect or his questioners . deceiver , which mostly transpires in a dimly - lit room and involves a lot of smart dialogue , has the feel of a david mamet play : edgy , claustrophobic , and tense . the atmosphere is explosive , and some of pivotal moments of confrontation are riveting . deceiver has the power to grab an audience . unfortunately , in the end , it succumbs to the need to throw in one last , unexpected twist , and this is its undoing . for , while this surprise will certainly shock most viewers , it also stretches our credulity too much , and raises more questions than it answers . it 's only an effective wrap - up if you do n't think too carefully about its full implications . of course , the film as a whole plays fast and loose with reality and logic . police procedure is totally ignored and it 's almost impossible to accept that any criminal investigation would or could proceed in this manner . but the real focus in deceiver is on character interaction , not plot details . deceiver only occasionally gets out of the police station , and those instances occur primarily during flashbacks featuring the prostitute . the pates employ a number of interesting techniques to present vignettes from elizabeth 's final days and hours . the most intriguing of these is to use an unreliable narrator while underlining the discrepancies in his voice - over by visually showing what really happened . moments like this are too effective to be dismissed as gimmicks . the movie , obviously fashioned in the manner of classic film noir , drips atmosphere . there are some fascinating stylistic touches ; for example , although the setting is contemporary , all of the telephones are old - fashioned , rotary models . cinematographer bill butler is given an opportunity to use unconventional camera work to liven up deceiver 's look . some of the things he tries ( mostly those that involve the contrast between light and shadow ) work exceptionally well , while others ( like any of several lazy susan shots ) seem more like unnecessary visual tricks . as wayland , tim roth gives the film 's top performance , despite occasionally treading the tightrope between acting and overacting . roth makes us believe that wayland is both as brilliant and as troubled as he 's supposed to be . the other two leads , chris penn and michael rooker , are n't as effective . both play their characters like familiar types . penn 's performance is uninspired ; rooker 's lacks subtlety . some of the best work is turned in by the supporting actors . renee zellweger , in a role that 's miles away from her star - making turn in jerry maguire , brings a note of vulnerability and humanity to a part that could easily have become a caricature . rosanna arquette is solid as kennesaw 's wife , and michael parks delivers several wonderful scenes as a psychiatrist who 's entrusted with evaluating wayland 's condition . one of the best things about deceiver is that it never talks down to the audience . plot points are n't hammered home , and , although the ending has its weaknesses , everything is n't spelled out in bold letters . the pates give audience members credit for having brains , which is an increasingly rare characteristic for film makers . occasionally gripping and never uninteresting , deceiver is a fine noir effort .

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which mostly transpires in a dimly - lit room and involves a lot of smart dialogue , has the feel of a david mamet play : edgy , claustrophobic , and tense . the atmosphere is explosive , and some of pivotal moments of confrontation are riveting . deceiver has the power to grab an audience . unfortunately , in the end , it succumbs to voice - over by visually showing what really happened . moments like this are too effective to be dismissed as gimmicks . the movie , obviously the manner of classic film noir , drips atmosphere . there are some fascinating stylistic touches ; for example , although the setting is contemporary , those that involve the contrast between light and shadow ) work exceptionally well , while others ( like any of several lazy susan like unnecessary visual tricks . as wayland , tim roth gives the film 's top performance , despite occasionally treading the tightrope between acting and overacting 's performance is uninspired ; rooker 's lacks subtlety . some of the best work is turned in by the supporting actors . renee zellweger , in a role that 's miles is solid as kennesaw 's wife , and michael parks delivers several wonderful scenes as a psychiatrist who 's entrusted with evaluating wayland 's condition . one of the best things about deceiver is that it never talks down to the audience . plot points are n't hammered home , and , is n't spelled out in bold letters . the pates give audience members credit for having brains , which is an increasingly rare characteristic for film makers . occasionally gripping and never uninteresting , deceiver is a fine noir effort .

on april 12th , 1912 , the most astonishing shipwreck in the history of the world occurred . on that fateful night , the titanic sunk . now , more than 50 years later , a film has been made . and what a film that is . james cameron 's newest movie is a landmark in storytelling , emotion , and special effects . it starts in the present , where bill paxton and his band of scientists explore the depths of the ship 's wreckage . exploring an old chest , paxton comes across a nude drawing of a young woman . the drawing is televised and the woman ( gloria stuart ) whose portrait the painting is of comes forward and slowly but surely , the ship 's story is told . leonardo dicaprio stars as jack dawson , a young man with a sketch book , a heart of gold , an intelligent mind , and not much else . he wins his ticket aboard titanic in a poker game , and is the perfect match for rose dewitt bukater ( kate winslett ) . she grows to love jack , but seems unable to escape the slimy clutches of her arranged fiance ' , cal hockley ( billy zane ) . the film takes its time , and by doing so , makes us care about its characters , and shows us the full aspects of human emotion . the leads shine ; there is no bad performance ; in fact , these do not seems like performances at all , but genuine people , trapped on the doomed vessel , facing certain death . watching this film , i was amazed at how vivid and real these situations feel : the time rose and jack spend together at a third - class - party ; the naivety that jack feels when he skecthes rose nude ; the terror felt by all onboard , as certain doom turns people into both cowards and heroes . this , the most expensive movie ever made , $ 200 million , is destined to make its profit back , and then some . it also has more emotion and warmth than any other film this year . . even this decade . it is also yet another first : the first $ 200 million dollar romance , and every critic in this country will agree that it was indeed , money extremely . . very . . well spent .

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50 years later , a film has been made . and what a film that is . james cameron 's newest movie is a landmark in storytelling , emotion , and special effects . it starts in the present , where bill paxton and shows us the full aspects of human emotion . the leads shine ; there is no bad performance ; in fact , these do not seems like performances at all , but genuine people , trapped on the doomed vessel , facing certain death . watching this film , i was amazed at how vivid and real these situations feel : the time rose and jack spend together at a most expensive movie ever made , $ 200 million , is destined to make its profit back , and then some . it also has more emotion and warmth than any other film this year . . even this decade . it is also yet another first : the first agree that it was indeed , money extremely . . very . . well spent .

that thing you do ! , from first - time film director tom hanks , is an enjoyable tale about a fictional band , the wonders , that goes from a garage band to the band with the fastest selling album in the country . but , the question arrises , will the seduction of fame and fortune corrupt the band and lead them to become just another one - hit wonder , or will they stick together and become the next teen sensations ? the " oneders " , as they are originally known , have their first gig at a very small - time contest . jimmy , the lead singer , has written a catchy song and intends to play it at the contest . but , a short time before the contest begins , the current drummer becomes injured and a replacement is needed . enter guy patterson , skilled musician who currently works at his father 's appliance store and is looking to break free from the restricting clutches that bind him . he seems to fit in well , until the group takes the stage . when they begin to play , guy 's beat is much too fast and the pace is way off for the intended song . it looks as though the group is doomed to failure . but , the " new " song is a hit ! this leads to another gig , and soon enough , the group has an agent . he does n't do too much for them , but they do get their song played on the radio . eventually , mr . white of playtone records approaches the group , and he informs them that they want to release a record . before you can say " billboard " , the band is now renamed " the wonders " and the members are speeding their way to fame . the gigs are getting better , their fame is increasing , and they have the fastest selling album in playtone records history . the band is invited to appear in a feature film , and , they then fly out to hollywood to appear on television . after the appearance on television , things start to fall apart . two of the members of the band pretty much disappear , and things are not working out well between jimmy and guy . will the band work it out , or will they split up and go on their own separate journeys towards success ? that thing you do ! , complete with a nifty original song that actually sounded authentic , is a fun and enjoyable movie that , although it does n't become clear if it wants to be a comedy , drama , or romance , is a well - made look into the world of music . tom hanks ' directorial debut was a good one and should lead to more work for him .

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from first - time film director tom hanks , is an enjoyable tale about a fictional band , the wonders , that goes towards success ? that thing you do ! , complete with a nifty original song that actually sounded authentic , is a fun and enjoyable movie that , although it does n't become clear if it be a comedy , drama , or romance , is a well - made look into the world of music . tom hanks ' directorial debut was a good one and should lead to more work for him .

synopsis : an attractive mute makeup artist , working on an ultra - cheesy slasher movie in moscow , witnesses the production of a brutal snuff film and is subsequently chased by really bad russians . meanwhile , the artist 's sister and boyfriend clumsily try to save her . comments : mute witness came as a surprise to me the first time i watched it . drawn by the clever artwork on the video box , i rented the film expecting a complete turkey . mute witness , however , was original , offbeat , and well - made . it 's one of those cool little finds that no one seems to know about . i 've subsequently found it at most video rental places i visit , and it may be seen , on occasion , on the independent film channel . the first hour of mute witness is extremely tense , as billy , the quite believable mute heroine , sees members of the russian mob brutally kill a prostitute while filming an illegal snuff film . the rest of the film takes good advantage of billy 's vulnerable position as a mute foreigner in moscow being pursued by powerful criminal figures . to throw a curveball into the fray , billy 's sister karen and her filmmaking beau become bizarre figures of comic relief to offset several violent sequences in what are some genuinely funny scenes . a disappointingly trite ending and occasional comic blunders are the only two things which mar this otherwise suspenseful film . look for alec guinness ( obi - wan kenobi from the first star wars trilogy ) in a small role as the evil reaper . definately check this movie out ; although , as a word of warning , it does contain several scenes of rather grisly violence which certainly are n't for the squeamish .

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clumsily try to save her . comments : mute witness came as a surprise to me the first time i watched it . drawn by the expecting a complete turkey . mute witness , however , was original , offbeat , and well - made . it 's one of those cool little finds that no one seems to know about . i 've subsequently found it at most video rental an illegal snuff film . the rest of the film takes good advantage of billy 's vulnerable position as a mute foreigner in ) in a small role as the evil reaper . definately check this movie out ; although , as a word of warning , it

the grandfather of italian horror the late mario bava has credits in nearly 100 films and tv movies produced in italy between 1939 and his death in the early 80 's . more practiced as a cinematographer than a director , bava nonetheless sat in the director 's chair for beyond the door ii , the project which turned out to be his last full - length feature film . alongside the appalling zombie schlock of hacks like lucio fulci , beyond the door ii is simply a revelation . in his day bava was considered by most to be no great filmmaker , yet here he fashioned one of the finest italian horror movies of the 1970 's . ( note that the film has no connection with the 1975 exorcist - rip off behind the door , but for some unexplained reason was given this related title for release in the usa and australia . ) this story focuses on dora , a women set upon by a malevolent spirit that channels itself through her young son marco . the film opens with dora , her son and second husband bruno returning to a house by the sea that was the scene of her first husband 's suicide and her subsequent trauma 7 years earlier . they hope to put the past behind them , but as small accidents start to befall dora - usually while bruno is away on business - she starts to suspect that marco ( played with uncanny ability by 8 year old david colin jr . ) is somehow involved in the strange goings on . to reveal any more of the story would be unfair . suffice to say that this artfully paced study of a woman suffering a nervous breakdown offers an intriguing plot , loads of atmosphere and solid acting , though the dialogue is somewhat weakened by the dubbing into english . bava coaches a surprisingly good performance from the usually wooden daria nicolodi , wife of famed italian horror director dario argento . her character is invested with sufficient depth to allow the audience real empathy with dora 's troubled soul . the music by italian ensemble libra is also effective , mixing odd - sounding 70 's rock with classic gothic piano sequences . and there is at least one moment - brilliantly engineered by bava - that is guaranteed to lift you ten feet out of your chair . yet for italian horror , the bloodletting here is surprisingly minimal . lamberto bava and francesco barbieri 's script is more concerned with deeper , psychological terrors , with themes of guilt and suffering , with the notion that what we sow will shall - somewhere , somehow - eventually reap . scholars of the genre take note : beyond the door ii is stylish , chilling , and essential .

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of hacks like lucio fulci , beyond the door ii is simply a revelation . in his day bava was considered by most to be no great filmmaker , yet here he fashioned one of the finest italian horror movies of the 1970 's . ( note that the film the story would be unfair . suffice to say that this artfully paced study of a woman suffering a nervous breakdown offers an intriguing plot , loads of atmosphere and solid acting , though the dialogue is somewhat weakened by the dubbing into english . bava coaches a surprisingly good performance from the usually wooden daria nicolodi , wife of famed 's troubled soul . the music by italian ensemble libra is also effective , mixing odd - sounding 70 's rock with classic sequences . and there is at least one moment - brilliantly engineered by bava - that is guaranteed to lift you ten feet out of your chair . yet for italian horror , the bloodletting here is the genre take note : beyond the door ii is stylish , chilling , and essential .

based on the relatively unknown ( in comparison to spider - man ) marvel comic book , blade tells the story of half - vampire half - human ( played by wesley snipes ) who was born of a vampire 's latest meal . now swearing vengeance against all vampires , blade hunts them all . his latest challenge is his biggest though . . . he must stop the vampire deacon frost ( played by stephen dorff ) from summoning the blood god and turning the rest of the world into vampires . admitedly , comic books are one of the least appreciated mediums , often viewed as juvenile by most standards , even seen as illiterate by some . judging by a series of poorly recieved ( financial and critical ) comic book based films ( such as batman and robin , steel , barb wire , the crow : city of angels , and the list goes on ) , one would come to the conclusion that comic books are the worst medium to translate into film . to some degree , i agree with this sentiment . having read comic books since the age of nine ( i 'm 21 right now ) i can count the number of good comic book based movies ( not including japanese manga ) one hand : 1 : the crow ( 1994 ) , 2 : batman ( 1989 ) , 3 : superman , 4 : the mask , and now , # 5 , blade . ( " men in black " is not on this list because it is an extreme deviation from the original comic book ) why is this ? for the most part , it is because the filmmakers understand the comic book medium and come up with an appropriate atmosphere to match . the crow and batman comics call for a dark gothic atmosphere , which the director provided . the mask features a wacky superhero with off the wall antics , which the casting and cg effects reflect . superman is not over the top with colour and flash , and the film reflects this . blade uses common notions of vampires and incorporates them into the film , creating an appropriate atmosphere . this is in stark contrast to joel schumacher 's contrived vision in batman and robin , reflecting the dated atmosphere in the 1960 's television show . batman and robin proved that the director failed to realize one fundamental fact : comics have grown up , and so has the audience ( i 'm working on a scathing review of batman and robin and will post it up when i 'm ready ) . which brings me back to blade . although he may be a familiar character to some , due to his appearances in the spider - man animated show on fox , one will find no single trace of the warm - and - fuzzy vampire hunter as depicted in the cartoon . the film depicts a vicious vampire killer that uses every single means at his disposal to reach his ends . the end results are not pretty by any means . the story elements work very well -- for a comic book story . screenwriter david goyer ( who also wrote the crow ) incorporates interesting elements of vampire lore , using science to explain many of the ideas often dismissed in vampire films . this is presented through karen , a hematologist portrayed by n'bushe wright . this leads to inventive use of standard medical treatments to kill vampires . add this to the neat little gadgets that blade uses ( including a titanium sword complete with an " anti - theft device " ) , and one has an interesting premise . however , the film works best as an action film . actor wesley snipes has an extensive background in martial arts ( most of which comes from capoeira , a brazillian form incorporating flashy kicks ) , choreographing every single move . proving that quick , flash cutting edits are no substitute for choreographed fight sequences ( see batman and robin for a good example of that ) , wesley snipes dazzles the audience with some incredible fight scenes . regardless , this film is far from perfect . the film suffers from at least one major plot hole , regarding the summoning of the blood god . the ritual requires that a number of pure blood vampires are standing on marked squares , yet one of them is viciously murdered , allowing the ritual to pass ( and the murdered vampire is later shown standing on the square ) . obvious continuity errors also surface , especially during a scene where deacon frost takes a drag on his cigarette and is not exhaling it in the next frame ( there is no trace of smoke either ) . much of the special effects are not that spectacular either . while vampire disintegration scenes are intriguing to watch , other cgi ( computer generated imagery ) effects are almost slapped together , which is surprising when given the amount of time the film was given to be released ( the film 's release date was pushed back multiple times ) . scenes with computer generated blood look extremely fake , knocking the believability factor down a few notches ( but then , i 'm really hard to impress ) . the film 's r rating comes from gory violence , but the lack of realism made me wonder why it got such a rating ( for realistic violence , watch " saving private ryan " ) . the overuse of cgi in films has made me yearn for the days of director george romero and makeup wizard rob bottin , both pioneers in the art of gore without extensive use of cgi . still , scenes involving non - cgi special effects do surface ( and look much more impressive ) , such as one particularly gruesome scene where a vampire tries to use blade 's sword without deactivating the " anti - theft device " . wesley snipes is the saving grace behind what would have otherwise been a muddled mess . while not talking much , he is a grand physical presence , leaving other comic book superheroes in the dust . a decent ( by comic book film standards ) storyline also helps .

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this ? for the most part , it is because the filmmakers understand the comic book medium and come up with an appropriate atmosphere to match . the crow and batman comics call for a dark notions of vampires and incorporates them into the film , creating an appropriate atmosphere . this is in stark contrast to joel schumacher 's for a good example of that ) , wesley snipes dazzles the audience with some incredible fight scenes . regardless , this film is far from perfect . of the special effects are not that spectacular either . while vampire disintegration scenes are intriguing to watch , other cgi ( computer generated imagery ) effects are the " anti - theft device " . wesley snipes is the saving grace behind what would have otherwise been a muddled mess . while not talking much , he is a grand physical presence , leaving other comic book superheroes in the dust . a decent ( by comic book film standards ) storyline also helps .

quentin tarantino seems to have a knack for giving his stars big careers . after his pulp fiction , many actors began receiving many offers for jobs . john travolta made his come - back and is now one of today 's most bankable stars . bruce willis proved his acting chops and is now considered an actual actor . jackie brown , on the other hand , boasts quite a well known cast , except for the main lead : pam grier . most likely you have heard of her and seen her in films , but she 's never really had a breakthrough performance ( her first film was in the roger ebert - written beyond the valley of the dolls ) . that is , until now . jackie brown is a highly anticipated feature film from quentin tarantino , whose last film was the huge hit pulp fiction . after mediocre acting jobs , tarantino returns to what made his name a household one : directing and writing . jackie brown is the result , and it is fantastic entertainment . despite excellent direction from tarantino , the cast steals the film , giving one good performance after another . pam grier gives a stunning performance as jackie brown , and she is supported by an incredible mix of talent -- samuel l . jackson , bridget fonda , michael keaton , robert de niro , and robert forster . more than likely , you will see a few of these names in the oscar pool come oscar nominations . describing a quentin tarantino film is very difficult , as you really ca n't say much or you spoil it for everyone else . i will tread lightly . jackie brown opens with an impressive shot of jackie brown ( grier ) in a blue outfit walking through the airport . the camera tracks along with her , and ends up revealing her occupation . we are also introduced to ordell robbie ( jackson ) , who sells illegal guns to interested buyers . . . for a hefty price . ms . brown carries the money from buyer to ordell in order to keep the cops away . however , an fbi agent ( keaton ) and a local l . a . cop ( michael bowen ) are out to find ordell and catch him while taking the money . they try to reach him through beaumont livingston ( chris tucker ) , one of ordell 's buyers , but he mysteriously ends up dead . they try again through brown , but she is hesitant to admit to any wrong - doing . but after unknowingly carrying some drugs for one of ordell 's friends ( fonda ) , she is caught and sent to jail . ordell pays her bail through a bail bond agent , max cherry ( forster ) , and then wants to find out what she told the cops . after she claims to have said nothing , she reveals the fact that she will tell them about ordell in order to stay out of prison . ordell does n't like this , but they both come up with a scheme to throw the feds and cops off their track . this scheme seems to be going as planned , but unexpected occurances may or may not foul up their goal . revealing more would spoil the fun of jackie brown , and that 's the biggest reason to go see a tarantino film . tarantino seems to have a fascination with hitmen and unusual predicaments ( and slang terms ) , but they are always done very well and believably . his hitmen are normally cruel , but pleasant , in that nasty sort of way . they talk like normal people , except for when doing business , and they are rude to their girlfriends . of course , this is a tarantino film , and you know you can expect some awkward situations to arise . and perhaps the biggest flaw with jackie brown is the slow middle section in which the pace begins to drop . of course , tarantino fixes this by moving onto the climax of the film , adding a lot of his reservoir dogs - style storytelling to it . things are told from one person 's perspective , and then from another , and then from another , each time learning more and more . this all leads up to a very interesting conclusion , which decides who is on whose side . on the technical side of jackie brown , quentin tarantino directs it with the same style as he did with his 1994 film . however , this time around it is n't as nearly as impressive or original . the writing , on the other hand , is quite good , although i do find tarantino 's use of slang terms offensive . the story jumps back and forth in time as in pulp fiction , but it 's much more easy to understand . his previous film needed a second viewing in order to understand the time differentiation , but jackie brown is very simply to follow , especially considering that the time is given during the " leaps " in time . perhaps this is a result of the screenplay being written from the novel " rum punch " by elmore leonard . the dialogue is pretty much intelligent , and all the characters are fully realized . the cinematography is very well done by guillermo navarro ( who has worked with tarantino on previous films ) and the editing is very good . and as with pulp fiction , the music is a highlight , bringing back memorable songs from the 70s and 80s . the acting side of jackie brown is unforgettable . the performances are incredibly rich , with hidden meaning behind every characters ' actions . nothing is quite as it seems , and you ca n't really tell which side one person is on . the real treat , of course , is pam grier who gives an astonishing performance as jackie brown . her poor living conditions are superceded by her superior wits , which play an important role in the film . watching grieg , i could tell what was going through her mind , even if i did n't know what she was thinking . her face portrays a lot of emotion that you can tell when she is sad , happy , or in deep thought . bridget fonda gives a very good performance as a druggie couch potato . i did n't even realize it was fonda until i saw her name in the final credits ( her performance actually reminded me of heather graham 's in boogie nights ) . michael keaton comes across very well , as does michael bowen . chris tucker has a small , but effective performance . samuel l . jackson is very good , but it seems to me that he was replaying his jules winnfield character from pulp fiction ( although much less cynical ) . but no matter . . . jackson is very strong in his role . robert de niro is actually a little annoying at times , but overall he does a good job as one of ordell 's perspective clients and friends . robert forster gives one of the best performances in the film , as he has one of the most developed characters . he is present throughout most of the film , and he holds his own against jackson and grier . jackie brown is rated r for language , sex , violence , drug use , and some offensive remarks . as a film by itself , jackie brown is a terrific piece of entertainment , with a complex plot to draw viewers in . however , one can not help but compare it to tarantino 's pulp fiction , and expect great results . when compared , it comes up short , but not that short . it 's a worthy effort , with terrific acting and some impressive writing from elmore leonard and tarantino . perhaps the best thing about jackie brown is the discovery of pam grier as a major hollywood actress . i ca n't remember seeing her in anything ( except for a small role in mars attacks ! ) , but hopefully she will get many more roles from this one . expect to see her name floating around the oscar nominations ( and hopefully she will even be able to nab one ) .

1POS

and writing . jackie brown is the result , and it is fantastic entertainment . despite excellent direction from tarantino , the cast steals the film , giving one good performance after another . pam grier gives a stunning performance as jackie brown , and she is supported by an incredible mix of talent -- samuel l . jackson , bridget fonda , michael niro , and robert forster . more than likely , you will see a few of these names in the oscar pool come oscar nominations . describing a quentin tarantino film is very difficult , spoil the fun of jackie brown , and that 's the biggest reason to go see a tarantino film . tarantino seems to have a fascination predicaments ( and slang terms ) , but they are always done very well and believably . his hitmen are normally cruel , but pleasant , , each time learning more and more . this all leads up to a very interesting conclusion , which decides who is on whose side . on original . the writing , on the other hand , is quite good , although i do find tarantino 's use of slang to understand the time differentiation , but jackie brown is very simply to follow , especially considering that the time is given during the the novel " rum punch " by elmore leonard . the dialogue is pretty much intelligent , and all the characters are fully realized . the cinematography is very well done by guillermo navarro ( who has worked with tarantino on previous films ) and the editing is very good . and as with pulp fiction , the music is a highlight , bringing back memorable songs from the 70s and 80s . the acting side of jackie brown is unforgettable . the performances are incredibly rich , with hidden meaning behind every characters ' actions . real treat , of course , is pam grier who gives an astonishing performance as jackie brown . her poor living conditions are superceded , happy , or in deep thought . bridget fonda gives a very good

the makers of jurassic park & the director of speed conjure up a storm ! ( reviewed at eng wah 's new jubilee cineplex at ang mo kio ) " unlike earthquakes , their fury is precise . unlike hurricanes , their reach is unlimited . unlike fires , there is no way to combat them . unlike floods , their terror is sudden . " - excerpt from twister production notes i 'm sure many of us living in this part of the world have never seen tornadoes ( or twisters ) before . i for one , have only seen the devastating effects and footage of tornadoes from news reports on tv and personally , i feel tornado - caused destruction comes no where near the destruction caused by hurricanes and earthquakes . . . . . . . . that is until i saw twister . the destruction caused by twisters may be precise ( not widespread but it moves very fast and its path of destruction is unpredictable . it will suck in cars , houses , livestock , etc . . . . . basically anything in its path that is not firmly rooted to the ground and in twister , you 'll get to see all this - close up ! twister tells a tale about a group of storm chasers . these people are basically out - of - their - mind and for the sake of obtaining data on twister - occurrences , they risk their lives by literally chasing tornadoes , trying to get as close as they can . . . . . that is if the tornado does not suddenly decide to change its path towards them ! jo ( helen hunt ) is the leader of this pack of kamikazes . while they are gearing up for the mother - of - all - storms as predicted by satellite recon , bill ( bill paxton ) , a former co- leader of the team returns to settle some divorce papers with jo . apparently , bill has left his rogue - ish days for greener and more practical pastures - as a television weatherman . he catches up with his old - self and follows the pack like the good ole days , bringing his wife - to - be melissa ( jamie gertz ) along , a city - bred woman toting around with a handphone . jo has finally implemented bills initial idea of a device called dorothy which measurement 's of a twister may lead to a better understanding on how tornadoes are formed so that a more reliable early - warning system can be implemented . the problem is , the device has to be placed very near the twister , and in its path ( which is practically unpredictable ) of destruction in order for it to function . to add to their current challenge , there is another group of storm chasers that is corporation - funded led by jonas ( cary elwes ) and they too have a similar device . thus begins the race ; jo 's cheap government equipment with beaten - up vehicles against jonas 's high - tech computers and satellite link - ups with their sleek , black all - terrain vans . plot wise , there are not really anything to shout about . twister is as predictable as any summer box - office hit can get . there is the danger of the twister , the competition with jonas^os more well - off team and of course , the settling of differences between jo and bill ( this part gives the film its human substance ) . helen hunt , bill paxton and the rest of the actors / actresses give only average performances and all of them take back seat to the main thespian in this movie - the twister itself ! thanks to the impressive digital effects by ilm ( lucasfilm 's industrial light and magic ) , we get to see the terror and destruction caused by tornadoes up close ; from stripping barns and houses to lifting up livestock ! jan de bont once again proves his visual abiility ( thanks to his years of experience as a director of photography for action films ) for action sequences . like his previous film speed , the tornado sequences ( which are essentially the action sequences ) are well visualised and edited . audiences will be holding tight to their chairs everytime a tornado comes on screen ! the surround sound effects sure does help a lot in stressing the terror of a twister ! ( the cinema must at the very least support digital sound to fully appreciate this ) twister is definitely an effect - dependent movie . now that id4 fever has begun to reside , and people are getting bored of watching will smith whoop et 's ass for the umpteenth time . . . . . . twister is your sure bet of 7 bucks well spent ! watch it in a good theatre . . . please . the flying inkpot 's rating system : * wait for the video . * * a little creaky , but still better than staying at home with gotcha ! * * * pretty good , bring a friend . * * * * amazing , potent stuff . * * * * * perfection . see it twice .

1POS

the makers of jurassic park & the director of speed conjure up a storm ! ( reviewed at eng wah 's new jubilee cineplex at main thespian in this movie - the twister itself ! thanks to the impressive digital effects by ilm ( lucasfilm 's industrial light and magic ) and houses to lifting up livestock ! jan de bont once again proves his visual abiility ( thanks to his years of experience as a director sequences ( which are essentially the action sequences ) are well visualised and edited . audiences will be holding tight to their chairs everytime a tornado comes on screen ! the surround sound effects sure does help a lot in stressing the terror of a twister ! ( the cinema must at the very least support digital the umpteenth time . . . . . . twister is your sure bet of 7 bucks well spent ! watch it in a good theatre . . . please . the flying inkpot 's rating

there are times when the success of a particular film depends entirely on one actor 's effort . often a single performance can turn what might have been a rather mediocre movie into something worthwhile . when one of these comes along , i usually try to think about how many other people put work into the movie , that there is no way one person could possible carry the entire project on his shoulders . but sometimes there is simply no other explanation , and such is the case with " the hurricane . " this biopic about falsely convicted boxer rubin " hurricane " carter would normally be called " norman jewison 's ' the hurricane , ' " as per the tradition of referring to a film " belonging " to a director . but though he does decent work , jewison can not claim ownership of " the hurricane , " because there is one reason this film works at all , and his name is denzel washington . washington plays carter , a boxer who in 1967 was convicted of a late - night shooting in a bar . jailed for 20 years , he maintained that he had never committed the crimes , but remained in jail after a second trial and countless appeals . the situation changed when a group of canadians moved to washington and worked on freeing carter . through the efforts of that group and carter 's lawyers , he was eventually freed when their case was heard in federal court and the judge ruled that rubin carter had been unfairly convicted . the film details carter 's childhood , which had him in and out of jail because of the efforts of a racist cop ( dan hedaya ) . when he finally got out of prison for good , carter became a rising star as a middleweight pro boxer , seemingly having his career on track , until the police framed him for multiple homicide . despite the efforts of political activists and celebrities , he remained imprisoned . flash forward to 1983 , when lesra ( vicellous reon shannon ) a young african - american boy , living with a group of canadian tutors , reads the book carter wrote while in prison . the book , entitled " the sixteenth round , " opens young lesra 's eyes to the injustice that was carter 's life , and he vows to help free the incarcerated boxer . lesra convinces his canadian friends ( deborah unger , liev schreiber , john hannah ) to work with him towards his goal . " the hurricane " leans on denzel washington . he must carry virtually every scene by sheer force of will , and he does so brilliantly . it 's probably accurate to say that washington does not embody rubin carter , because he plays a character far stronger and nobler than any real person could hope to be . it would perhaps be more accurate to say that washington embodies the character of rubin carter -- a fictional personality invented solely for the film . the actor 's work is masterful ; washington throws himself into every moment , refusing to keep the audience at arm 's length . we feel everything he feels : the humiliation of having to return to prison after fighting so hard to make something of his life , the pain of having to order his wife to give up the fight , and the utter despair he feels when coming to the conclusion that all hope is lost . washington 's is a performance of weight and emotional depth . he does n't merely play angry , happy , or sad ; he feels it at the deepest level . his work is masterful , and for half of this film i realized that the scene i was watching would not have been nearly as affecting as it was if it had been in the hands of another actor . norman jewison directs the film , doing a reasonably good job of pacing and shot selection . " the hurricane " moves quickly , with no scene drawn out much further than necessary and the narrative galloping along nicely . jewison handles his multiple flashbacks well ; the audience is always aware of just what the time and place of each scene is , and nothing is terribly confusing . his boxing scenes , constructed with clear inspiration from " raging bull , " get inside the action very well , and they are believable as real sports footage . jewison puts together a particularly nice scene by utilizing a pretty cool trick : carter is sent to solitary confinement for 90 days when he refuses to wear a prison uniform , and jewison , assisted by some wonderful acting from a game washington , shows how carter gradually starts to lose his mind during the constant solitude , and eventually we get three rubin carters arguing with each other in one cell . jewison 's best achievement in " the hurricane " is succeeding at showing how carter becomes an embittered man during his hard - knock life , and how he is able to break out of that bitterness and learn to trust people again . sadly , though , the film 's chief failures lie with the screenplay , as with most of the good - but - not - great efforts to round the pike this winter . there is much to interest a viewer in " the hurricane , " but it seems that every time the film gets a chance to take the most clich ? d route possible , it does . take a look at the supporting characters , for example , who are drawn up as either entirely good or entirely evil . carter and lesra ( played nicely by shannon , who deserves credit ) are the only real people here ; everyone else is a stereotype . the canadians are good . the cops are bad . the canadians spend most of their time dolefully grinning at each other in their lovey - dovey commune ( and it is a commune , despite the film 's failure to make that clear ) , while every racist cop ( especially dan hedaya 's ) melts in out of the shadows and glowers at every black person that enters the room . much of the dialogue comes off as rather hokey ( " hate put me in prison . love 's gon na bust me out . " ) , and the big courtroom climax during which everyone gets to make an impassioned speech could have been lifted from a made - for - tv lifetime special . it 's too bad . the cast is game , the director does his job , and the subject matter is interesting , but the script takes the safer , slightly more boring route far too often . i wanted a real reason for the cop to hold a grudge against carter other than " he 's a racist pig . " i wanted more evidence that these canadians are real people with faults and virtues instead of a bunch of saintly crusaders looking for justice . in short , i wanted to see the film through a less distorted lens . criticism has been levied against the liberties " the hurricane " takes with the truth of what really happened to carter , and much of it is deserved . for example , the film gives us a boxing scene showing carter pummeling defending champ joey giardello , only to be screwed by the judges , who ruled giardello the winner . most accounts of the fight , however , have carter losing fairly . furthermore , much of carter 's criminal past is conveniently left out of the film , and just why he was convicted again in his second trial is never really explained . of course , " the hurricane " works mainly as a fable , so digressions from the truth can be excused at least partially , but even dismissing such issues do n't remove one fact : " the hurricane " is a highly flawed film . only one actor could have made a schmaltzy , predictable picture like this work as well as it does , and it 's a good thing " the hurricane " has that actor . carter has been quoted as saying , " denzel washington is making me look good , " but he 's not the only one . washington makes this film look good . denzel washington 's " the hurricane . " sounds pretty good to me .

1POS

on denzel washington . he must carry virtually every scene by sheer force of will , and he does so brilliantly . it 's probably accurate to say that washington does it would perhaps be more accurate to say that washington embodies the character of rubin carter -- a fictional personality invented solely for the film . the actor 's work is masterful ; washington throws himself into every moment , refusing to keep the audience at arm 's length . we feel everything he feels : the humiliation of having to return to prison after the conclusion that all hope is lost . washington 's is a performance of weight and emotional depth . he does n't merely play angry , happy , sad ; he feels it at the deepest level . his work is masterful , and for half of this film i realized that of another actor . norman jewison directs the film , doing a reasonably good job of pacing and shot selection . " the hurricane " moves quickly , with no scene drawn out much further than necessary and the narrative galloping along nicely . jewison handles his multiple flashbacks well ; the audience is always aware of just what the constructed with clear inspiration from " raging bull , " get inside the action very well , and they are believable as real sports footage . jewison puts together a particularly refuses to wear a prison uniform , and jewison , assisted by some wonderful acting from a game washington , shows how carter gradually starts arguing with each other in one cell . jewison 's best achievement in " the hurricane " is succeeding at showing how . carter and lesra ( played nicely by shannon , who deserves credit ) are the only real people here ; everyone else - tv lifetime special . it 's too bad . the cast is game , the director does his job , and the subject matter is interesting , but the script takes the safer , slightly more " but he 's not the only one . washington makes this film look good . denzel washington 's " the hurricane . " sounds pretty good to me .

contact is a nobly intentioned but ultimately unsatisfying adaptation of carl sagan 's only novel . it details the circumstances surrounding the first clear sign of intelligent life in outer space and their effects on the life of a young and idealistic radio astronomer named ellie arroway ( jodie foster ) . we first meet ellie at a giant radio telescope in puerto rico , where she is part of the seti ( search for extraterrestrial intelligence ) project . her research is quickly killed , however , by her highly political david drumlin ( tom skerrit ) , who disdains " pure research " in favor of science with " commercial applications . she goes in search of private funding and is turned down at every step until she pitches her project to a corporation run by the mysterious s . r . hadden ( john hurt ) . then , with that money just about to finally dry up , ellie is sitting out in the desert near the very large array in new mexico when she hears over her headphones a very powerful pulsing radio signal . in the movie 's most exciting and believable sequence , ellie and her coworkers determine that the signal has to be coming from the star vega . at first the signal appears to be just sequences of prime numbers , then it turns out to be a tv signal of the berlin olympics bounced back to earth from 50 years before . further decoding , with hadden 's help , reveals another layer to message , containing detailed plans for a massive and complex machine . it appears that the machine is a transport that will allow one person to travel to the aliens ' home world . of course , the big question becomes " who gets to ride it ? " ( right after " who 's gon na pay for this thing ? " ) . to boil it down , ellie gets denied the seat in the machine because she bluntly acknowledges her atheism , while drumlin gets to go because he rather insincerely professes his deep religious faith . drumlin is killed and the machine destroyed when religious fanatics bomb the launch platform ( apparently to keep " godless science " from talking to god , or something like that ) . then hadden reappears with startling news . he has secretly constructed a second machine off the coast of japan and has reserved the ride for ellie , in whom he has taken a rather paternal interest . ellie boards the machine and is transported through some kind of wormhole to a dream - like place that looks a lot like waikiki beach before they built the hotels , where she meets the aliens who take the form of her late father ( david morse ) . when she returns home , no one believes her . she was not even gone for one second , they say , even though she remembers being gone for 18 hours . her story is officially discredited , although believed by a large segment of the public ( who do n't even have to know that her computer records of the trip contain nothing but static . . . eighteen hours worth of static ) . there is a lot to like about contact so i will highlight those points first . ellie arroway is a well - rounded character portrayed by one of the best actresses currently working . neither the character nor the performance has the same depth as clarice starling in silence of the lambs , but that 's a tough standard to meet . ellie is interesting in that she is woman defined by a strange array of father figures . her real father is an idealized movie dad who does nothing in the film but love his daughter unconditionally . drumlin comes across as a distant stepfather to whom ellie is like an irritating teenager who wants to use his toys to get into trouble . hadden obviously has affection for ellie , but in the end he seems to see her as his creation , nothing more than his favorite piece on the chess board . even palmer joss ( matthew mcconaughey ) , ellie 's love interest , takes a paternalistic interest in ellie , seeing her as a misguided person who needs protection from her own impulses . the film is technically impressive , especially in the scenes where the message is first received and during the destruction of the first machine . the part of the film dealing with the message has the best presentation of real science in a film since the andromeda strain . the film falls apart when dealing with its central theme , the dichotomy between science and religion . this is a very real debate but contact boils it down to a simplistic level that never really touches on the actual issues involved . the film presents science pretty well ( until the end ) so the real problem stems from it presentation of religious faith . religious people are presented as shallow caricatures . rob lowe plays a ralph reed clone named richard rank ( very subtle , guys ) , the voice of the religious right . another religious figure is the fanatic who blows up the first machine ( jake busey ) . the only really fleshed - out religious person , palmer joss , is supposed to be a minister of some sort , but his actual faith is left pretty vague . i ca n't even say for certain that he was supposed to be a christian . all we know is that he dropped out of the seminary and obviously has no qualms about pre - marital sex . the film drops the science ball at the very end , when ellie appears to assert that there are some things even scientists must take on faith . in a day and age when the theory of evolution is denounced by the religion right as an atheist " religious " doctrine , this is exactly the wrong message to send . in a movie dealing with issues of science and faith , the last thing you want your scientist character to do is abandon the principle of scientific skepticism . what ellie should have said was , " you should n't believe me . not without evidence , and i do n't have the evidence . i know what happened but you should n't take my word alone . " that is the voice of science speaking . the character of david drumlin is another problem with this film . his attitudes toward pure research project seem out of place for a person in his position . also , his profession of " faith " before the selection committee is so nakedly and transparently insincere that only a pack of idiots should have fallen for it . the last big problem is with the use of real personalities in various roles . the media figures , such as bernard shaw and jay leno are n't so bad , in as much as their participation was voluntary . the use of bill clinton , however , should give anyone pause . first of all , lifting the image of a sitting head of state and inserting him into a fictional story line , thus using his words outside of the context in which they were spoken , is just plain creepy . also , using the real president places this film between 1993 and 2001 , forever dating it . people watching this film in the future will say , " hey , this never took place during clinton 's term . " this bit of unreality will jar people out of their suspension of disbelief . also , the level of technology portrayed in the film is too advanced to take place before the first decade of the next century . better to have had a fictitious president played by an actor or no president at all . the film does raise an interesting question , although it never develops it in a satisfying way . if we were picking an emissary to send to an alien culture , would an atheist be automatically disqualified just because ninety percent of the population of the world professes a belief in god , or at least some form of supernatural creator ? personally , i would hope not , since religion is basically an opinion , a form of ideology . i would not want any form of ideological test for such an import task .

1POS

contact is a nobly intentioned but ultimately unsatisfying adaptation of carl sagan 's only novel . . . eighteen hours worth of static ) . there is a lot to like about contact so i will highlight those points first . ellie arroway is a well - rounded character portrayed by one of the best actresses currently working . neither the character nor the performance has the same needs protection from her own impulses . the film is technically impressive , especially in the scenes where the message is first . the part of the film dealing with the message has the best presentation of real science in a film since the andromeda strain . the film falls apart when people out of their suspension of disbelief . also , the level of technology portrayed in the film is too advanced to take place before the first decade of the next

david cronenberg presents us with another strange tale crawling out of his impressively twisted head . it is one of many science fiction films , released during the last year of this millenium , that tackles issues that will play an important role in our future . the story unfolds in a near future , where the line between reality and virtual reality blurs . the world of the future is an unfriendly place , where the scared inhabitants are " hiding " in virtual reality fantasy games to escape the uncertainty of the real world . allegra geller ( jennifer jason leigh ) , the leading game designer in the world , is testing her new virtual reality game , existenz with a focus group . as they begin , she is attacked by a fanatic assassin employing a bizarre organic gun . she flees with a young marketing trainee , ted pikul ( jude law ) , who is suddenly assigned as her bodyguard . unfortunately , her pod , an organic gaming device that contains the only copy of the existenz game program , is damaged . to inspect it , she talks ted into accepting a gameport in his own body so he can play the game with her . the events leading up to this , and the resulting game lead the pair on a strange adventure in a world where individuality does n't exist , as the " players " are forced to perform as characters in an unknown plot . here the reality and their actions are impossible to determine from either their own or the game 's perspective . i do n't intend to reveal more of the film 's premise , which is structured as a computer game , with " tasks " that the characters must complete to win the game . released after " the matrix " and " dark city " , " existenz " has some similarities and parallels that connect it to these films . however , " existenz " is moving in a different direction , with a premise of its own . a combination of dazzling special effects , brilliantly coordinated action sequences and an intelligent and sophisticated plot , made " the matrix " a rare and entertaining science fiction experience , with some dark and frightening ideas hidden under its sparkling facade . " existenz " has a completely different atmosphere , resembling " dark city " , which is darker , more serious and less entertaining . " existenz " has the opportunities and potential , but the enormous possibilities are never quite explored . after the engaging beginning , it starts to falter . while i was watching the film , many left the theatre during the first hour . and indeed , " existenz " seemed as a complete failure : the actors seemed unreal , the plot and dialogue silly , unfinished relationships and unexplained events followed one after another . but the last fifteen minutes lifted the film on a complete different level , explaining all past events , the silly dialogue and the unreal performances within a few scenes . and jet the film fails on several issues . probably the best written character in the story is a game designer , who would rather spend the rest of her life in a virtual world , than face real life . this is a great possibility to create a magnificent character , and jennifer jason leigh stretches cronenberg 's script to the limits , but fails because the advantages of virtual reality in comparison to the real world are never shown . existenz is not a world of which you might dream about in your fantasies . it is not a world worth sacrificing your life for . it 's a cold , dark place where the " players " are forced to interrelate with unreal characters , eat mutated creatures and even murder against their own will . it does n't look like a place worth even thinking about . david cronenberg has been the creator of " the fly " , " videodrome " and " the dead zone " , so it 's not so hard to guess that " existenz " is a violent and gory film . besides the regular murders of innocent people , the audiences can enjoy an autopsy of a two - headed mutated amfibium . scenes like that have become a trademark for cronenberg and it seems that he ca n't make a film without flowing blood and foul creatures . the way i see it , this is the film 's crucial failure . it is impossible for cronenbergto create a beautiful world where time , space and problems of our everyday life do not exist ; a place of blooming blossoms , green forests and clear waters ; a place really worth sacrificing your life for . because of its lack of three dimensionality , the film looses most of its possibilities , but stays afloat because of some interesting scenes , amusing performances ( especially by willem dafoe ) and one interesting and important thought , depicted in many different ways throughout the movie . during the film , the audience is as confused as the characters : detached from their everyday existence and no longer able to see the difference between the real world and the alternative reality that they have created . " the matrix " , despite of its many dark and disturbing thoughts , ends with a light at the end of the tunnel . " existenz " does not . it is a one time experience , ending in blood , gore and madness - a rather frightening forecast for tomorrow .

1POS

" existenz " is moving in a different direction , with a premise of its own . a combination of dazzling special effects , brilliantly coordinated , more serious and less entertaining . " existenz " has the opportunities and potential , but the enormous possibilities are never quite explored . after the engaging beginning , it starts to falter . while i was watching followed one after another . but the last fifteen minutes lifted the film on a complete different level , explaining all past events , the silly dialogue and , the film looses most of its possibilities , but stays afloat because of some interesting scenes , amusing performances ( especially by willem dafoe ) and one interesting and important thought , depicted in many different ways throughout the movie .

" seven " is one of the best mystery movies i 've ever seen . it 's extremely intriguing and suspenseful , but it 's also quite fun . it 's a serial killer mystery , but you do n't care so much about making the killer pay as much as hope they just catch the killer . the story is a cops - on - the - trail - of - serial - killer mystery . someone is murdering people who are offenders of " the seven deadly sins . " a fat man ( gluttony ) was forced to eat himself to death , a lawyer ( greed ) is slaughtered by his own rich possessions . . . i could go on but revealing any more would give away entirely too much . what makes this film so unique is the characterization of the " good guys " which makes the unseen villain seem so vile . brad pitt stars is quite excellent as detective david mills , the cocky rookie . however , morgan freeman is even better as detective william sommerset , the wise veteran on the verge of retirement ( and he does n't get killed by the end ) . there is a great sense of camaraderie here which often provides for a breath of comic relief . this is impressive because the mood is so tense , and the fact that it can be down - played as well as it is here ( let alone at all ) is quite an accomplishment . the setting takes place in present day new york city but the art direction is able to give the city a feeling of the evil , scary place many believe it to be . the production design is superb , in the spirit of " batman " and " the crow , " this film embodies the gothic mood . the way the words fade in and out , along with the freaky nine inch nails music really add a lot to the story on a subconscious level - even the credits are scary ! the killer 's victims have no connections at all , and thus mills and sommerset do n't have much to go on to solve the case . they can only wait for the next murder to occur which makes for tremendous suspense . we become just as tense and worried as the detectives because of this thick atmosphere of the unknown . not that many films have such an interesting and intriguing screenplay as this . the only problem i had with the film is the way in which mills and sommerset are lead to a suspect . let 's just say it seems a little too " mystery movie , " or too convenient in other words . when they are led to a suspect by the name of john doe , a terrific chase scene ensues . this is a typical thrilling element , but it works perfectly here because of the process of the story . if anything , this film is the epitome of twist endings . i do n't have to tell you mills and sommerset finally catch the criminal , but the way in which this happens is surprising . there is a scene of intriguing philosophy between the killer and the detectives , and even though he 's obviously insane , his charisma makes for some good points . what 's even more surprising is the last few scenes themselves as the suspense comes to a terrific climax as the film 's resolution comes down to a question of what justice really is . " seven " is not just a film about crime , but about the evil within man . john doe felt he was doing society a favor by ridding it of " scum . " but as justified as he makes himself seem , we must never be tempted by such twisted ideals of justice .

1POS

" seven " is one of the best mystery movies i 've ever seen . it 's extremely intriguing and suspenseful , but it 's also quite fun . it 's a serial killer mystery , but you revealing any more would give away entirely too much . what makes this film so unique is the characterization of the " good guys " which the unseen villain seem so vile . brad pitt stars is quite excellent as detective david mills , the cocky rookie . however , morgan freeman is even better as detective william sommerset , the wise veteran on the n't get killed by the end ) . there is a great sense of camaraderie here which often provides for a breath of comic relief . this is impressive because the mood is so tense , and the fact it is here ( let alone at all ) is quite an accomplishment . the setting takes place in present day new york out , along with the freaky nine inch nails music really add a lot to the story on a subconscious level - even the credits are scary detectives because of this thick atmosphere of the unknown . not that many films have such an interesting and intriguing screenplay as this . the only problem i had with the film is ensues . this is a typical thrilling element , but it works perfectly here because of the process of the story . if anything , this film is the epitome of twist endings . i do n't have to tell you mills and

after hearing reviews for woody allen 's upteenth movie in history , " celebrity , " range from terribly boring to just so - so , my heart lept when the opening images of the film closely resembled that of " manhattan , " my personal favorite from my personal favorite director of all time . woody allen 's films almost never rely on visual flair over textual flair , so when one of his films closely resembles the one time that these two entities fit hand - in - hand ( " manhattan " really is one of the best - looking films i 've ever seen , beautiful black and white photography of the city 's best areas , etc . ) , a fan ca n't help but feel visibly moved . the film opens up , with the usual credits with plain white font over black backgrounds , and an old ironic standard playing on the soundtrack , but then the screen fills with a gorgeous dull gray sky , with the word " help " being spelled with an airplane . beethoven 's 5th blasts on the soundtrack . the city seems to stop to take notice of this moment , and it 's all rather lovely to look at . and then we cut to a film crew , shooting this as the film 's hilariously banal key moment in the film , where the lead actress in the film ( melanie griffith , looking as buxom and beautiful as ever ) has to realize something 's wrong with her life or whatever . it 's a terribly stale scene for a woody allen film , with the great opening shots or without , and my heart sank and i soon got used to the fact that once again , a new film of his was not going to be as great as his past works ( though , for the record , last year 's " deconstructing harry " came awfully close ) . what the hell has happened to him ? the man who once could be relied on for neurotic freshness in cinema has not become less funny , but his films have become less insightful and more like he tossed them together out of unfinished ideas . " bullets over broadway , " though wonderful , relies on irony to pull a farce that just never totally takes off . " mighty aphrodite " is more full of great moments and lines than a really great story . " everyone says i love you " was more of a great idea than a great film . even " deconstructing harry " is admittingly cheap in a way , even if it does top as one of his most truly hilarious films . if anything , the reception of " celebrity " by everyone should tip allen off to the fact that this time , it 's not the audience and critics who are wrong about how wonderful his film is : it 's him . " celebrity " is , yes , a good film , but it 's only marginally satisfying as a woody allen film . instead of creating the great woody allen world , he 's created a world out of a subject he knows only a bit about . and he 's fashioned a film that is based almost entirely on his uninformed philosophy of celebrities , so that it plays like a series of skits with minor connections . it 's like " la dolce vita " without the accuracy , the right amount of wit , and the correct personal crisis . woody , becoming more insecure in his old age , choses to drop the woody allen character in on the world of celebrities , and then hang him and all his flaws up for scrutiny , and does this by casting not himself but brit actor kenneth branagh in the lead . much has been said about his performance - dead on but irritating , makes one yearn for the real thing , blah blah blah - but to anyone who actually knows the woody allen character knows that branagh 's performance , though featuring some of the same mannerisms ( stuttering , whining , lots o ' hand gestures ) , is hardly a warts - and - all impersonation . branagh brings along with him little of the woody allen charm , which actually allows for his character 's flaws to be more apparent . woody 's a flawed guy , and we know it , but we love him anyway , because he 's really funny and really witty and really intelligent . branagh 's allen is a bit more flat - out bad , but with the same charm so that , yes , we like him , but we 're still not sure if he 's really a good person or not . his character , lee simon , is first seen on the set of the aforementioned movie , hits on extra actress winona ryder , then goes off to interview griffith , who takes him to her childhood home where he makes a pass at her , and she denies him . . . sorta . we then learn , through flashbacks , that lee has been sucked into trying to be a celebrity thanks to a mid - life crisis and an appearance at his high school reunion . he has since quit his job as a travel journalist and become a gossip journalist of sorts , covering movie sets and places where celebrities congregate , so that he can meet them , and maybe sell his script ( a bank robbery movie " but with a deep personal crisis " ) . as such , he has divorced his wife of several years ( allen regular judy davis ) , and continues on a quest for sexual happiness , boucing from girlfriend to girlfriend and fling to fling over the course of the film . after griffith comes his escapades with a model ( charlize theron ) who is " polymorphously perverse " ( glad to see allen is using new jokes , ha ha ) , who takes him for a wild ride not different from that of the anita ekberg segment of " la dolce vita . " following are his safe relationship with smart working woman famke janssen , a relationship that almost assures him success , and his continued escapades with ryder , whom he fancies most of all . his story is juxtaposed with that of davis , who flips out , but stumbles onto happiness when she runs into a handsome , friendly tv exec ( joe mantegna ) who lands her a job that furthers her career to national status . while lee is fumbling about , selfishly trying to ensure his own happiness , davis becomes happy ( " i 've become the kind of woman i 've always hated . . . and i 'm loving it . " ) without doing a thing . the result is a film of highs and mediums . the mediums are what take up most of the film , with sitations and scenes which do n't exactly work but you ca n't help but pat allen on the back for trying . but other places are really great scenes . the opening . the sequence with theron , which is so good that i wished it had n't ended . a banana scene with bebe neuwirth ( droll as ever ) . and , perhaps the best sequence : a romp with hot - as - hell teen idol , brandon darrow , played by none other than leo dicaprio , who is so un - dicaprio - esque that if any of this fans could sit through this film , they 'd never look at him the same way . he ignites the screen with intensity , and spares nothing in showing his character as narcissistically tyrannical , and totally heartbreaking for lee , who comes to him to talk about his script that he has read , and finds himself on a wild all - day ride with him . they go to atlantic city to watch a fight , they gamble , and they wind up in his hotel room , where darrow gets it on with his flame ( gretchen mol ) and he lends him one of the leftover groupies . allen 's writing in these scenes are so good that just for them , i 'd almost recommend the film . almost . but what i really liked about this film is despite the fact that it 's a mess , despite the fact that what this film really needs is a good old fashioned rewrite by allen himself , it 's still a smart and insightful film . though some of the jokes are either stale or misplaced ( some seem too cartoonish , even for this environment ) , allen still manages to get across that this film is not exactly about celebrities , as it may seem to be ( if it were , it 'd be extremely out - of - touch ) , but about those who want to be celebrities , and how they equate celebrity - hood with happiness . we never get close enough to the actual celebrities to see if they 're really happy ( they may appear to be on the surface . . . ) , but we do get close enough to lee and davis ' character . lee is obsessed with the phenomenon , while davis takes is at arm 's length , and never gets too involved in what it is , and soon becomes one herself . besides , it 's witty , and it does have the one thing that no other film has but allen 's : that great woody allen feel . it may be not exactly fresh and lively or totally brilliant in its depiction of its subject , and yes , as a part of woody allen 's oeuvre , it 's merely a blip ( no " annie hall " but it 's no " shadows and fog " either ) , but it goes to prove that no one can make a film like him , and only he and maybe godard could possibly take a totally horrible metaphor , like the one in the beginning , and make it work not once but twice .

1POS

the city 's best areas , etc . ) , a fan ca n't help but feel visibly moved . the film opens up , with the usual credits 's him . " celebrity " is , yes , a good film , but it 's only marginally satisfying as a woody hardly a warts - and - all impersonation . branagh brings along with him little of the woody allen charm , which actually allows for his character 's flaws to but pat allen on the back for trying . but other places are really great scenes . the opening . the sequence with theron , which is so good that i wished it had n't ended . a banana scene with bebe neuwirth ( droll as ever ) . and , perhaps the best sequence : a romp with hot - as - hell teen idol 'd never look at him the same way . he ignites the screen with intensity , and spares nothing in showing his character as narcissistically tyrannical , and totally leftover groupies . allen 's writing in these scenes are so good that just for them , i 'd almost recommend the film . almost . but what i really liked about this film is despite the fact that it 's a mess , despite good old fashioned rewrite by allen himself , it 's still a smart and insightful film . though some of the jokes are either stale or is , and soon becomes one herself . besides , it 's witty , and it does have the one thing that no other film has but allen 's : that great woody allen feel . it may be not exactly fresh and lively or " either ) , but it goes to prove that no one can make a film like him , and only he and maybe godard could possibly take a totally horrible metaphor , like the one in the beginning , and make it work not once but twice .

an astonishingly difficult movie to watch , the last temptation of christ may be scorsese 's most important film , and yet his most impossibly abstract as well . scorsese presents the life of jesus christ , through nikos kazantzakis ' novel , which details the life of christ from approximately 20 until the day of crucifixtion . jesus of nazareth ( dafoe ) is a carpenter , who opens the film making crosses , so that he can escape the fate he is subjected to , his destiny on earth . yet , he soon learns his evil ways for aiding in the deaths of others , and subjects himself to a desert in exile , in hopes that he can reach god . before leaving , he asks for forgiveness from mary magdelene ( barbara hershey ) , a prostitute who is also a childhood friend of jesus . after going to the desert , christ learns his true purpose in life , and what he must do . aided by judas ( keitel ) , he sets off on teaching the world his message . along the way , he meets john the baptist , the rest of the prophets , and tries to teach the world his message . christ is also confronted by internal demons and self - doubt , as he tries to find his true purpose throughout the entire film . during the story , judas is the closese ally of jesus : his betrayal , argues the film , was not out of hate , but out of love , in order to allow christ to die . he is eventually captured , and crucified as per the bibile . however , as he is about to die on the cross , he is saved by a girl , who brings him to his marriage with mary magdelene . the girl is a guardian angel who is from god , and who has saved him from his death . jesus goes on to live a life as a man , as a carpenter , and does not die on the cross . on his deathbed , in the final moments of his life , he is visited by the prophets , and by judas , who denounces his master for " not keeping his end of the bargain . " judas reveals the angel to truly be the devil , and the life jesus had lived to be the ultimate selfish act . jesus escapes from his deathbed , and asks his father for forgiveness , for succumbing to his last temptation . visually and aurally , the film is absolutely breathtaking . no other director has even come close to realizing jerusalem during the time of christ 's life to the screen . peter gabriel contributes a score than is simply astonishing , with pulsing rhythms that capture the viewer . the performances are simply exquisite , with dafoe leading the way with a mesmerizing turn as jesus . keitel , although his accent is a problem , is passionately brilliant , fighting through language to bring the character to life . the visuals are also amazing . scorsese frames his movie in a harsh tone , leaving the impression that jesus truly is a man who is having human frailties . the film , though , has many trouble spots . paul schrader 's script is one . schrader uses modern - day new york english to tell the story , along with new york words , new york mannerisms , and new york slang speech . the film also does not focus on the godly aspects of christ . there is no underlying message behind the man 's words . the film fails to capture the glory and splendor of christ . had it faithfully explored that aspect , than the dichotomy of jesus ' soul , his frailties and doubt mixed with his unmistakable glory , would have been simply spectacular . the message of christ is confused between love and violence , and the film merely tells us jesus is great , instead of showing us his greatness . the film is also overlong . it just drags in the middle , with nothing truly happening . christ is a confused figure , in the sense that the audience does n't know who he really is . schrader forgets to give jesus a message , to show that he truly is the messiah , to give him the divinity . without that , he is a rambling prophet , who the audience themselves do not believe . there are several moments of accidental hilarity , and most of them occur when jesus is attempting to preach . there are moments of brief awe and power , followed by moments of confused hilarity . that said , the controversial temptation sequence is something to behold . it is a step in an unexpected direction , one that leaves the audience puzzled , until the arrival of the disciples . it is a simply breathtaking scene , with jesus about to die as a mortal . it is truly one of scorsese 's finest moments . it is unfortunate that scorsese could n't make a film about christ as powerful as that one scene .

1POS

difficult movie to watch , the last temptation of christ may be scorsese 's most important film , and yet his most impossibly abstract as well . for forgiveness , for succumbing to his last temptation . visually and aurally , the film is absolutely breathtaking . no other director has even come close to realizing jerusalem during the time of christ 's life to the screen . peter gabriel contributes a score than is simply astonishing , with pulsing rhythms that capture the viewer . the performances are simply exquisite , with dafoe leading the way with a mesmerizing turn as jesus . keitel , although his accent is a problem , is passionately brilliant , fighting through language to bring the character to life . the visuals are also amazing . scorsese frames his movie in a harsh tone , , until the arrival of the disciples . it is a simply breathtaking scene , with jesus about to die as a mortal . it is truly one of scorsese 's finest moments . it is unfortunate that scorsese could n't make a film about christ as powerful as that one scene .

call me crazy , but i do n't see saving private ryan as the film of the summer . a good movie , yes , with chillingly realistic battle scenes and emotion to spare . an utterly riviting movie on par with steven spielberg 's best work , no . personally , if i was spielberg , i would n't go back to the world war ii era one more time after schindler 's list and the indiana jones movies . i 'm guessing steve has a thing for nazis ; i really would n't be surprised if a velociraptor ate one of the swastika - wearing dudes in the next jurassic park movie . all lofty pretenses aside , saving private ryan is the goriest movie this side of a 1980s slasher flick . the difference is , it 's easy during friday the 13th to laugh off a spear sticking out of kevin bacon 's chest while blood spurts like crazy , but it 's damn hard to sit and eat reese 's pieces while soldiers suffer machine gun bullets to the head and have their intestines spilled out onto the battlefield . and believe me , there 's plenty of it . a 30-minute sequence at the beginning of the movie has an army captain ( tom hanks ) and his soldiers landing at omaha beach to join countless other americans who are already under fire . lives are lost in seconds as the purposefully confusing and jarring scene goes on and on , and all the young men in the audience find themselves never , ever wanting to be drafted . cut to some bureaucratic defense office , where a hundred women pound out sympathy form letters to the families of the casualties . one woman happens upon an interesting detail -- three brothers in different platoons were killed in combat , and their mother is getting the telegram today . i guess it 's an interesting conversation piece to everyone but the mother , so the army chief ( harve presnell ) sends hanks on what is essentially a public relations mission , to find the fourth ryan brother and send him home . that way , the army saves the postage on yet another telegram to mrs . ryan . one good thing about saving private ryan is that the soldiers who are headed to rescue ryan know it 's a mission designed to make the army look good . they question the worth of risking eight soldiers ' lives to save one , and hanks ' character admits he does n't give a damn about ryan ; he 's just following orders . if this was a john wayne movie , things would be different . there 'd be a phony , " let 's go get that boy , gosh darn it ! " attitude that would sugarcoat the reality of war . by doing things this way , spielberg admits the instincts of self- preservation and complacency that every normal person has . it makes saving private ryan a lot more powerful than an testosterone - driven stallone movie mission . the movie 's pattern is to have long battle scenes followed by quiet scenes of semi - introspective conversation among the soldiers . hanks is painted first as a nails - tough army man careful to hide his true self from the other men . it 's not that way for long . edward burns , the guy you get for your movie when ben affleck is n't available , is the impulsive one . jeremy davies plays the translator who is seeing combat for the first time , and so on . none of the characters are fascinating or natural born heroes , but was spielberg 's obvious intention . i wondered when i heard saving private ryan was three hours long , how were they going to fill three hours ' time searching for one person and still make it interesting ? there are a few false starts ; hanks finds one private ryan in ted danson 's company ( apparently , danson joined the army after " ink " was canceled . ) and breaks the bad news before learning it 's the wrong ryan . and of course the movie 's far from over when hanks does locate ryan ( matt damon , the other guy you get when affleck is n't available ) . that 's when the movie turns into more of a conventional war flick , although body parts and limbs still fly like never before . saving private ryan is worth your time , but it 's definitely no schindler 's list . the battle scenes are intense and realistic , but some of the attempts at sincere emotion are n't . the movie 's bookends are particularly cheesy and out of place , when an old private ryan goes to the cemetary with his family and bawls his eyes out , whining , " tell me i 've led a good life . tell me i 'm a good man . " spielberg was apparently following the james cameron line of thought that any three - hour movie about the past should be framed by a self - contained prologue and epilogue that takes place in the present . much more effective are subtler scenes , like the one where several of hanks ' men are rifling thrugh a bag of dogtags from dead soldiers , and they make light of what they 're doing by pretending they 're playing poker . this while an airborne division marches by , their eyes full of that mound of dogtags . by not explicitly pointing out that it symbolizes the random poker game that life and death can be in war , the audience gets the message . and even if it 's not a classic , saving private ryan is definitely one of the better war movies out there .

1POS

saving private ryan as the film of the summer . a good movie , yes , with chillingly realistic battle scenes and emotion to spare . an utterly riviting movie on par with steven spielberg postage on yet another telegram to mrs . ryan . one good thing about saving private ryan is that the soldiers who are every normal person has . it makes saving private ryan a lot more powerful than an testosterone - driven stallone movie mission . the limbs still fly like never before . saving private ryan is worth your time , but it 's definitely no schindler 's list . the battle scenes are intense and realistic , but some of the attempts at sincere emotion are prologue and epilogue that takes place in the present . much more effective are subtler scenes , like the one where several of hanks if it 's not a classic , saving private ryan is definitely one of the better war movies out there .

seen august 8 , 1998 at 6 p . m . at rotterdam square cinemas ( rotterdam , ny ) , theater # 6 , by myself for free using my sony / loews critic 's pass . [ theater rating : * * * : good seats , sound , and picture ] war is a topic that ca n't help but be glorified any way it is portrayed by the media . movies , documentaries , and even history books have a way of making the darker side of humanity exciting since the most general aspects are focused on , such as strategy , politics , and victory . it 's easy to forget war , in its most basic form , is a battle of armies out to slaughter each other . forgotten more easily is the fact that each soldier , no matter what his rank or importance , is a real flesh - and - blood person and not just a number . " saving private ryan " is one of the few films that dares play up this aspect , especially in its unapologetic , realistic delivery . it proves there 's a huge difference between battling and killing . the film opens with one of the most graphic , disturbing scenes in recent memory . it 's world war ii , d - day to be exact , and the u . s . military is invading omaha beach where the nazis are more than ready for them . spielberg uses many techniques to create for a total sense of reality . instead of positioned cameras , the footage here seems to have been shot by camera operators running alongside soldiers as if they were just as scared . there is no sense of stability , but of constant , anxious , and confusing motion , giving us the feeling of being in the middle of the battle , and just a vulnerable as the poor troops . " poor " is a proper word to describe how pathetic and yet innocent the men fighting are . there is little to no dialogue throughout the loud battle and no prologue to define any characters . we do n't get the feeling these are handsome actors playing heroic roles , but that these are men about to kill and be killed for reasons beyond their understanding . the nazis are not portrayed as enemies to be hated , but as people that must be destroyed because they 're there . in the movies , the good guys can run through a firestorm of bullets and bombs and not get a scratch , but in reality that would n't happen . the men have nothing to shield or protect them besides some metal flanks and dead bodies . they are sitting ducks and we realize this through the perspective of the well - secured germans who can actually see who , what , and where they 're shooting , unlike the americans who must fire in a general direction to avoid getting their heads blown off . perhaps the film is flawed by not providing any backstory on the war itself and who the men really are , but that seems to be part of the theme . the film seems to rely on the audience 's sense of patriotism , that the american military is " right " and good and that the nazis are " inherently evil . " the battle scene eventually focuses on a group of men who have miraculously survived and made their way close to the enemy stronghold ( a whole 50-foot progression ) , and begin to inflict some damage . i have to admit that once the first glimpse of victory over the nazis sprang up , i could n't help but feel some sense of joy and relief . to triumph against all odds is a cliche to be sure , but there 's nothing cliche about the graphic , detailed , atmosphere here because it really happened . one of the most surprising aspects of the film is how little story construction there is , and yet the events that take place make sense and are interesting . the plot is practically irrelevant since the film is more concerned with the reality of the war and the soldiers we meet . tom hanks stars as captain miller , a relatively average man who happens to be the leader of a platoon . he 's never obsessive or any such generic , cartoonish characteristic that might dominate a character like this . he does n't want to be there any more than his men , but when he is given a mission he intends to carry it out . the mission the film is concerned with is , as the title states , saving private ryan . through a series of command started by an ordinary clerical worker , it is brought to a general 's attention that three brothers from iowa have been killed in action and their mother will receive notices of each 's death simultaneously . when they learn a fourth brother is stationed somewhere in europe , they make it a top priority to have him returned safely to his mother . it 's easy to sympathize with this situation , after all , no one should have to lose all their children at once . but finding one man in this war is , as miller puts it , " like trying to find a needle in a stack of needles . " the saving of private ryan is n't just a dramatic device , but a thematic one . his salvation represents the sense of innocence the country , the world even , was trying to convince itself it still had . when miller 's company hears of the mission , they scoff at the idea assuming he is dead , but miller is n't so quick to shrug it off . he knows the only thing that can really save soldiers from death is hope , and now he has the opportunity to make someone 's sense of hope a reality . the mission to find ryan gives miller 's group a destination , but not direction . along the way many things happen to them , both good and bad . a few battles are fought , not to be major accomplishments for the war , but because they encounter german soldiers and have no other choice . the act of killing itself becomes one of the film 's major philosophical metaphors . the soldiers do n't mind killing other soldiers in blind battle , but when they come across a lone survivor who begs them to let him go , they can barely stop themselves from killing him in cold blood as some kind of vengeance for their losses . unfortunately , death is a fact of war , and most films try to avoid it when it comes to the main characters , but here spielberg does n't want us to think these men are invincible . in fact , only a small amount of color and personality is sketched into each man , and the performances are good enough to make this method work . although the characters are somewhat typical , the actors maintain control over the material at all time . whether they 're arguing with each other , telling stories of back home , or fighting the germans , they never go overboard and always seem believable . sure , there 's a zinger here and there , but war does n't change the fact boys will be boys . if and when one dies we too can feel the loss , even though we hardly knew them . the final act brings the story full circle with another tremendous , violent battle sequence . private ryan has been found , but facing four to one odds , can the americans defeat the germans and keep ryan alive ? that 's not a premise for thrills , it 's symbolic of everything the film has worked for . it would be wrong to say the film has either a happy or sad ending , it ends the way it must end . i remember reading a " calvin & hobbes " comic strip where calvin asked his dad something like , " dad , how do armies of men killing each other solve problems ? " " saving private ryan " is the adult version of that question .

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just a number . " saving private ryan " is one of the few films that dares play up this aspect , especially in its unapologetic , realistic delivery . it first glimpse of victory over the nazis sprang up , i could n't help but feel some sense of joy and relief . to triumph against all odds is a cliche to is how little story construction there is , and yet the events that take place make sense and are interesting . the plot is practically irrelevant since the film is color and personality is sketched into each man , and the performances are good enough to make this method work . although the characters are somewhat typical , the actors maintain control over the material at all time . whether they 're arguing with each other , telling stories of back home , or fighting the germans , they never go overboard and always seem believable . sure , there 's a zinger here and there even though we hardly knew them . the final act brings the story full circle with another tremendous , violent battle sequence . private ryan has been found , but facing four

' lake placid ' is definately not your typical creature attacking people movie , ok so maybe it is , but this one is enjoyable , and clever . actually it comes off more of a comedy than a horror film . well the ending is kinda scary , but in most horror / comedies they are . i will admit that ' lake placid ' is n't an oscar worthy film , but it does come off as an inventive movie that is original and funny . bridget fonda plays a palentologist who after finding out her boyfriend is cheating , is forced to go to lake placid and investigate a tooth , after a man is bit in half . she gets there but really does n't understand why she is there . bill pullman plays a man also investigating what happened , along with the sherriff and a rich croc obsessed man , they go out and find what is going on . what they find though is n't great . a huge and i mean huge crocodile is living in lake placid , over 150 years old , he has migrated here for who knows why . they have to fight against the croc and try to trap him so they can study him and see where he came from . betty white plays a woman who lives on the shores of lake placid , and well you 'll have to see the movie to find out . her character is very funny and foul - mouthed , which is surprising to hear betty spew words and phrases that are pretty bad , but funny . to me the movie came off as a spoof of jaws . with the opening sequence , and some others , it is not original and is . when you watch this movie , you definately notice the smartness and cleverness of it . david e . kelly who is the mastermind of the practice and ally mcbeal , writes this movie with ease and surprisingly does a great job . the characters have smartmouths , two foul , and some great one - liners . but believe me , do n't take ' lake placid ' too seriously or you wo n't like it . but it is a movie that can be enjoyed as a fun ' popcorn ' type movie . but i guess it rates above the ' popcorn ' rating . sit back , watch the movie , laugh , scream , and whatever you want . even though the movie is r , and i put violence and gore . there 's really not that much gore , but what there is might seem kinda gross to some . ' lake placid ' is a smart , clever , funny , and scary movie that i enjoyed and i think you will too .

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people movie , ok so maybe it is , but this one is enjoyable , and clever . actually it comes off more of a comedy than placid ' is n't an oscar worthy film , but it does come off as an inventive movie that is original and funny . bridget fonda plays a palentologist who after finding out original and is . when you watch this movie , you definately notice the smartness and cleverness of it . david e . kelly who is the mastermind of the practice and ally mcbeal , writes this movie with ease and surprisingly does a great job . the characters have smartmouths , two foul , and kinda gross to some . ' lake placid ' is a smart , clever , funny , and scary movie that i enjoyed and i think you will too .

a lot of times a three - star film will be my favorite . they 're usually the kind of movie i can watch most often too . they 're usually not too deep , allowing for semi - brainless relaxation , and at the same time , not too dumb . men in black is a four - star three - star film . ( hope you could follow that one ) men in black does n't wait to get to the fun . just minutes into the film we are introduced to agent kay ( tommy lee jones ) , introduced to an alien , and introduced to the the awesome memory - diminishing tool that all mib agents use . after all , you ca n't have alien witnesses running around with that kind of knowledge can you ? men in black is , of course , the organization which " moniters all extra - terrestrial activity on earth " . nypd officer james edwards ( will smith ) , is on a routine foot chase when suddenly the no - good punk he 's chasing starts leaping up buildings and blinking more than one pair of eyes . the alien delivers the simple message that the world is going to end , and with that , dives off of a roof . naturally nobody believes his story . . . nobody that is , except for the top secret organization that not even the government is aware of . edwards then meets agent kay , the man who never seems to crack a smile , and is introduced to the mib . edwards winds up joining the team and is stripped of anything that can point back to him ( birth certificate , drivers license , and even the literal removal of his fingerprints ) . james edwards no longer exists . meet agent jay . agent kay takes the rookie jay under his wing as they go about " regular " duties . eventually a far more treacherous event comes into play . a " bug " has landed on earth and is going to wipe out mankind if these two do n't ( or ca n't ) stop it . the plot is n't exactly clear , but we know it has to do with a galaxy as big as a jewel or marble being sought after on earth , and that is crucial that the mib find it before the " bug " does . barry sonnenfeld , who also did the addams family films , directs this nicely . it 's fun , it 's funny , it 's action - packed . a nice summer blockbuster as it rightfully turned out to be . this is one of those movies that is just " fun " and ca n't really be summed up any nicer or clearer . will smith and tommy lee jones both do great jobs and both are a blast to watch . definitely one of the best films of the the summer of ' 97 , men in black comes highly recommeded from me !

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sonnenfeld , who also did the addams family films , directs this nicely . it 's fun , it 's funny , it 's action - packed . a nice summer blockbuster as it rightfully turned out to be . this is one of those movies that is just nicer or clearer . will smith and tommy lee jones both do great jobs and both are a blast to watch . definitely one of the best films of the the summer of ' 97 , men in black comes highly recommeded from me !

what if one of our cities became the target for terror ? what can we do ? what can america really do about the increasing threat of terrorism ? what basic human rights are we willing to sacrifice to prevent another oklahoma city disaster ? so far america has been the leading nation , opposing the fundamentalist terrorists around the world . it is the land of opportunities . it is the land of freedom . but what if it became the new target ? this dark fantasy has unfortunately a very strong grounding in reality . when a special branch of the united states military , under the command of general william devereaux ( bruce willis ) , takes prisoner suspected terrorist mastermind sheik ahmed bin talal , islamic fundamentalists across the world take notice . the only warning the fbi receives is a single , cryptic message : " release him . " then all hell breaks loose in new york . a bus is destroyed , killing 25 civilians . a broadway theater is bombed . hostages are taken at a school . as the wave of terrorist activity crests , the president must consider if the only way to save the city and break the grip of fear is to declare martial law . devereaux argues against that eventuality , but is nevertheless ready to lead 10 , 000 men into action on american soil . another person not in favor of martial law is anthony hubbard ( denzel washington ) , the fbi agent in charge of investigating the terrorist activities . his staff is comprised of smart , energetic , intelligent men and women very much unlike the usual group o ! f moronic feds we 're used to seeing in movies . hubbard develops an uneasy alliance with cia agent elise kraft ( annette bening ) , whose department knows more about the situation than they 're willing to reveal . but the attacks escalate . the fbi are helpless , chasing an invisible enemy . the land is under siege . they have lost control . . a terror is coming from within . . what 's great about this film is that it is made as if holding up a mirror to life . it reflects reality . and that 's why it makes such an impact . edward zwick has created a clever , well written and terrifying thriller that may very well be one of the best films of the season . the director manages to tell several stories simultaneously . and so his film plays on several levels , never loosing focus on its main objective . he is exploring the abuse of power , the distrustful relationships that exist between various segments of the u . s . government ( the army , the fbi , and the cia ) . he takes a look at the complexities inherent when so many secrets and lies are involved . the palestinian community in 1998 new york is treated exactly as japanese americans were during world war ii . there are concentration camps and unlawful interments , all in the name of the " greater good . " in the latter part of the film the land of opportunities looses its heart and soul -- freedom . was that what the terror ! ists really wanted ? this film has evoked protests and objections from the arab - american population in the u . s . and n . y . especially . but to me these protests seem unnecessary . zwick is careful to not step over the line and make the palestinians typical hollywood bad guys . the script is therefore wonderfully balanced . agent hubbard 's best friend and loyal colleague frank haddad ( tony shalhoub ) is lebanese - american . and it is quite often you hear lines such as " my first boyfriend was palestinian . they seduce you with their suffering " or " they love this country as much as we do . " but no matter how you twist this matter , you wo n't get away from the fact that when it comes to world wide terrorism it is arab - speaking population who are in the great majority . more to the point , the siege demonstrates the injustice of blanket condemnation of any ethnic group by depicting the unfair treatment of all arab - americans by the u . s . military . and thus this film does not serve as a source for discrimination in any ! way . denzel washington is dashing as always . in this role he is much more determined and stronger than usual . anette bening is enjoyable and believable as a shadowy cia operative who prefers espionage , a network of snitches and seduction to gather information . . bruce willis is terrifying as the sadist , hungry for power , that never looses his connection with the audience , since his point of view is not too hard to understand . the film is elegantly shaped . the scenes are easily floating into each other and the film never seems overlong . zwick knows exactly how to provoke tension , horror and emotions and does it with a rarely observed professionalism . he tightens the intensity as the events progress . and when a plot twist comes , it actually is surprising . it is not a film drained in patriotism , like the work of roland emerich . nor is it a film that portrays explosions purely for entertainment values . it is a daring picture that has courage enough to undertake such a risky story and difficult journey . it has courage enough to get involved in politics . it questions our foreign policies , mentality and defense . i must admit that it ends rather disappointing , as the director turns the patriotism way up and innovation down . but despite of that , it is certainly an intelligent and thrilling film that provokes emotions and thoughts ; a virtue that few summer films can boast of . " this is the u . s . army . it 's a broadsword , not a scalpel . believe me , you do not want us in an american city " - gen . william devereaux , " the siege "

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. . a terror is coming from within . . what 's great about this film is that it is made as if holding up a mirror to life . it reflects reality . and that 's why it makes such an impact . edward zwick has created a clever , well written and terrifying thriller that may very well be one of the best films of the season . the director manages to tell several stories simultaneously . line and make the palestinians typical hollywood bad guys . the script is therefore wonderfully balanced . agent hubbard 's best friend and loyal colleague frank source for discrimination in any ! way . denzel washington is dashing as always . in this role he is much more determined and stronger than usual . anette bening is enjoyable and believable as a shadowy cia operative who prefers espionage , a terrifying as the sadist , hungry for power , that never looses his connection with the audience , since his point of view is not too hard to understand . the film is elegantly shaped . the scenes are easily floating into each other and the film never seems overlong . zwick knows exactly how to provoke tension , horror and emotions and does it with a rarely observed professionalism . he tightens the intensity as the events progress . a film that portrays explosions purely for entertainment values . it is a daring picture that has courage enough to undertake such a risky story and difficult journey . it has courage enough to get involved in politics . it questions our foreign up and innovation down . but despite of that , it is certainly an intelligent and thrilling film that provokes emotions and thoughts ; a virtue that few summer films can boast of . " this is the u . s . army

" desperate measures " was something i was excited about seeing back when it was originally scheduled to be released : summer ' 97 . for some reason , it was delayed until hollywood 's traditional dumping ground : january . now that it 's out , i see no real reason for that delay , as it 's a simple yet highly entertaining film . michael keaton stars as a maniacial murderer who 's bone marrow can save the life of the dying son of a san francisco police detective ( garcia ) . keaton agrees to the transplant , only so he can attempt escape . he succeeds , in a plan that of course could only work in the movies . the police force is now trying to kill keaton , while garcia is working against them trying to keep keaton alive in order to save his son . the film definately has it 's flaws . the plot is strictly tv movie of the week fare , but the acting and direction certainly boost it far above that status . also , after keaton 's escape , garcia 's captain barks at him " how many men have to die to save your kid 's life ? " which the film treats as such an evil and insignificant remark . the thing is , it 's a vaild point . how many people have to be needlessly crippled , burned , and killed just to save this one child ? what 's the greater good here ? many lives or one life ? if movies really had guts nowadays , i would have loved to have seen this movie come down to a final choice for garcia 's character . place him in a situation where he knows that he has to kill keaton because keaton is about to kill someone else . alas , movies these days generally have no such ambition to pull the audience 's strings in ways which might make the uncomfortable . despite a few silly moments ( and one or two really stupid ones ) , the good things about " desperate measures " outnumber the bad . the main highlight would be keaton 's performance . the character could have easily been an overacting , scene chewing freak , but keaton underplays it nicely . he 's not as menacing as he was in " pacific heights " or even as menacing as he was in " batman " ( yes kids , batman used to be a dark character ) , but you certainly get the idea that he 's evil . even the final scene of the film , which normally i would just hate , seems strangely appropriate for this film . so much so that i did n't mind it in the slightest . and another bonus : the film takes place in san francisco , which usually means a car chase on those hills that you 've seen a billion times before . and for a moment , it looked as though it was about to happen . but it does n't , and that 's creative . [ r ]

1POS

no real reason for that delay , as it 's a simple yet highly entertaining film . michael keaton stars as a maniacial murderer who 's is strictly tv movie of the week fare , but the acting and direction certainly boost it far above that status . also , after keaton 's escape , garcia 's ( and one or two really stupid ones ) , the good things about " desperate measures " outnumber the bad . the main highlight would be keaton 's performance . the character could have easily been an overacting , scene chewing freak , but keaton underplays it nicely . he 's not as menacing as he was in the film , which normally i would just hate , seems strangely appropriate for this film . so much so that i did n't mind it in the slightest . and another bonus : the film takes place in

what is a scary movie anyhow ? is it a movie where a person gets ripped to shreds ? is it where a person is being chased by some damned teenager who wants revenge ? possibly its some guy with a hook who wants to know what you did last summer . what ever happened to horror movies , where the horror was in the atmosphere , and in the characters . movies like " halloween " and " psycho " which revolutionized horror genre forever , but wait in 1973 came a movie based on the bestselling book by william peter blatty , entitled " the exorcist " , the movie opened to rave reviews , and scared audiences to death , now in the year 2000 " the exorcist " comes back to the big screen in a version you 've never seen complete with six channel digital surround sound , and fifteen minutes of new footage never before seen as long as a new ending . chris mcniell is an actress living in georgetown washington with her twelve year old daughter regan . while working on a new film , chris still stays close to regan , but starts to wonder why her bed shakes at night , and why regan starts to have convulsions all of a sudden . when chris finds out that regan is possessed by a demon , she shuns at the fact of it , but considers getting a priest to help her daughter . father karras ( jason miller ) is the man they bring in , his mother has just died , and still in mourning he decides to help this little girl . christ , father karras , and their nanny sharon ( kitty winn ) have to sit and wait until a man shows up , that man is the exorcist , and that man will help this little girl . excrutiatingly scary , the exorcist is a classic horror film , which twenty seven years later still scares audiences half to death . now we get to the experience " the exorcist " the way it was meant to be seen in a director 's cut which incorpates fifteen minutes of new footage cut by friedkin at the time of the release for content and time , a new ending has been added as well , and adds more of a lighter feeling to the movie , which i prefer the original darker ending more . the movie has also been remastered in a wonderful six channel digital sound mix , and is amazing . the voices are all clear , the music pours out on you and engulfs you in richness . as a director friedkin has been well known for other films , but his standout film is " the exorcist " nominated for several academy awards it one a few , but was somehow doubted best picture , best actress ( ellen burstyn ) and best supporting actress ( linda blair ) who at the age of i believe thirteen does a wonderful job of being a little girl , alone , possessed and unable to stop what is going on . ellen burstyn i think gives her best performance to date , and can be seen currently in " requiem for a dream " to which she is getting rave reviews for . jason miller ( jason patrik 's dad ) is amazing as father karras , and his performance will be forever embedded in my mind , to me he is the character who makes the entire film float along . i was saddened when i saw this film with an audience of mostly younger people to see them laughing at this movie , i in no way , think that this movie is comical , yes some of the stuff regan says is funny , but they were laughing at her head spinning , and the green pea soup , come on people this is some creepy stuff ! anyway the re - release of the film has managed to make $ 40 million dollars , and is still going . hopefully one day they re - release it again in twenty years for more generations to come to enjoy .

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this little girl . excrutiatingly scary , the exorcist is a classic horror film , which twenty seven years later still scares audiences half to death . now we get to the experience " the exorcist original darker ending more . the movie has also been remastered in a wonderful six channel digital sound mix , and is amazing . the voices are all clear , the music pours out on you and engulfs you in richness . as a director friedkin has been well known for blair ) who at the age of i believe thirteen does a wonderful job of being a little girl , alone , possessed and stop what is going on . ellen burstyn i think gives her best performance to date , and can be seen currently in " requiem for . jason miller ( jason patrik 's dad ) is amazing as father karras , and his performance will be forever embedded in my mind , to me he is the character who makes the

a wonderful little movie that is really interested in its characters and in its theme . the scene of " second best " is laid in wales . james ( chris cleary miles ) is a 10-year - old boy who must live in a home because his father ( keith allen ) is in prison and his mother committed suicide . james is a mentally unbalanced child . he ca n't forget what happened in the past , and he dreams of living a happy life with his beloved father . in the home he feels sadly and lonely . one day , a social worker ( alan cumming ) tells him of a person who wants to adopt him . this person is graham holt ( william hurt ) . graham manages a post office and shop in a village . he is a single and has n't any real friends . his mother is dead , and his father is ill and will die . graham feels that he has been a disappointment to his parents . there has never been real love between his parents and him . graham 's monotonous life would get a new sense if he could adopt james . but graham has not only to convince the institutions , but must also win the love of james . james and graham have to open theirselves . they must get to know each other and learn to understand and trust the other person . james and graham aid each other to cope with their problems . but will their relationship really have a future ? " second best " is based on a novel by david cook who also wrote the screenplay . the film was directed by chris menges who had made his directing debut with the very good anti - apartheid drama " a world apart " ( 1987/88 ) . and maybe , " second best " is even a greater picture . this precise , richly detailed , sensitively and convincingly directed study about a special adoption treats its theme with great seriousness . the breathtakingly intense film shows the necessity of human contact and communication . william hurt delivers an outstanding performance as graham holt . and chris cleary miles is remarkably convincing in the role of the boy . the supporting cast is also fine ( especially jane horrocks as debbie , a social worker who is charged to examine graham 's living circumstances ) . " second best " is an underestimated masterpiece . it 's a pity that films like this one are made so seldom . i eagerly await menges ' next directorial work , " the lost son " , which will star daniel auteuil .

1POS

a wonderful little movie that is really interested in its characters and in its theme . the scene of " second best " is laid 1987/88 ) . and maybe , " second best " is even a greater picture . this precise , richly detailed , sensitively and convincingly directed study about a special adoption treats its theme with great seriousness . the breathtakingly intense film shows the necessity of human contact and communication . william hurt delivers an outstanding performance as graham holt . and chris cleary miles is remarkably convincing in the role of the boy . the supporting cast 's living circumstances ) . " second best " is an underestimated masterpiece . it 's a pity that films like this one are made so seldom . i eagerly await menges ' next directorial work ,

this is a good year if you want plenty of sci - fi on your multiplex . > from the comedies mars attacks and men in black , to luc besson 's powerful the fifth element , and to this , sci - fi / horror that is event horizon . ( more is on the way with contact and alien : ressurection being released later this year . ) the story is thus : in 2040 an explorer ship called the event horizon tests out a newly invented gravity drive . a device that enables a craft to travel anywhere in the universe , instantaneously . this is achieved by creating a gateway , infact , a black hole , between the craft and it 's required destination . in this case , from near neptune to proxima prime . however , when the event horizon attempts this , it dissappears , without trace , leaving two searches for it fruitless . seven years later , it reappears , transmitting a distress signal and this is where the film starts . a search and rescue ship is sent out to investigate . the team is led by laurence fishburne , and joining them is sam neill who plays the scientist that invented the gravity drive . as the team search the event horizon , they find no trace of the crew but plenty of blood lying around . not a good sign . . . to make matters worse , as they search the ship , they find themselves being subjected to a series of illusions based on their own individual inner secrets and worse , some very bloody events start to occur as they slowly piece together the events that transpired on the ship seven years ago . it soon becomes apparent that , wherever the ship went , it bought something back with it . something very , very evil . . . the first thing you 'll notice in this film is it 's incredible visual effects . they really are eye popping , with some great models to boot . the acting is quite good , with some occasional witty moments . sam neill does a good job as the scientist that increasingly becomes more and more disturbed as the search continues , but a tip of the hat goes to laurence fishburne who leads the team , in a cool , calm , take no nonense manner . it is his acting skills that help hold this film together . the idea behind event horizon is certainly a good one . it starts off incredibly well , but the middle section becomes quite confused and sometimes muddled , leaving the viewer unsure on just what the reasons are behind some of the bloody and bizarre events that occur . however , the closing 20 minutes of the film more than make up for this , producing one the most nail biting ( or in my case , straw of my drink biting ! ) climaxes i 've recently witnessed . overall , event horizon is a smart film indeed . it 's very enjoyable and has some amazing visuals . but be warned , the horror scenes , despite being very brief are very , very , gory . not for the squemish !

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the first thing you 'll notice in this film is it 's incredible visual effects . they really are eye popping , with some great models to boot . the acting is quite good , with some occasional witty moments . sam neill does a good job as the scientist that increasingly becomes more and more disturbed as the search continues , but a tip of the hat goes to laurence fishburne who leads the team , in , calm , take no nonense manner . it is his acting skills that help hold this film together . the idea behind event horizon is certainly a good one . it starts off incredibly well , but the middle section becomes quite confused and sometimes of the film more than make up for this , producing one the most nail biting ( or in my case , straw of my drink biting ! ) climaxes i 've recently witnessed . overall , event horizon is a smart film indeed . it 's very enjoyable and has some amazing visuals . but be warned , the horror scenes , despite

scarface , a remake of the 1932 film of the same name , is a very gripping and , as far as i know , a true - to - life story of how power and violence lead to corruption . al pacino , as tony montana ( for whom the movie is named ) , also provides a brilliant performance as a cuban refugee who comes to america with less than nothing and becomes one of the most highly respected and feared drug lords in miami . oliver stone also penned the screenplay in one of his earlier writing roles . the film begins by disclosing the story of now fidel castro ordered thousands of cubans to set sail and head for the coasts of the united states . many of these cubans had criminal records , such as tony montana , a cocky , fast - talking man who has the look of crime . nearly right after his arrival in miami , tony is thrust into the gangster life when he participates in a cocaine buy that goes awry . along with his friend and partner , manolo ( steven bauer ) , tony rises in the gangster ranks when he forms a friendship with frank lopez ( robert loggia ) , a high - roller in the organized crime field . tony also begins to fall in love with elvira ( michelle pfeiffer ) , who at the time was frank 's lover . of course , sooner or later in this industry , betrayal and corruption amount into a force greater than anything else , and tony is one of the ones who fall victim to this force . this is not before he becomes one of the most respected , and often feared , men in miami . tony gets to the point where he can not trust anyone , and everyone he knows basically feels the same way towards him . no one can trust him , and basically , no one does . scarface , although incredibly violent , is one of the best crime films of its time and stands out as another great performance for al pacino . although he did not receive any recognition from the academy for his performance , it truly is a very good one . in fact , his accent and facial movements alone are enough in my mind to win at least a nomination ( although he did get a golden globe nomination ) . another element that stands out when someone mentions this film is the profanity . a figure tagged to the film boasts that the word " fuck " and it 's uses are uttered 206 times throughout the film , which is apparently a record . the thing is , the vulgarity fits rather well with the movie . as odd as it sounds , it 's true . in the end , scarface is a very powerful film that hits home hard .

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of the 1932 film of the same name , is a very gripping and , as far as i know , a true - to - life story of how power and violence lead to corruption . al ( for whom the movie is named ) , also provides a brilliant performance as a cuban refugee who comes to america with less one does . scarface , although incredibly violent , is one of the best crime films of its time and stands out as another great performance for al pacino . although he did not receive any recognition from the academy for his performance , it truly is a very good one . in fact , his accent and facial movements alone although he did get a golden globe nomination ) . another element that stands out when someone mentions this film is the profanity . a apparently a record . the thing is , the vulgarity fits rather well with the movie . as odd as it sounds , it 's true . in the end , scarface is a very powerful film that hits home hard .

trekkies , roger nygard 's energetic and hilarious documentary , brings viewers into the world of the star trek conventions . the beauty of the film is that it is good old fashion fun for trekkies and non - fans alike . ( the film generally writes off the trekkies vs . trekker polemic as not worth arguing about . ) the good - spirited movie trekkies easily forces even the most cynical viewer into fits of uncontrollable , loud giggles , yet the picture treats its subject matter with respect and a certain awe . denise crosby , who played tasha yar on " star trek : the next generation , " serves as the host . in the opening credits the movie reminds us that trekkies are the only fan group listed in the oxford english dictionary ( oed ) . ( the oed cites a february , 1976 caption in the " new yorker " as the first recorded usage of the word . ) unless you 've been to the conventions , i posit that you have no idea of the dedication of some of the fans . one pointed out , apologetically , that the stripe on his new uniform was slightly inaccurate . others talked about how many star trek conventions they had attended , several dozen being typical and hundreds not unheard of . my personal favorite fan is sir speedy photocopying worker barbara adams . arguably the most famous of all the trekkies , she wears her uniform every waking hour as many die - hard fans do . her claim to fame is that , as a juror on the whitewater trial , she wore it in court as well . " every day i would walk past the reporters with a vulcan - like stoicism , " she says , describing her way of dealing with the crowd of reporters who became obsessed with her obsession . she does n't quite understand all of the uproar . " i 'm an officer of the federation 24 hours a day , " she reminds us . her fealty to her hobby approaches that of a religious faith . along with the laugher the show evokes , there is an equal measure of sincere appreciation for people with such loyalty . and their infectious joy provokes a certain envy of their enjoyment . few other avocations could give this much satisfaction . these people are having the time of their lives . ( for the record , i 'm not a star trek fan although i have seen some of the movies . ) the film interviews the various star trek series 's stars as well as its fans . the stars had thought the convention idea was a lark and would soon fade , but over twenty years later , the conventions are still going strong . filled with anecdotes , the show talks about the happenings at the various conventions . at one , the actor who plays q was so sick that he thought he would have to cancel . after appearing briefly , he drank some water and left . they decided to auction off his half - empty glass , joking that it had the " q virus . " the guy who won the bidding immediately drank the water and screamed to the crowd that he now had the q virus too . with dedication comes a certain amount of stupidity . not just flitting among people , the documentary takes the time to let you get to know the trekkies . one guy is a trekkie cross - dresser , another dresses her cat , and then there is the dentist . the dentist has his entire office made up to look like a star trek set . he , his oral hygienists , his receptionist , his wife , and his kids wear the outfits all of the time . it appears that his workers are permitted to take them off when they go home , but not his family . for variety , he and his family do change characters from time to time . he says his patients like it . well , there was this one complainer , but he had a problem with his bill anyway . there are summer schools for klingon with ph . d . linguists to teach the language . hamlet is now available in klingon , albeit perhaps not at your local bookstore , and they are working on translating the bible . they even sell united federation passports that are real enough that trekkies have used them to fool customs , even u . s . customs . the movie bogs down only briefly when it tries to argue the series 's larger meaning about diversity and humanitarian concerns . sandwiched in - between the levity , the switch in tone does n't work . the incessantly up - beat film ends with a singing elvis impersonator . he fits right in . trekkies runs a breezy 1 : 26 . it is not rated but would be pg for brief sexual references and would be fine for all ages .

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trekkies , roger nygard 's energetic and hilarious documentary , brings viewers into the world of the star trek conventions . the beauty of the film is that it is good old fashion fun for trekkies movie trekkies easily forces even the most cynical viewer into fits of uncontrollable , loud giggles , yet the picture treats its subject matter with respect and a certain awe . denise crosby , who played tasha yar on " for people with such loyalty . and their infectious joy provokes a certain envy of their enjoyment . few other avocations could give this much satisfaction . these people are having the time of their lives . ( for the record , i 'm not a , the switch in tone does n't work . the incessantly up - beat film ends with a singing elvis impersonator . he fits right in . trekkies runs a breezy 1 : 26 . it is not rated but would

if you 're the type of person who goes on the submarine ride every time you visit disneyland , you 're going to love the hunt for red october . you 'll also love the film if you enjoy cat and mouse military tactics , or if you 're a sean connery or alec baldwin fan , or if you admired director john mctiernan 's earlier films , die hard and predator . in fact , the only people likely to be disappointed with the hunt for red october are those who have read the book , since films almost never live up to the novels which inspired them . the hunt for red october is an epic thriller , adapted from tom clancy 's best selling novel . set in an era before glasnost , the movie revolves around a top - secret soviet submarine , called the red october . the nuclear sub has a revolutionary propulsion system , which makes the vessel silent and allows it to escape sonar detection . the red october embarks on its maiden voyage under the command of captain marko ramius , played by sean connery . ramius has strict orders just to test the submarine , but he has other ideas . he takes the sub and its crew and disappears into the atlantic ocean . is he planning to start world war iii ? cia analyst jack ryan does n't think so ; he 's convinced that ramius plans to defect to the u . s . ryan , played by alec baldwin , is given three days to prove his theory and find the missing sub . the characters in the hunt for red october are paper thin , but the performances , thankfully , are rock solid . baldwin and connery anchor the film with their customary vigor . sam neil gives a sturdy performance as connery 's somber first officer . it 's ironic to see neil and connery playing russians , since they are both best known for their roles as british agents , connery as james bond and neil as reilly , " ace of spies . " the large cast also includes scott glenn , james earl jones , tim curry , and joss ackland , plus richard jordan as the smooth u . s . national security adviser . the special effects are remarkable , but more than anything , the hunt for red october is distinguished by its water - tight plot . screenwriters larry ferguson and donald stewart have gracefully navigated red october through a story line full of twists and turns . they keep us involved in the action by unveiling plot strands at just the right moment . the movie does n't get as sweaty or breathless as die hard , because it would rather tell a good story than hit you over the head with non - stop action . the finale is rousing and suspenseful , but essentially , the hunt for red october is a superior potboiler .

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on the submarine ride every time you visit disneyland , you 're going to love the hunt for red october . you 'll also love which inspired them . the hunt for red october is an epic thriller , adapted from tom clancy 's best selling novel . the hunt for red october are paper thin , but the performances , thankfully , are rock solid . baldwin and connery anchor the film with their customary vigor . sam neil gives a sturdy performance as connery 's somber first officer . it 's ironic the smooth u . s . national security adviser . the special effects are remarkable , but more than anything , the hunt for red october is distinguished by its water - tight plot . screenwriters larry ferguson and donald stewart have gracefully navigated red october through a story line full of twists and turns . they keep us involved in the action by unveiling plot strands at just the right moment . the movie does n't get as sweaty or breathless you over the head with non - stop action . the finale is rousing and suspenseful , but essentially , the hunt for red october is a superior potboiler .

i was pleasantly surprised by this film . with a budget topping $ 200 million , i was quite skeptical about whether throwing all that money toward one of the twentieth century 's greatest tragedies would make a film exciting enough to see . how much could you dress up the sets ? how many models and computer effects could you use ? how much more action could you pack into a ship that sinks ? oh , if i 've just given away part of the plot for you , go back to school . after having viewed titanic , however , i found it to be a well - paced , well - designed , and overall well - made movie . there have been many films made about the maiden and final voyage of the ocean liner titanic , but this latest offering from director james cameron is the best i 've seen . titanic tells its story in two time periods . it starts out in the present , when ocean explorer brock lovett ( bill paxton ) and his team are exploring the wreckage of the titanic on the floor of the atlantic , searching for a priceless diamond necklace which supposedly went down with the ship . what they find instead is a drawing of a woman wearing the necklace , which is broadcast on the news . the woman in the picture recognizes herself and phones lovett , who has her flown out to his exploration vessel on the high seas . there she tells her story to lovett and his team . in 1912 , rose dewitt bukater ( kate winslett ) , a young lady belonging to society 's upper class , boards the titanic for the ship 's first atlantic crossing , from southampton , england to new york . she is engaged to cal hockley ( billy zane ) , an heir to old money , and a snob in every sense of the word . on board , rose feels the stifling trappings of high - society 's expectations , and resolves to escape from it all by throwing herself off the titanic 's stern , but is saved from her self - proclaimed fate by jack dawson ( leonardo dicaprio ) , a passenger in third - class ( " steerage " , as it 's referred to ) , who talks her out of jumping . although for rose the attraction is not immediate , a love affair soon develops between the two , which endangers rose 's social standing as well as her engagement to the jealous cal . the story sounds very simple , and perhaps even unexciting , but through solid performances by the leads and good direction by cameron , a good movie comes through . dicaprio is marvelous as the young , but worldly - wise jack , playing the role with the confidence usually found in older actors . his is a character that is immediately likable , as he knows what he wants out of life and is charmingly able to handle a variety of situations . girls are going to swoon over him . winslet also proves herself a good actress , delivering her lines convincingly , and the quality of performances between winslet and dicaprio makes the relationship believable . the only problem with winslet is that she does not carry herself in accordance with her character 's upbringing . simply by judgment of her gait , i was distracted from the fact that she was supposed to be an upper - crust debutante . rather than demonstrate the poise one would expect her character to possess , she sometimes looks positively clumsy , and it unfortunately detracts from her otherwise great acting . billy zane is cast well as the aristocratic snob cal , since he has a certain look that immediately makes you want to hate him . his features are such that even when he smiles , there 's something mistrustful about him , and when he scowls , he is evil incarnate . he 's something like a porcelain version of peter gallagher , but a cheaper model . like dicaprio and winslet , zane slips comfortably into his role and plays it well . backing up zane is david warner as lovejoy , cal 's personal assistant ( or " man " as they said at the turn of the century ) . no matter who else is in the cast , you can always count on a good performance by warner , who seems to be made to play the distinguished gentleman with a gaze of steel and will to match . additionally , there are a number of smaller fictional and non - fictional roles thrown in for color , such as kathy bates as " the unsinkable " molly brown , danny nucci as jack 's friend fabrizio de rossi , eric braeden as john jacob astor , and even bernard fox as colonel archibald gracie . nice to see dr . bombay getting work . also scattered about are some of the other steerage passengers who are basically in the movie so you can feel sorry for them when they die . this by itself may have been largely compulsory in a film about the titanic , but it transcends this status by putting these characters in direct conflict with the ship 's crewmembers who strive to maintain order and assure that the first - class passengers are placed aboard the lifeboats before anyone else . in this way , titanic possesses a depth not usually found in action pictures . you do n't just get a love story with a tragedy as a backdrop , but a very real account of class struggle as well . as i mentioned before , the budget for this film was tremendous , and it certainly showed in the set dressing and special effects . the interiors of the titanic are nearly breathtaking with their elaborate trimmings and intricate detail , and one has very little doubt that the layouts are authentic . with regard to the exteriors , i would dare anyone to point out a film in which a vessel has been recreated with such meticulousness or on such a scale . cameron actually built a scale model of the titanic in a water tank , but only had room for 90 % , and therefore had to computer - generate the remaining 40 feet . could 've fooled me and everyone else in the theater , as the splicing is seamless . also of note in this film is the way the audience is presented with the anatomy of the disaster right at the beginning . we are told of where the iceberg struck the ship , how the flooding occurred , the way the ship sank , and why it did so in that manner . these technical details serve as a guide for later on when the action starts happening , and allow us to view the sinking with informed analytic detraction , in addition to the more conventional placement in the midst of mayhem and confusion . in all , james cameron 's titanic is a good blend of love story , history , and action . the fact that the film runs longer than most at about three hours is almost unnoticed as the viewer 's attention is held alternately by those three main elements , from the movie 's intriguing beginning to it 's satisfactory ending . in box office receipts , titanic the movie will undoubtedly live up to the unsinkable expectations of titanic the ship .

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i was pleasantly surprised by this film . with a budget topping $ 200 million , i viewed titanic , however , i found it to be a well - paced , well - designed , and overall well - made movie . there have been many films made about the maiden , but this latest offering from director james cameron is the best i 've seen . titanic tells its story in two time periods . very simple , and perhaps even unexciting , but through solid performances by the leads and good direction by cameron , a good movie comes through . dicaprio is marvelous as the young , but worldly - wise jack , playing the role with the confidence usually found in older actors . his is a character that is immediately likable , girls are going to swoon over him . winslet also proves herself a good actress , delivering her lines convincingly , and the quality of performances between winslet and dicaprio makes the relationship believable . the only problem with winslet is that she does looks positively clumsy , and it unfortunately detracts from her otherwise great acting . billy zane is cast well as the aristocratic snob cal , since he has a a cheaper model . like dicaprio and winslet , zane slips comfortably into his role and plays it well . backing up zane is david warner as lovejoy , lifeboats before anyone else . in this way , titanic possesses a depth not usually found in action pictures . you do n't just get a love story with , the budget for this film was tremendous , and it certainly showed in the set dressing and special effects . the interiors of the titanic are nearly breathtaking with their elaborate trimmings and intricate detail , and one has very little doubt that the layouts are authentic . with regard to the exteriors , i would dare point out a film in which a vessel has been recreated with such meticulousness or on such a scale . cameron actually built a scale model of the titanic fooled me and everyone else in the theater , as the splicing is seamless . also of note in this film is the way

it was easy to fear the worst . begin with a classic 1960 's television series , add a big budget and an a - list star in the lead role , and stir . script , you ask ? who needs one , kid . . . we 've got ourselves a formula . that was my fear : a bloated monster without any sense of direction . then , much to my amazement , everything that could possibly go wrong . . . did n't . the fugitive is as lean , taut and tense as anything the action genre has produced in the last several years . under the direction of andrew davis ( 1992 's under siege ) , the fugitive grips you by the throat from the outset and never lets go . expect box office to go through the roof , deservedly , and expect an academy award nomination for tommy lee jones . the premise is a simple one . dr . richard kimble ( harrison ford ) is wrongly convicted for the murder of his wife after struggling with the real killer , a man with an artificial arm . after an escape attempt by some other prisoners during a transfer goes awry , kimble finds himself on the run . his one goal : to find the one - armed man ( andreas katsulas ) before u . s . marshall sam gerard ( tommy lee jones ) finds him . where the fugitive surprises the most is the script , by jeb stuart and david twohy . in a genre where one is almost always asked to allow leaps of logic , the script repeatedly astonished me with its intelligence , its attention to detail and its respect for the audience . in an early sequence , kimble sneaks into a hospital to shave of his beard , slick back his hair and change into a lab coat . on his way out , a police officer jokingly tells the man he does n't know is kimble to zip up his pants . it 's a small moment , but it punches home the urgency of kimble 's situation , and exactly what a man concerned about not being recognized might easily forget . later , while trying to lose himself in a parade , kimble thinks to drop his overcoat , the most likely way he 'd be recognized from behind . it 's these details which convince us that when a colleague of kimble 's tells gerard that he 's too smart to be caught , he may just be right . credit must also be given to the special effects and stunt coordinators . the bus crash which allows kimble 's escape is a spectacular sequence , as is a leap from a dam into the water below . the action is crisp and brutal , and never romanticized . special kudos go to director davis for maintaining a relentless pace which underscores the single - mindedness of the two leads . and what a pair of performances those leads are . tommy lee jones is nothing short of brilliant as gerard , because he manages an incredibly challenging feat . for the first third of the film , there is really no * villain * per se ; kimble is on the run , and gerard is out to find him . it would have been very easy to turn gerard into a malevolent , vindictive inspector javert , but that never happens . instead jones plays him as a sharp , committed man who 's just doing his job , so that when he responds to kimble 's comment , " i did n't kill my wife , " with a matter - of - fact , " i do n't care , " we know exactly what he means . it 's not his job to determine guilt or innocence . it 's his job to bring in a fugitive . this is a well- written character played with relish by an actor at the top of his form . the only unfortunate thing about jones ' stunning turn is that it 's likely to overshadow harrison ford , and that 's a shame . for his entire career , ford has been underappreciated as an actor due to his pigeonholing as an action hero . however , he does a fine job with the less flashy part of kimble , always keeping at the forefront the advantage this man has because of his intelligence . the fugitive could only work to its fullest if the two protagonists always seemed to be on equal footing , and ford is up to the task . this summer has been loaded with action / suspense films , and most of them have been doing brisk business . however , it 's time for clint , sean , and various dinosaurs to step aside . the chase is on . my advice is to catch it .

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bloated monster without any sense of direction . then , much to my amazement , everything that could possibly go wrong . . . did n't . the fugitive is as lean , taut and tense as anything the action genre has produced in the last several years . under the direction of andrew davis ( 1992 's under siege ) , the fugitive grips you by the throat from the outset and never lets go . expect box office to go through the roof , deservedly , and expect an academy award nomination for tommy lee jones . the premise is a simple always asked to allow leaps of logic , the script repeatedly astonished me with its intelligence , its attention to detail and its respect for the audience . in an early sequence , kimble sneaks into a pants . it 's a small moment , but it punches home the urgency of kimble 's situation , and exactly what to be caught , he may just be right . credit must also be given to the special effects and stunt coordinators . the bus crash which allows kimble 's escape is a spectacular sequence , as is a leap from a dam into the water below . the action is crisp and brutal , and never romanticized . special kudos go to director davis for maintaining a relentless pace which underscores the single - mindedness of the two leads . and what a pair of performances those leads are . tommy lee jones is nothing short of brilliant as gerard , because he manages an incredibly challenging feat it 's his job to bring in a fugitive . this is a well- written character played with relish by an actor at the top of his form . the only unfortunate thing about jones ' stunning turn to his pigeonholing as an action hero . however , he does a fine job with the less flashy part of kimble , always keeping , sean , and various dinosaurs to step aside . the chase is on . my advice is to catch it .

pollock starring ed harris , marcia gay harden , tom bower , jennifer connelly screenplay by barbara turner and susan j . emshwiller , based on the book " jackson pollock : an american saga " by steven naifeh and gregory white smith directed by ed harris * * * for more film , dvd and books about movie reviews , plus annual coverage of the toronto international film festival , visit _ film freak central _ - http : //filmfreakcentral . net | now with search engine * * * " how do you know when you 're finished making love ? " -jackson pollock to a life magazine reporter on recognizing when you 've completed a painting jackson pollock 's " making love " quote is famous , but in practically the same breath , he said a more constructive thing , " it 's like looking at a bed of flowers -- tear your hair out over what it means . " it took him sixteen words to do as whole dissertations have tried and failed : equate god and abstract art and offer a kind of backhanded comfort to those confused to the point of resentment by the concept . the biopic _ pollock _ , actor ed harris ' directorial debut , reflects the second soundbite in how it accepts pollock 's creations as part of the order of things , and should similarly disarm haters of fine art . arguably more than any other living actor , harris , who also plays _ pollock _ , embodies the archetypal working stiff , and his blue - collar demystification of pollock 's labour - intensive art , both as performer and director , makes for unpretentious cinema . ( from what i know of harris , he , like pollock , was not born gifted or lucky ; instead , a strong work ethic is the seed of his success . ) granted , it 's possible that _ pollock _ will alienate those same viewers perplexed by the imponderable " purpose " of pollock 's splatter series : the common thread between them is a lack of editorializing . the movie _ pollock _ is all purposeful gazes and silent exchanges dotted by tantrums , but the motivations are left to our own perceptions . and it is a sympathetic yet not altogether forgiving film , as illustrated by a disheartening conclusion . _ pollock _ encapsulates the period in which he fought a losing battle against personal demons ( alcoholism , depression , and the general attendant miseries of an artist ) while finding a place of subconscious expression . a brief introduction to pollock 's raging drunk side segues into his getting accosted by a fellow new york artist , lee krasner ( marcia gay harden , awarded a best supporting actress oscar for this brilliant portrayal ) , who works from the outside - in , pre - intellectualizing every stroke of her brush . in a scene after they have moved in together and established adjoining studios , she asks what he hopes to achieve on his latest canvas , grilling him about the interplay of cubism and surrealism until he says , " you paint the fucking thing , " and leaves in a huff . by the time they we d , she has become his de facto manager ; it is form marrying function and chaos marrying discipline , a most harmonious collision . ( krasner denies him a baby , indicating that it would upset the balance . ) such a union is destined to implode , and i hope i 'm not ruining the _ pollock _ experience by saying that it does . while it is never depicted as a very romantic matrimony to start -- pollock and wife channel their passions elsewhere -- their symbiosis leaves each other picked dry after several years , and it comes down to krasner suffering one of pollock 's conniptions too many : " you are killing me ! you are killing me ! you are killing me ! " ( aside : harris ' own wife , amy madigan , is unrecognizable and exceptional as gallery diva peggy guggenheim . ) pollock himself moves on to dalliances with younger women like ruth klingman ( the scorching jennifer connelly ) , hoping , one supposes , to catch the revitalizing whiff of youth . i love jackson pollock 's stuff and i am enamoured of harris ' _ pollock _ as well . it 's scrappy and observant ; no coincidence that its minor failings are the occasional invasive flourish , such as jeff beal 's hummable but no less lamentable score -- i ca n't imagine that pollock , or anyone , would paint to this music , which puts filling soundtrack voids ahead of complementing the images . one of my favourite sequences is an eerily quiet re - enactment of hans namuth shooting that famous pollock footage in east hampton , long island ; the mounting tension is almost comic , as namuth keeps interrupting pollock 's process to reload his camera or take a dinner break . a more seasoned director might 've been too arrogant to admit that not all artists or mediums are created equal .

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york artist , lee krasner ( marcia gay harden , awarded a best supporting actress oscar for this brilliant portrayal ) , who works from the outside - in , of youth . i love jackson pollock 's stuff and i am enamoured of harris ' _ pollock _ as well . it 's scrappy and observant ; no coincidence that puts filling soundtrack voids ahead of complementing the images . one of my favourite sequences is an eerily quiet re - enactment of hans namuth

it 's been a long time since walt disney has delivered us a classic along the lines of the little mermaid or beauty and the beast . sure , there have been delightful outings like last years hercules . but nothing entirely groundbreaking . with the release of the studio 's newest feature length film , a remake of edgar rice burrough 's creation tarzan , disney has plunged into new waters with both maturity and animation techniques . it 's no classic , but this new tarzan represents exactly what a family film should be . the plot is loyal to the original storyline , as tarzan 's parents are forced to abandon their ship which has caught fire , and find shelter in the jungles of africa . but , they are killed ( offscreen ) by the snarling cheetah sabor , leaving baby tarzan alone and unharmed in his crib . found by kala ( voiced with effective gentleness by glenn close ) , a kindhearted mother and member of a gorilla pack , tarzan is taken into the primate group and raised as one of their own . we follow the young boy through the years , as he partakes in various adventures with his loud mouth gorilla friend terk ( a very brash but funny rosie o'donnell ) and clumsy elephant tantor ( wayne knight ) . of course , in any disney film we are given some kind of goofy sidekick or humorous chum for the hero . in tarzan , these characters fill that space rather inconspicuously . gags that were magnified in other family films are kept quite minor here . most of the characters are amusing without being forced . as tarzan grows to manhood , the suspected antagonist stumbles into the picture . here , the notorious bad guy is the big game hunter clayton ( brian blessed ) , who 's accompanying a hapless professor ( nigel hawthorne ) on an expedition through the jungle . of course , there 's the professor 's daughter , jane ( nicely vocalized by a cheerful minnie driver ) who will help supply the romantic quotient of the movie . the thing that blew my socks off about this version of tarzan is the stunning animation . directors chris buck and kevin lima have applied a breathtaking 3-d element to the movement of the athletic title character , and the fast - paced editing is absolutely a marvel . as tarzan carries jane through the treetops , narrowly escaping a pack of nasty baboons , he slips and slides like a daredevil snow boarder or star surfer riding the big wave . your eyes can barely keep up ; it 's a fantastic accomplishment . the subject matter here is also a notch or two above animation average . there are important questions raised about tarzan 's place in the world , and all are handled exceptionally well by the screenwriters . there is no shred of doubt left to ponder afterward , which is a surprising plus that i was n't expecting to find here . suffice to say , this film will have both adults and children thoroughly entertained . the grown - up tarzan is voiced by tony goldwyn , who made a name for himself as the ` big mean jerk ' from ghost . goldwyn is effective playing someone who 's not aware of his world 's dangers . glenn close is also memorable as his gorilla mother , and lance henriksen ( from tv 's millennium ) is terrific as the silverback father unsure of how to accept the presence of a human child . as the movie 's villain , there is nothing particularly special or catching about the character of clayton . it helps that brian blessed supplies his voice with game enthusiasm , but he is nothing compared to james woods ' hilarious hades from hercules . a burley guy with a big gun who just wants to capture the gorillas does not quite constitute for an all - together noticeable screen presence . still , this is one great thrill - ride that disney has constructed . i never expected rice burrough 's work to be transformed so successfully from live action to animation , nor with so much emotional depth . parents , along with all the kiddies , are going to find much to like in tarzan .

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remake of edgar rice burrough 's creation tarzan , disney has plunged into new waters with both maturity and animation techniques . it 's no classic , but this new tarzan represents exactly what a family film should be . the plot is loyal to the original storyline , in his crib . found by kala ( voiced with effective gentleness by glenn close ) , a kindhearted mother and or humorous chum for the hero . in tarzan , these characters fill that space rather inconspicuously . gags that were magnified in other family films are kept quite minor here . most of the characters are amusing without being forced . as tarzan grows to manhood , the suspected antagonist will help supply the romantic quotient of the movie . the thing that blew my socks off about this version of tarzan is the stunning animation . directors chris buck and kevin lima have applied a breathtaking 3-d element to the movement of the athletic title character , and the fast - paced editing is absolutely a marvel . as tarzan carries jane through the treetops , narrowly big wave . your eyes can barely keep up ; it 's a fantastic accomplishment . the subject matter here is also a notch or two above animation average . there are important questions raised about tarzan 's place in the world , and all are handled exceptionally well by the screenwriters . there is no shred of doubt left to ponder afterward , which is a surprising plus that i was n't expecting to find here . suffice to say , this film will have both adults and children thoroughly entertained . the grown - up tarzan is voiced by tony ` big mean jerk ' from ghost . goldwyn is effective playing someone who 's not aware of his world 's dangers . glenn close is also memorable as his gorilla mother , and lance henriksen ( from tv 's millennium ) is terrific as the silverback father unsure of how to accept the the character of clayton . it helps that brian blessed supplies his voice with game enthusiasm , but he is nothing compared to james woods ' an

warning : if you actually wish to see the film , stop reading this and see it . while i do n't blow any plot details , the more you know about a movie , the more disappointing and built up it becomes ( waiting a month to see titanic did the same thing ) . but , in a nutshell , it 's a good film . star wars episode i : the phantom menace reviewed by vince yim never having been the biggest star wars fanatic in the world ( i was more into star trek : the next generation ) , it is difficult to relate to the mass fandom surrounding the latest installment , the phantom menace . however , it ca n't be ignored . endless toys lining the shelves , endless news reports , and a multi - billion dollar advertising campaign makes it all the more difficult . with the level of this hype , one would recall an overhyped disaster from 1998 , godzilla , which definitely failed to live up to expectations . thankfully , the phantom menace does much , much better . while the " first " star wars trilogy told the story of jedi knight luke skywalker , the prequels backpedal to tell the back - story of obi wan kenobi and a young jedi named anakin skywalker ( who would become the father of luke and eventually become darth vader ) . without blowing too much of the story , the phantom menace evolves around a peaceful planet naboo , which is being held hostage by a greedy trade federation , and it 's up to two jedi knights ( qui - gon ji , played by liam neeson and obi - wan kenobi , played by ewan mcgreggor ) to free it . the phantom menace has taken a literal beating from various film critics , leaving me to lower my expectations somewhat . common complaints range from lack of characterization , weak narrative , poor direction of actors , the dated style , and too much focus over special effects . still , film critics often apply much historical theory in regards to film criticism , much of which the average film buff does not care for . hence , this film is a lot of fun and definitely an improvement over the previous films ( even with the " improvements " in the special editions ) . there are many memorable sequences throughout the film , ranging from the fast and furious " pod race " sequence ( which is a take on the chariot races in " ben hur " ) and the many fight scenes involving legions of battle droids . utilizing technology that is light years beyond anything made before , special effects and computers are used to create everything from monsters to robots to amazing cityscapes with incredible detail . no matter how many times you watch this film , you will catch something new . the level of humour is a bit higher than the previous films as well , mostly conveyed through the reluctant hero jar jar binks , who belongs to a race known as the gungans . best described as an mr . bean from the planet naboo , he steals the show . unfortunately , being that he is a computer - generated character , tells a bit about the direction of the actors ( although natalie portman as the queen is pretty effective , as is jake lloyd as the young anakin skywalker ) . with star wars mania at an all time high , there is the risk that the film will disappoint ( i myself had my doubts ) , which this film does have a tendency to do at times . there are a few logic problems with the plot , several things are left unchecked , and at times seems to be made only for diehard star wars fans ( although the appearance of the tusken raiders makes for more than a few laughs ) . that , and young anakin skywalker is a really annoying character , coming off as a smarmy , arrogant brat ( with such an attitude , it 's no wonder why he turns to the dark side ) . still , it seems that many people , especially critics , are missing the point . the film is some of the most fun 2 and a half hours that you 'll blow in your life , which is something i would n't mind doing again . while it may not have the psychological impact of an academy award contender , who really cares ? the film is pure fun from beginning to end . and is n't that what really matters ?

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same thing ) . but , in a nutshell , it 's a good film . star wars episode i : the phantom menace reviewed live up to expectations . thankfully , the phantom menace does much , much better . while the " first " star wars trilogy told average film buff does not care for . hence , this film is a lot of fun and definitely an improvement over the previous films ( even with the " improvements " in the special editions ) . there are many memorable sequences throughout the film , ranging from the fast and furious the many fight scenes involving legions of battle droids . utilizing technology that is light years beyond anything made before , special effects and computers are used to create everything from monsters to robots to amazing cityscapes with incredible detail . no matter how many times you watch this film as an mr . bean from the planet naboo , he steals the show . unfortunately , being that he is a computer - the actors ( although natalie portman as the queen is pretty effective , as is jake lloyd as the young anakin skywalker people , especially critics , are missing the point . the film is some of the most fun 2 and a half hours that you 'll blow in your life , which is something i would n't mind doing again of an academy award contender , who really cares ? the film is pure fun from beginning to end . and is n't that what really matters ?

it shows that america remains ambivalent over the nature of its political system . no major surprise , when j . s . mill in his victorian classic on liberty could not make up his mind over liberal democracy either . the americans are wrought by the archetypal paradox under which they exist , the supreme contradiction between the right of the one and the right of the majority . small wonder that hollywood 's most compelling movies have oft been on the struggle of the individual - underdog against some larger collective oppressive - witness braveheart , born on the fourth of july , rocky , first blood , clear and present danger , jfk , the list goes on . there 's little of that in singapore - we are barred access to playboy and penthouse both on and off line , though the government 's been long worried about the younger people getting " americanised " and advocating individual rights and parliamentary opposition . the people vs . larry flynt locates the political debate within the greatest social taboo in america - sex . does pornography have a right to exist and circulate ? larry flynt , the publisher of hustler magazine , thinks so , and obviously so too the u . s . congress which last month threw out a bill to curb pornography on the net . but even with such actions , americans remain undecided . the oscars apparently shunned the movie because it was an embarrassing and sensitive livewire . what they have ignored is actually a great picture . woody harrelson as the lead character reprises his role as a to - hell - with - morality , to - hell - with - the - law , and to - hell - with - the - system anti - christ that we last saw in natural born killers . and he is outrageous and convincing as a nihilistic atheist who nonetheless loves his ex - stripper wife dearly . the latter is played with abandon , conviction and sensitivity all at once by courtney love , who is the real star of the show and really snubbed of an academy award best actress nomination , if not of the award itself . edward norton plays their jerky lawyer . the relationship between harrelson and love brings out another great paradox - superficially they are immoral outcasts who 've had it coming ; woody gets shot and becomes paralysed from the waist down , and courtney dies of aids . god 's damnation . but in the powerful love they have for each other , each standing by the other in turn , the two leads highlight the question how much is the nihilist still a moralist and ( in the american context ) a christian , if they can love and care , and feel just like anyone else on a personal level . friedrich nietzsche once talked about how the atheist must uncover for himself the full consequences of atheism by ridding himself of all moral - christian influences . to go beyond good and evil . this is a great picture , no doubt , and i love it personally . because it is moving , funny , ends with open american optimism blah blah . but i like it and admire it because it comes from a fine american tradition that dares to raise difficult questions , and call into doubt ideas and doctrines that otherwise are used as catchphrases . there are times when movies go beyond the story they tell and reflect something of hidden realities . this movie is not so much about larry flynt , but about americans and american society .

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embarrassing and sensitive livewire . what they have ignored is actually a great picture . woody harrelson as the lead character reprises his role his ex - stripper wife dearly . the latter is played with abandon , conviction and sensitivity all at once by courtney love , who is the real star of the show and really snubbed of an academy award best actress nomination , if not of the award itself . edward norton plays their jerky lawyer . the relationship christian influences . to go beyond good and evil . this is a great picture , no doubt , and i love it personally . because it is moving , funny , ends with open american optimism blah blah . but i like it and admire it because it comes from a fine american tradition that dares to raise difficult questions , and call into

the ring is probably one of the creepiest movies i 've seen in years . but then again , i 've always had this phobia of asian born horror films . i remember when i was a kid i was scared as hell with those green faced , long - haired floating ghosts donning their white gowns . euuugh . the ring really brings back those memories and its grips me long after the movie has ended . unlike the horror films coming from the west , i 'm pretty much used to the gore and visual effects , so much so , they become rather bland nowadays . there 's really no scary movie from the west for a long time . if you have something in mind , please tell me . this japanese flick is supposed to be based upon stories written by ` the stephen king of japan ' , which is also ( i heard ) televised over the air in japan . the film revolves around a mysterious videotape which will bring death for sure to the person who watches it , one week prior to viewing . a journalist and her husband , stupid enough , tests the so call ` urban legend ' and ends up having a week before she meets her doom . she and her husband then goes on a search for the origin of the videocassette , to get to the root of the whole curse with the hopes of freeing themselves . the ring plays on the senses like no other horror film today . visual subtlety , minimal music and an intriguing plot puts the audience within an aura of suspense throughout the entire film . very well done indeed , especially for a film that does not have a single trace of violence and gore . now , that 's something budding horror film - maker wannabes should consider looking into . just an idea of how visually powerful the film is , it is in japanese and subtitled in chinese ; both of which , i ca n't understand at all ( ok , i had a friend who gave me a gist prior to watching , but he revealed very little ! ) . the twists in the plot , leading to an unforgettable climax ( will definitely leave an impression on the audience ) will have you at the edge of your seat .

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curse with the hopes of freeing themselves . the ring plays on the senses like no other horror film today . visual subtlety , minimal music and an intriguing plot puts the audience within an aura of suspense throughout the entire film . very well done indeed , especially for a film that does not have a trace of violence and gore . now , that 's something budding horror film - maker wannabes should consider looking into . just an idea of how visually powerful the film is , it is in japanese and subtitled little ! ) . the twists in the plot , leading to an unforgettable climax ( will definitely leave an impression on the audience ) will have you at the edge of your seat .

deep rising is one of " those " movies . the kind of movie which serves no purpose except to entertain us . it does not ask us to think about important questions like life on other planets or the possibility that there is no god . . . screw that , it says boldly , let 's see some computer generated monsters rip into , decapitate and generally cause irreparable booboos to a bunch of little known actors . heh ! them wacky monsters , got ta love 'em . of course , since we can rent about a thousand b movies with the same kind of story , hollywood must give that little extra " oumph " to get people in theaters . that is where deep rising fails , which is a good thing . confused ? let me explain : despite all them flashy effects and big explosions , deep rising is still , at heart , a good ' ol b movie . luckily , it 's a very good b movie . the worst cliches in movie history are a b movie 's bread and butter . therefore , things that would destroy a serious movie actually help us have a good time while watching a movie of lower calibre . of course we know there 's a big slimy creature behind that door , that one person will wander off to be picked off by said monster and we always know which persons or person will make it out alive . we just do n't know when or how horrible it will be . i went to see deep rising with my expections low and my tolerance for bad dialogue high . imagine my surprise when i discover that deep rising is actually , well , pretty darn funny at times . a funny b movie ? well , that 's new . these flicks are not supposed to make us laugh . ( except for a few unintended laughs once a while . ) and before you know it , treat williams , wes studi and famke jansen appear on the big screen . hey ! i know them guys ( and gal ) from a couple of other movies . cool . familiar faces . so far so good . our man treat is the hero , he 'll live . wes is a staple of b movies , he is the token victim . we know he 'll buy the farm but he will take a few creeps with him on the way out . famke is the babe , 'nuff said . there is also a guy with glasses ( the guy with glasses always dies ) a black person ( b movie buffs know that the black guy always dies , never fails ) and a very funny , nerdy guy . ( ah ! comic relief . how can we possibly explain having to kill him . . . let him live . ) after the first fifteen minutes i felt right at home . i know who to root for and who i need to boo too and a gum to chew . ( please kill me . ) suffice it to say that for the next hour and a half i jumped out of my seat a few times , went " ewwww " about a dozen times and nearly had an orgasm over all the explosions and firepower our heroes were packing . i 'm a man , we nottice these things . all in all , i 'd recommend deep rising if you are looking for a good time and care to leave your brain at the door . . . but bring your sense of humor and excitement in with you . the acting is decent , the effects top rate . how to best describe it ? put together the jet ski scene from hard rain , the bug attacks from starship troopers , a couple of james bond like stunts and all those scenes from friday the thirteenth and freddy where you keep screaming " do n't go there , he 's behind you " and you end up with deep rising . for creepy crawly goodness , tight t - shirts , major firepower and the need to go to the bathroom every fifteen minutes from seing all that water .

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in theaters . that is where deep rising fails , which is a good thing . confused ? let me explain : despite all them explosions , deep rising is still , at heart , a good ' ol b movie . luckily , it 's a very good b movie . the worst cliches in movie history are a b i discover that deep rising is actually , well , pretty darn funny at times . a funny b movie ? well , that 's and gal ) from a couple of other movies . cool . familiar faces . so far so good . our man treat is the hero , he 'll the black guy always dies , never fails ) and a very funny , nerdy guy . ( ah ! comic relief . how can we let him live . ) after the first fifteen minutes i felt right at home . i know who to root for and who i , we nottice these things . all in all , i 'd recommend deep rising if you are looking for a good time and care to leave your brain at the door . your sense of humor and excitement in with you . the acting is decent , the effects top rate . how to best describe it ? put together the you " and you end up with deep rising . for creepy crawly goodness , tight t - shirts , major firepower and the need to go to the bathroom every fifteen

vampire films , as well as other horror films , are usually dumb and predictable b - movies , meant to scare us by cliches and simple shocks . it is therefore interesting to watch neil jordans recent film that is not only visually stunning , but has also a plot worth making movies about . based on anne rice 's novel , " interview with a vampire " is a long , dark trip to hell . the film opens with gothic quire and dark streets of present - day san francisco . the camera slowly find particular window . a shape of a young man is visible in the darkness . " so you want me to tell you the story of my life ? " . the mysterious man is louis ( brad pitt ) , a two - century old vampire , telling his story to a fascinated interviewer ( christian slater ) . his tale opens in 1791 louisiana , just south of new orleans , where louis falls victim to the vampire lestat ( tom cruise ) . given a choice between death and eternal life as one of the undead , louis chooses the latter , a decision he will forever regret . everlasting life and eternal youth , promised to him by lestat , turn instead into never ending suffering , damned to eternal hunger for blood and longing for peace . louis can not kill with the impunity of lestat , but , to sate his hunger , he must feed , and the blood of animals is not enough . eventually , he pierces the neck of a grief - stricken young girl named claudia ( kirsten dunst ) , whom lestat then curses with his unholy form of resurrection so that she can be a surrogate daughter to both himself and louis . for a while , they are one " big , happy family . " but all things end , and claudia 's growing resentment of lestat fuels a bloody confrontation . when luis and claudia break loose from lestat , they travel to paris , where the euro - vamps santiago ( stephen rea ) and armand ( antonio banderas ) , who introduced them to a bigger world of the damned . director neil jordan ( " the crying game " ) together with the talented director of cinematography philippe rousselot and composer elliot goldenthal has created an incredible atmosphere . as the film begins , there is an incredible palette of colors , beautiful sunrises , lush golden fields , green forests , inky - blue clouds and blending sun . when luis is " born to darkness " , everything suddenly changes to dark velvet , lit only by the silver moonlight . the beautiful production design by dante ferretti , wonderful costumes and art direction by malcolm middleton re - create the multiple historical periods in the film . from the renaissance new orleans and the beautiful rococo paris of the 18th century , to our present days . the casting is likewise good , involving some of the most famous and beautiful stars of hollywood , ireland and spain . the controversial casting of tom cruise as lestat is incredibly effective . cruise is energetic , sinister , charismatic , wild and bloodthirsty . cruise 's lestat likes to seduce young women before exacting his dark red sustenance . with alarming swiftness , the victims switch from sexual excitement to outright horror , as his murderous purpose becomes clear . " . . . kill them mercifully , but do it . you are what you are . . for do not doubt , you are a killer ! " that is how lestat is teaching luis . but behind that furious facade is anger and loneliness that he carries through the centuries and tries to smother with nightly rampages . brad pitt is equally convincing as the " vampire with a human soul " . antonio banderas and stephen rea are effective , but since they play more or less secondary characters , their performances are almost invisible . the greatest performance in the film comes suprisingly from the young kristen dunst , who manages to create an incredibly emotional and believable character . the world is changing around the little child , but she does not . she remains unchangeable - a child for all eternity . only her wise , dark eyes reveal her age . ironically the film 's only miss is the script . anne rice 's novel is a very interesting read , and her script is rich , colorful and emotional , but it is also tiering and too melancholic , at times resembling a soap opera : claudia : " . . . . is that what i should do ? let you go . . my father , my luis , who made me . . . who will look after me , my dark angel , when you are gone ? " luis : " everything will be alright . . " claudia : " do you really believe that ? " and then they hug emotionally . moments like those displayed above and luis ' self - pity is a bit tiresome . however rice 's script is otherwise strong and well structured , bringing up humor and comic episodes , that were more or less hidden in the book . when lestat finds claudia 's dead dressmaker , whom she has killed , he cries out : " who will make you that dress now ? be a little practical . . . . never in the house ! " moments like that are both entertaining and appealing . neil jordan 's direction is beautiful and sensual as he plays with interesting issues like eternity , homosexuality , love and loneliness . his gothic saga is not meant to scare , but to display these issues differently . wrapped up in mystery , his new , original picture brings vampire - films to a new height .

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therefore interesting to watch neil jordans recent film that is not only visually stunning , but has also a plot worth making movies about . based on anne rice 's novel , " interview ( " the crying game " ) together with the talented director of cinematography philippe rousselot and composer elliot goldenthal has created an incredible atmosphere . as the film begins , there is an incredible palette of colors , beautiful sunrises , lush golden fields , green forests , inky - blue clouds and blending sun . when luis is " born to darkness " , dark velvet , lit only by the silver moonlight . the beautiful production design by dante ferretti , wonderful costumes and art direction by malcolm middleton re - create the multiple historical periods of the 18th century , to our present days . the casting is likewise good , involving some of the most famous and beautiful stars of hollywood , ireland and spain . the controversial casting of tom cruise as lestat is incredibly effective . cruise is energetic , sinister , charismatic , wild and bloodthirsty . cruise 's lestat likes to seduce young women before tries to smother with nightly rampages . brad pitt is equally convincing as the " vampire with a human soul " . antonio banderas and stephen rea are effective , but since they play more or less secondary characters , their performances are almost invisible . the greatest performance in the film comes suprisingly from the young kristen dunst , who manages to create an incredibly emotional and believable character . the world is changing around the little child , miss is the script . anne rice 's novel is a very interesting read , and her script is rich , colorful and emotional , but it is also tiering and too melancholic , is a bit tiresome . however rice 's script is otherwise strong and well structured , bringing up humor and comic episodes , that were . never in the house ! " moments like that are both entertaining and appealing . neil jordan 's direction is beautiful and sensual as he plays with interesting issues like eternity , homosexuality display these issues differently . wrapped up in mystery , his new , original picture brings vampire - films to a new height .

this has some major spoilers for the film , so be forwarned . the wo n't appear till later in the article , so you 're safe for now . eyes wide shot ( 1999 ) running time : 2 hours 39 minutes 2 . 35 : 1 theatrical aspect starring : tom cruise ( dr . bill hardford ) , nicole kidman ( alice hardford ) , sidney pollack , leelee sobieski , todd field ( nick nightingale ) directed , co - written , produced by : stanley kubrick inspired by : " traumnovelle " by : arthur schnitzer this is an interesting film . i must first off state , that you musn't believe any of the rumors of the film . cruise is not a cross dresser , kidman does n't shoot heroin , and there 's not any scene between the two that would suggest that they were aided by a sex therapist . the look of the film is to suggest that it follows the translation of the inspired book from the film was written . the translation , " dream novel , " makes you thing that the film should have been titled dream film . there is a noticable amount of graininess to the film . rather than complain about it as some may and already have , see it as a style of shooting . i would gather that kubrick got on another lighting kick shooting this and shot with as much natural light as he could . this and the film looks like it was pushed another two stops to add more grain and brighten it slightly . as an auteur and stickler for details , kubrick seemed to be a bit lax on this one . the film looks great , but there are a good deal of bloopers / flubs that occur . you see lots of boom shots ( in reflection ) and you see the camera at least twice . 16 months for this ? wow . reflection is the biggest killer for this film . their apartment and almost everything in the film casts reflections and the crew can be seen in these , some quite glaringly . one more topic of heated discussion : i saw the " austin powers " version , and to be perfectly frank , unless you know where the overlays are supposed to be , you 'll probably not see them . two girls standing next to each other look a little suspicious , but i can wait for the unrated version on video to see it the way it 's supposed to be . spoilers below : the film itself starts with ( cruise ) bill and ( kidman ) alice getting ready for a little x - mas soiree . they go to a quite elegant party in what seems to be a storagehouse for lighting equipment , which is actually an apartment owned by pollack . bill runs into an old friend from medical school who is now the party 's entertainment . soon after , bill and alice are flirting with others at the party , thinking that the other has not noticed . bill is called to help with a partygoer who has had a bit too much of a good time . the next day , bill and alice , casually smoking marijunana in their bedroom discuss the previous nights flirtations . they both discover that they both knew about the flirting . bill starts talking about what women can provide in a relationship , and gets alice extremely angry . in her hazy state , she tells of an opportunity she almost acted on to cheat on bill , not caring about the possible aftereffects . bill gets called away when one of his patients dies , and goes to console his daughter . when his patient 's engaged daughter makes a plea for his love and affection , he is struck with images of an affair that never occured between his wife , alice and a naval officer . he sees " opportunity " as a betrayal to his wife , and before they can continue , they are interrupted . as he strolls home , he encounters a hooker . seeing another " opportunity " arise , he follows the hooker home . they toy around , but before the act ensues , alice calls his cell phone . he breaks the date with the hooker , and heads back out into the night . he passes a lounge and notices that his old medical school buddy is playing , so he heads in . when he meets the friend , the friend reveals that for extra scratch , he plays these strange parties , while blindfolded . bill is intrigued and wants to go to one . nick reluctantly sets him up with directions and a password . what follows this is a short meeting where bill obtains a costume for this party and meets a young girl , leelee sobieski , and her father . the young girl has drawn his eye , but her young age , and the prescence of her father deter this from happening . he gets to the party , which is to say the least , a strange affair . after partaking in some strange " religious " right , women and men pair off for the orgy to end all orgies . a woman warns bill in disguise , that he should leave before he is exposed as a fraud at the party . he is detained after a second warning , where he is outed for not being in the group . after getting home , he hides the evidence of his evenings events . unable to carry on in his day , he tries piece the events of the previous night together . in the process , he finds that nick has disappeared , his life is possibly in danger , and the woman that warned him has died . i 'm trying to save a bit of the film here , it 's worth sitting through to get to this point . this is only about 100 minutes at this point . this is a strange film , because despite the events that occur , the film has a strong family message behind it . it will be hard to pidgeonhole this film as a certain kind of a film . it 's got sex in it , it has nudity , drugs , and many more immoralistic values . but they all serve to show why they are bad in one 's life . i recommend this film highly on many merits . cruise and kidman are rarely together for longer than 5 minutes after the opening scene , and the secrecy that shrouded the film should hopefully be apparent as to why it was kept once you see it for yourself .

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the look of the film is to suggest that it follows the translation of the inspired book from the film was written . the translation , " seemed to be a bit lax on this one . the film looks great , but there are a good deal of bloopers / trying to save a bit of the film here , it 's worth sitting through to get to this point . this is only about 100 minutes at this point show why they are bad in one 's life . i recommend this film highly on many merits . cruise and kidman are rarely together for longer than

one fun activity for parents during the holidays is to suggest an old film and see if they can interest their kids . although black - and - white films are frequently viewed as suspect , ones in color are greeted with more of an open mind . and if you can find a colorful action film , even if it is from six decades ago , then there is a real possibility of a take home hit . so it was in our family when we wandered over to the classic section of our local video store the other day and picked up a copy of the adventures of robin hood , a high spirited version of the walter scott story . nominated for the 1938 academy award for best picture and winner of three oscars for erich wolfgang korngold 's melodramatic music , ralph dawson 's fast paced editing and carl jules weyl 's lush sets , the film is probably best remembered for errol flynn 's charismatic acting as sir robin of locksley , a . k . a . robin hood . flynn , with his handsome figure and toothy smile , charms the audience while clearly having a high old time himself . let me cut to the chase and say that the tape was indeed popular in the rhodes household . the littlest rhodes , jeffrey , age 8 , liked it so much that he viewed it at least three times and maybe more . i 'll let him discuss his fascination with the picture in his usual section at the end of the review . simply stated , the film derives its success from being one of the best of its genre , the swashbuckler . robin , with a smile from ear - to - ear , fights off a hundred men without a scratch . although the picture can be considered as little more than a 1930 's james bond , the production values and the acting raise it above that level . robin hood is a classic story of rich and poor . robin steals from the rich and gives to the poor as every schoolchild knows . in this movie , however , he seems much less interested in income redistribution than in fighting for his king and country . robin , with his courage and athletic skills , serves as a role model for kids . and with the lovely olivia de havilland playing the dreamy - eyed lady marian fitzswalter , the story has heavy romantic overtones . filmed in the typical , richly oversaturated colors produced by early technicolor , the flesh tones are overly pink and there few color subtleties , which match perfectly the wonderfully exaggerated acting of the players . in scene after scene the picture charms the audience . who would n't fall for robin as he shows up incognito to win the archery contest , even if the outcome is so clearly preordained . and , of course , he does n't just win , he does so by splitting the other man 's arrow . watching the picture today does provide some jarring moments . sherlock holmes as the villain , sir guy of gisbourne , for example , just does n't seem right , even if basil rathbone did have a real - life identity outside of his most famous role . and then there are those wigs from the makeup department -- so bad , they look like rejects from a mel brooks comedy . as was popular in the cinema of that era , people die with the most gentle prick of the sword and without any nasty , bloody holes to spoil the wardrobe or the looks . bad guys are banished rather than killed , and lovers go off hand - in - hand , doing nothing more explicitly sexual than kissing . the result is a wonderful fairy tale of a movie with delightful , cartoonish figures . hollywood rarely makes such high quality family films like this anymore , so try to savor the old ones when you can . the adventures of robin hood runs 1 : 42 . it is not rated , but containing absolutely nothing offensive , it would get a g rating and is fine for all ages . jeffrey thinks the film is " great " and gives it * * * * . he recommends the movie particularly for people who do not likely bloody pictures -- he hates the sight of blood in movies . his favorite parts are the battles and the ending , and his favorite characters are robin and king richard ( ian hunter ) .

1POS

a high spirited version of the walter scott story . nominated for the 1938 academy award for best picture and winner of three oscars for erich wolfgang korngold 's melodramatic music , ralph dawson 's fast paced editing and carl jules weyl 's lush sets , the film is probably best remembered for errol flynn 's charismatic acting as sir robin of locksley , a . k . a . robin hood . flynn , with his handsome figure and toothy smile , charms the audience while clearly having a high old time himself . let me cut to the chase and say that . the littlest rhodes , jeffrey , age 8 , liked it so much that he viewed it at least three times and maybe end of the review . simply stated , the film derives its success from being one of the best of its genre , the swashbuckler . robin , with a smile from as little more than a 1930 's james bond , the production values and the acting raise it above that level . robin hood is a classic story of rich and pink and there few color subtleties , which match perfectly the wonderfully exaggerated acting of the players . in scene after scene the picture charms the audience . who would n't fall for robin as he shows nothing more explicitly sexual than kissing . the result is a wonderful fairy tale of a movie with delightful , cartoonish figures . hollywood rarely makes such high quality family films like this anymore , so try to savor the old ones when you g rating and is fine for all ages . jeffrey thinks the film is " great " and gives it * * * * . he recommends the movie particularly for people who do not likely bloody pictures --

swashbuckling adventure that can be enjoyed by both children and adults . steven spielberg may not have directed ( he only executive produced ) but his touch certainly is evident in this movie . and he knows a money making winner when he sees one . the mask of zorro has the hallmarks of a blockbuster : big action , funny comedy , and the pacing of a rollercoaster . hopkins plays don diego de la vega , otherwise known as zorro . a fighter for the people , he is eventually captured by don rafael montero ( stuart wilson ) , who also , unintentionally , kills his wife . the film cuts to twenty years later , where vega still wants to montero dead . however , he 's far too old now , and trains up thief alejandro murrieta ( banderas ) to become the new zorro . banderas motive ? to avenge the death of his brother , who was killed at the hands of captain love ( matthew letscher ) who rather tastefully keeps the head in a jar , in one of the more graphic scenes in this family movie . with the scene set , the movie goes on full blast , with sword fights a - plenty and witty one liners . banderas and hopkins have a marvellous chemistry as the two zorro 's , playing each other off with ease . hopkins seems to come off a little better , but banderas does some excellent work . as the bad guys , wilson and letscher seem one dimensional , but they go through the bad guy shtick in an above average way . the audience does hate them , which ca n't be bad . catherine zeta - jones also pops up as hopkins daughter , and although she provides little more than the usual female lead , she delivers a charming , but one note , performance . the chemistry is excellent between banderas and jones . there 's a delightful little scene where banderas and jones have a sword fight , and every swipe an item of clothing gets slashed , until jones clothes fall off all together . the director , fresh from the enjoyable goldeneye ( 1995 ) handles the film perfectly . the action is well done and fast paced , the comedy put across well . the cast help a lot , but the direction is still outstanding . although the film is very long , the plot keeps chugging along , and there 's barely a dull moment . however , the film is a little over indulgent , and it could have been trimmed . it manages to hold the attention , thankfully , and the adventure and charm holds right up to the last reel . screenwriters john eskow , ted elliot and terry rosio have unfortunately written an cliched and one dimensional script . although they 've bought zorro up to date with big explosions and wild action , the plot itself is barely existent . there 's lots of little sub plots hanging around , but there 's nothing substantial to bring them all together . the main story seems to be the fact that rafael wants to ' buy ' california using gold stolen from the guy he 's buying the land off . this sets up for a temple of doom type plot where we see peasants slave driven into getting the gold from little mines . however , this does n't seem to appear until nearly over a hour into the film , so the film is never quite sure where it 's going . in the end however , zorro provides action and comedy in spades . it suitable for everyone , so put the guilt behind , and put some more money into spielbergs bank account . you wo n't regret it .

1POS

winner when he sees one . the mask of zorro has the hallmarks of a blockbuster : big action , funny comedy , and the pacing of a rollercoaster . hopkins plays don diego de la vega , otherwise - plenty and witty one liners . banderas and hopkins have a marvellous chemistry as the two zorro 's , playing each other off with ease . hopkins seems to come off a little better , but banderas does some excellent work . as the bad guys , wilson and letscher seem dimensional , but they go through the bad guy shtick in an above average way . the audience does hate them , which ca n't she provides little more than the usual female lead , she delivers a charming , but one note , performance . the chemistry is excellent between banderas and jones . there 's a delightful little scene where banderas and jones have a sword fight , and director , fresh from the enjoyable goldeneye ( 1995 ) handles the film perfectly . the action is well done and fast paced , the comedy put across well . the cast help a lot , but the direction is still outstanding . although the film is very long , the plot keeps chugging along , and there 's barely a dull moment . however , the film is a little over indulgent it manages to hold the attention , thankfully , and the adventure and charm holds right up to the last reel . screenwriters john eskow , ted elliot and terry rosio it 's going . in the end however , zorro provides action and comedy in spades . it suitable for everyone , so put and put some more money into spielbergs bank account . you wo n't regret it .

" rebel without a cause " is such an important film in american history because it is a true analysis of youth in america that everyone of all ages can relate to . everyone feels that they are different in some way , that they do n't belong in some places and " rebel without a cause " successfully shows on screen these universal emotions . no matter what generation you belong to , these feelings are present . this is why james dean is admired by america , because in this film he represents us all and his actions are actions that we would also execute . in our minds , we just try to do the right thing just like dean 's jim stark does . not only does " rebel without a cause " display these universal emotions for all to relate to but it also shows that america has suffered a uniqe pattern in its social structure . each generation looks at its past generation without a strong connection . this is because times change and in response people change . no matter how popular you were once , as your generation grows older , newer breeds look at you in a different light . this is why stark and his friends never could form a strong relationship with their parents . even if their parents insisted that they were also rebellious and troublesome in the past , the teens could not believe this . in one humorous scene , stark , his girlfriend judy ( natalie wood ) , and his pal plato ( sal mineo ) pretend they are adults . they use upper class british accents and in their conversations they make it out to appear that kids are no good and should be ignored . this scene shows that what was once cool in a past generation is the complete opposite in another . speaking on behalf of my generation , i feel that dean has lost a lot of his coolness from our perspective as the years have grown by . the only ones who seem to still lionize him are those members of his generation . same goes for brando , redford , even deniro . i can only imagine how vaguely matt damon , ben affleck , and brad pitt will be viewed at the mid point of the twenty first century . will dean even be remembered when these newcomers are forgotten ? any film that sparks this kind of thought is certainly a milestone in american film . even if " rebel without a cause " has some ridiculous scenes ( the game of chicken - did people really act this way ? ) , an unbelievable conclusion ( how did everyone end up at the abandoned mansion at the end ? ) , and a silly romance ( wood declares her love for dean after talking to him for a couple hours ) it still is a fabulous film . the acting is so believable that it is no wonder that dean was considered the epitome of cool . now , however , the coolness is fading . . .

1POS

" rebel without a cause " is such an important film in american history because it is a true analysis of in some places and " rebel without a cause " successfully shows on screen these universal emotions . no matter what generation dean even be remembered when these newcomers are forgotten ? any film that sparks this kind of thought is certainly a milestone in american film . even if " rebel without a cause " has dean after talking to him for a couple hours ) it still is a fabulous film . the acting is so believable that it is no wonder that dean was considered the epitome of cool . now , however , the coolness is fading .

david mamet has long been my favorite screenwriter and director . with his distinctive , more often than not ingenious dialogue , and his laid back style of direction nearly all of his movies are absolutely irresistible . some of them tend to be thickly layered , deceptive productions that require the audience to look at the film in a less superficial manner than the plot seems to require in order to discern its concealed message , or sometimes even a concealed storyline . and although the real plot in his new project the winslow boy is slightly more conspicuous than in some of his other endeavors , it is still a brilliantly complex , consistently riveting motion picture about honor , about sacrifice , and about the difference between what is commonly known as justice and what is right . oh , and it 's rated g . incidentally , this is the first time that mamet has decided to adapt someone else 's work ; namely a play by terrence rattigan , set in the 19th century . he casts nigel hawthorne in the lead role as arthur winslow , a rich , aging man who finds out that his 14 year old son ronnie has been kicked out of the naval academy for allegedly stealing a 5 shilling postal note . " did you do it ? " he asks his boy . " no father , i did n't , " ronnie answers . that 's enough for arthur , who , with his oldest daughter ( rebecca pidgeon ) , immediately starts a crusade to bring his son 's case to court . they enlist the help of sir robert morton , a notorious attorney to help them achieve that formidably daunting task . it all seems fairly frivolous , and no matter how you look at it , the winslow case is not the trial of the century . but arthur is determined to keep his family 's word clean and he is willing to go quite far to make sure of that . soon enough , sir robert morton along with the rest of the country becomes equally wrapped up in the proceedings . so do we . all david mamet does for the script is tighten and hone the dialogue , but his style is still fairly apparent . the characters still talk in his trademark staccatto lines and there is still tension present in conversations that no ordinary writer would be able to make tense . but this is not mamet 's norm , and it 's refreshing to see mamet deviate from his world of crooks , gangsters as con men , wonderful as those films were . nigel hawthorne 's performance is nearly flawless . his delivery is that of a dignified yet not pompous man who seems to be getting beaten at his own game . we pity the man , but we also like him . rebecca pidgeon , david mamet 's wife , who gave a fairly awful performance in the spanish prisoner is at the top of her game here as arthur 's oldest daughter , a flailing feminist who gives her all to the winslow case as a way for making up for her lack of success in the women 's suffrage movement . the winslow boy is a wonderful movie that avoids cliches such as a seemingly inevitable courtroom scene and shoots higher -- it wants to make a real impact rather than a phony one . be honest : did you feel anything profound at or after the courtroom scenes in films like a time to kill ? if you wanted to but did n't , this is a movie for you . it is the epitome of subtlety : it 's powerful without being too emotional , sad without even trying to be depressing . david mamet can churn out some great scripts , but in this movie he proves to those who ever doubted it once and for all that he is a hell of a director too . he is almost a national treasure . his films deserve their own genre . ? 1999 eugene novikov&#137 ;

1POS

david mamet has long been my favorite screenwriter and director . with his distinctive , more often than not ingenious dialogue , and his laid back style of direction nearly all of his movies are absolutely irresistible . some of them tend to be thickly layered , in some of his other endeavors , it is still a brilliantly complex , consistently riveting motion picture about honor , about sacrifice , and about . but this is not mamet 's norm , and it 's refreshing to see mamet deviate from his world of crooks , wonderful as those films were . nigel hawthorne 's performance is nearly flawless . his delivery is that of a dignified yet not pompous man who seems to be getting beaten at his own game who gave a fairly awful performance in the spanish prisoner is at the top of her game here as arthur 's oldest daughter , a flailing feminist who the women 's suffrage movement . the winslow boy is a wonderful movie that avoids cliches such as a seemingly inevitable courtroom scene and shoots higher -- it wants to make a real impact rather than kill ? if you wanted to but did n't , this is a movie for you . it is the epitome of subtlety : it 's powerful without being too emotional , sad without even trying to be depressing . david mamet can churn out some great scripts , those who ever doubted it once and for all that he is a hell of a director too . he is almost a national treasure . his films deserve their own genre . ? 1999 eugene novikov&#137 ;

catherine deane ( jennifer lopez ) is a psychologist who has been hired to participate in a project where she can enter the minds of comatose victims and try to interact with their subconscious in an attempt to wake them up . she has been experiencing moderate success with a young boy in a coma , but the boy 's parents are n't happy with the apparent lack of progress and the toll of her job is having adverse affects on her regular life . as if trying to assure the boy 's parents was n't hard enough on her , a new development arises that furthers the strain on deane 's mental faculties . a vicious serial killer named carl stargher ( vincent d'onofrio ) has been kidnapping women , locking them in an automated cell that drowns them slowly in a matter of days , then soaking the corpses in bleach to turn them into life - sized dolls . just after kidnapping his latest victim and locking her in the cell , stargher has a traumatic experience that triggers a schizophrenic virus in his brain and causes him to sink in an eternal catatonia . the police , led by fbi agent peter novak ( vince vaughn ) are able to locate stargher by some clues he left while dumping his previous victim 's body , but they feel all hope is lost for his current victim due to his vegetative state . in a last ditch attempt , they ask deane and the scientists that created the project to undergo the frightening task of entering stargher 's mind to try and find the location of the victim locked in the deadly cell . . . a cell which will completely fill with water in the next 40 hours ! initial reports about this film described it as a cross between the silence of the lambs and the matrix . while it does share some characteristics with both films ( particularly the first forty minutes , which seem almost like a condensed version of lambs ) , the cell also seems to contain elements of dreamscape and brainstorm . the buzz around this project is that first - time feature film director tarsem singh ( who won many awards for his video of r . e . m . 's " losing my religion " ) wanted a script that he could fashion images out of instead of a cohesive story , and a good portion of this film supports that theory . despite the borrowed elements from the aforementioned films and a script that contains several logically questionable moments , the cell does feature some remarkable imagery . all of the sequences where we delve into someone 's mind are incredibly beautiful ( including the dank mind of stargher , whose thoughts are reminiscent of an h . r . giger painting come to life mixed with a tool music video ) , proving that singh is as adept at filming strange and wonderful images as his acclaim would lead us to believe . the first sequence that takes place in stargher 's mind is by far the best , featuring one of the most ingenious traps i 've ever seen in a film ( involving a horse , which no one seeing this film will probably forget ) , a zoo - like display of stargher 's victims which are animated like marionettes , and stargher himself in a giant purple cape that spans the walls of his mental throne room . if the film had continued within this dirty monstrous world i would have deemed the film brilliant , but alas , the sequences only become more silly as they go along ( despite a painful nipple ring removal later in the film ) . the cast is basically just an excuse for there to be some moderate plot semblance during the parade of images , but at least vincent d'onofrio turns in his usual bizarre and psychotic performance ( magnified by ten , thanks to the environment in which the film has been placed ) . in my opinion , d'onofrio was one of the best creepy actors i have ever seen in a film , but his film choices as of late have been so completely awful ( i . e . - the newton boys , feeling minnesota , the thirteenth floor , and the velocity of gary ) that i have begun to rethink my initial assessment of him . the character of stargher is an excellent role for him though , and will probably lead to a bit of typecasting for him . detractors of violence and disturbing images will want to stay far away from this film , as it contains heavy doses of both . besides the nipple ring removal i mention above , there is also stargher 's penchant for hanging suspended off of the floor by the rings that pierce his back and legs ( prior to his catatonia and capture ) which will have audiences recoiling . a sequence where catherine enters stargher 's mind and finds him recreating the disemboweling of his first victim is also pretty disquieting . one moment also features a character having his intestines slowly removed from his body by an old fashioned hand cranked spit - like device . as a narrative film , the cell is sorely lacking . as a collection of images though , the cell is extremely well done . although the latter sequences in the film contain fewer disturbing imagery than the first half , singh has done what he supposedly set out to do : make a film solely for the purpose of stringing some remarkable images together . unfortunately , a well - written script should have been considered too , because without it the cell just seems like any other music video we could see on mtv ( provided , of course , that mtv allowed for the use of graphic violence and language in music videos ) .

1POS

script that contains several logically questionable moments , the cell does feature some remarkable imagery . all of the sequences where we delve into someone 's mind are incredibly beautiful ( including the dank mind of stargher , whose thoughts with a tool music video ) , proving that singh is as adept at filming strange and wonderful images as his acclaim would first sequence that takes place in stargher 's mind is by far the best , featuring one of the most ingenious traps i 've ever seen in a film ( involving a horse , which no has been placed ) . in my opinion , d'onofrio was one of the best creepy actors i have ever seen in a film , initial assessment of him . the character of stargher is an excellent role for him though , and will probably lead to a . as a collection of images though , the cell is extremely well done . although the latter sequences in the film contain fewer

when casting the key part of the voice of moses , most people 's first candidate would probably not be the controversial actor val kilmer ( the saint and the island of dr . moreau ) , but he was dreamworks 's choice in their first traditionally animated movie , the prince of egypt . the selection of kilmer proved to be a wise one , but the biggest risk dreamworks took was n't in the casting department . the radical departure was that they decided to use the medium of animation to make a biblical epic , a la cecil b . demille , to move our hearts and minds rather than to tickle our funny bones . in the press kit producer penney cox says that they wanted to make a film for adults based on sophisticated themes but one that did not exclude children . animated movies for adults that are appropriate for kids and that are not comedies , now that is something fresh . let me admit up - front that i was quite skeptical as to whether dreamworks could pull it off . dreamworks 's antz seemed to be a movie not quite appropriate for any age group . the prince of egypt may be harder to market than antz , but it is much more satisfying . like antz and unlike the more modest casting of pixar 's a bug 's life , the prince of egpyt has half of hollywood doing the voices . danny glover is the voice of jethro , jeff goldblum of aaron , steve martin of hotep , helen mirren of the queen , michelle pfeiffer of tzipporah , martin short of huy and patrick stewart of seti . you can figure out for yourself who does the voice of god . the movie , which is weakest in the story department , is a cliff 's notes version of demille 's the ten commandments . the script by kelly asbury and lorna cook has an obsession with touching briefly on every classic event in moses 's life . demille took over three and a half hours in order to do it justice . at less than half of that , the prince of egypt rushes through so much material that it does n't establish sufficient depth for us to bond with the characters . we meet moses when the queen finds him floating in his little basket . we watch him grow up and become best bud and a chariot racing partner to ramses ( ralph fiennes ) , the future pharaoh . moses is a free spirit and a practical joker until he finds out his true identity as a jew . ( " all i 've ever known to be true is a lie , " moses complains . ) after finding out his real identity , he sees for the first time the oppression of the jewish slaves that are all around him . after leaving egypt , moses comes back to ask ramses to let moses 's people go . this leads to the classic scene of the parting of the red sea , which is one of many places where computers were used to enhance the traditionally hand - drawn animation of the most of the production . it is the absolutely stunning visuals that make the movie so compelling . drawn with a rich palette of luxurious roses , blues and golds , the picture looks sumptuous from its first frame to its last . the construction of the temple is shown in blowing dust , and other scenes are shot with the glow of a rising sun . the most original visual sequence in the film occurs during a dream moses has . done with an explicit two - dimensional look , the colorful images painted on the temple walls come to life to tell their own animated story . even though it has its weaknesses , the prince of egypt is a noble attempt to carve out a new genre -- serious animated movies for adults that are acceptable for the entire family . this awe - inspiring movie deserves to be seen . the prince of egypt runs about 1 : 30 . it is rated pg for thematic elements and would be fine for the whole family . how old a kid would need to be to be interested depends on the child , but those over 8 will probably like it .

1POS

, the prince of egypt . the selection of kilmer proved to be a wise one , but the biggest risk dreamworks took was n't in appropriate for kids and that are not comedies , now that is something fresh . let me admit up - front that i was egypt may be harder to market than antz , but it is much more satisfying . like antz and unlike the more modest casting of animation of the most of the production . it is the absolutely stunning visuals that make the movie so compelling . drawn with a rich palette of luxurious roses , blues and golds , the picture looks sumptuous from its first frame to its last . the construction of the temple is shown in blowing are shot with the glow of a rising sun . the most original visual sequence in the film occurs during a dream moses has . done with an it has its weaknesses , the prince of egypt is a noble attempt to carve out a new genre -- serious animated movies for adults that are acceptable for the entire family . this awe - inspiring movie deserves to be seen . the prince of egypt runs about 1 : 30

" . . it 's certainly more than just a monster story . . " - kenneth branagh , director / actor / co - writer of mary shelley 's frankenstein . kenneth branagh 's new motion picture had to compete with all the previous frankenstein - films made throughout the years in almost every part of the world , including the most controversial version of them all - directed by james whale . the dark and stormy nights , the lightning bolts , the charnel houses of spare body parts , the laboratory where victor frankenstein stirs his steaming cauldron of life are effectful . but the center of the film , quieter and more thoughtful , contains the real story . horror - fans will probably be disappointed by the total lack of horror . branagh has instead concentrated on serious issues : morality , philosophy and human elements of the story , and not on old fashioned horror cliches . his version is much closer to the book than all the previous adaptions of the classic novel . the film begins and ends somewhere in the arctic ocean . the year is 1794 . a bold captain is steering his ship through the unknown waters . his gole is to reach the north pole at all costs . as the ice closes around his ship , a figure appears on the horizon . it 's a man . exhausted and on the brink of death he approaches the frightening crew . his name is victor frankenstein ( kenneth branagh ) and his story is so terrifying that it will scare everyone from venturing into the unknown . the myserious stranger begins his tale , or more precisely his confession , in geneva , 1773 . he is remembering his childhood and youth . laughter , banquets and parties - a happy life , without troubles or concerns . here victor lived with his father ( ian holm ) , mother ( cherie lunghi ) , his surrogate sister ( helena boham carter ) and his servants in happiness and harmony . this idyllic lifestyle is suddenly changed . like thunder from a quite sky , his mother dies , giving birth to his youngest brother . shocked , baffled and then gradually changed by grief and despair , victor ( already interested in science ) becomes obsessed with death . standing on his mother 's grave he says : " oh mother . . you did not have to die . . . no one should ever die . . . i will stop this . . i promiss . . " after proposing marridge to his surrogate sister and promising to return as soon as his studies are finished , victor travels to ingolstadt , in presuite of a medical career . after a while his obsession totally overtakes him as he is working day and night , creating life from death . composing dead bodies , frankenstein wanted to create the perfect man - both physically and mentally . with strong electrical impulses , he managed to breeth life into his creation . the result was ugliness . realizing what he has done , frankenstein tried to undo his work , but it was to late . the creature has escaped . because of the epidemic , frankenstein hoped that his creation has died and returned to his home , making plans for the wedding . for a while everything is as it was before his mother 's death . but then one by one his loved once are dying mysteriously . . . whale 's picture , although powerful , never managed to capture the total depth of the novel . brannagh has more or less done that . another thing is characters and actors . branagh has developed every character and assembled a magnificent cast . the greatest performances comes from de niro - the monster , that has been played by ( among others ) charles ogle , karloff , lon chaney , bela lugosi , glenn strange , christopher lee , fred gwynne ( as herman munster ) , and now , robert de niro . alone , hated and feared , he is completely aware of his ugliness . at first he is like a helpless , abandoned child , desperately reaching out for love . later when he reads frankenstein 's journal , and learns that he is composed of dead bodies , his love turns into rage as he is seeking revenge . he is capable of killing without regret . " i took him by the throughout and lifted him off the ground . . . . and then i slowly crushed his neck . . . and as i killed him , i saw your face . . " that is how he reveals his savage nature to his creator . and yet , he is never quite evil in our eyes and his vaulerbility and his loneliness are palpable : " for the sympathy of one living being i would make peace with all . " rarely has a cinematic interpretation of " the daemon " approached the level of three - dimensionality and humanity with which it is portrayed in the novel . another vital thing is the character of victor frankenstein . in most of the previous adaptions he was simply a mad scientist that trolls the graveyards for corpses and then creates a monster ( god knows why ! ) with the power of an electrical storm . almost no time was granted on his charecter , who is the most important and vital charecter in the novel . here , branagh introduces the character of victor frankenstein , establishes his obsession with the very nature of life and death , sets up the intellectual and ideological conflict between victor and the academic establishment , and somehow manages to build up to a rousing and horrifying creation scene . branagh plays frankenstein with a remarkable understanding of his character . on the outside he is strong , ambitious and talented scientist , but deep down he is unsecure , fragile and vaulerble , constantly haunted by the ghosts from his past . helen boham carter is equally wonderful as frankenstein 's surrogate sister , who at the end becomes his wife for a little while , before death drives them apart . the rest of the cast , playing secondary characters , is solid and nothing less than convincing . visually the film is stunning ( especially the makeup ) . the spinning camera , the constantly building - up musical acore , the art direction , the production design , the costumes are all magnificent : from the arctic ocean to the swiss alps and dark forests , to the plague - riddled streets of ingolstadt , mary shelley 's frankenstein is a wonder to behold . kenneth branagh directs his film as if the script was written by shakespeare : " . . all i once loved lies in a shallow grave . . . . by my hand . . " . and the film ends exacly as hamlet , when the creature sets both his and his creator 's body on fire . the film ends with frankenstein and his creation burning in the almost hellish fire in the darkness . and a terrifying last close - up on the creature 's smiling face . can a man create life , then abandon his creation because its appearance horrifies him ? to whom are its actions then attributable : the creature or the being who brought about its existence ? shelley did not answer these questions , but she certainly posed them . following her example , branagh does the same . his film is a tragic saga about playing god . victor frankenstein is not an evil man . he wanted to change the world to the better . in this he represents everything science stands for : acting without doubts , never considering the consequences of his actions . produced by francis ford coppola , frankenstein resembles in some respects coppolas previous film " dracula " . in comparison , i can say that " dracula " has visuals that even " frankenstein " can not live up to . but when it comes to story , characters and casting , " frankenstein " is stronger . but stronger than both of them , on every aspect , is neil jordan 's " interview with the vampire " . although the film is not perfect ( the camera that simply refuses to stay still and the occasionally pushy score are at times more tiering than effective ) , these minor faults are easily forgivable , as the picture is otherwise captivating and stimulating . branagh has probably created one of the best ( if not the best ) adaptions of shelly 's classic novel .

1POS

that . another thing is characters and actors . branagh has developed every character and assembled a magnificent cast . the greatest performances comes from de niro - the monster , that has humanity with which it is portrayed in the novel . another vital thing is the character of victor frankenstein . in most of obsession with the very nature of life and death , sets up the intellectual and ideological conflict between victor and the academic establishment , and somehow manages to build up to a rousing and horrifying creation scene . branagh plays frankenstein with a remarkable understanding of his character . on the outside he is strong , ambitious and the ghosts from his past . helen boham carter is equally wonderful as frankenstein 's surrogate sister , who at the end rest of the cast , playing secondary characters , is solid and nothing less than convincing . visually the film is stunning ( especially the makeup ) . the spinning camera , the art direction , the production design , the costumes are all magnificent : from the arctic ocean to the swiss alps and riddled streets of ingolstadt , mary shelley 's frankenstein is a wonder to behold . kenneth branagh directs his film as if the script story , characters and casting , " frankenstein " is stronger . but stronger than both of them , on every aspect , is as the picture is otherwise captivating and stimulating . branagh has probably created one of the best ( if not the best ) adaptions of shelly 's classic novel .

" love is the devil " is a challenging film , munundating its audience with wild imagery and a plot structure that disallows a plot , perhaps in an attempt to get us to know the artist 's psyche rather than the artist 's lifeline . watching it , i was enthralled with the look of the film , the way the director shot everything like it was looking through a bizarre , personalized filter . everything looks like it is not how life looks like but how painter francis bacon , the film 's subject , looked at it personally . but while i was engrossed , i stumbled upon my thoughts halfway through the film , awakened from my trance by some inner distraction , and began to try and follow what 's going on . exactly what was i looking at ? watching this film , i was n't sure if it was the most insightful film i had ever seen or the most vacuous . directed ( and written ) by john maybury , " love is the devil " is stylish masterpiece for the senses . everything looks originally bizarre and perplexing . the camera angles are ferociously askew , and the close - ups are uncomfortably too close . the editing is deft , occasionally cutting away to something bizarre every couple seconds , but other times holding on a shot for so long that you wonder if the audience is not supposed to be voyeurs , or rather , intruders to bacon 's world and psyche . as such , there is no real story . i 've not heard much about francis bacon that i did n't read prior to the film , but what i learned was this : he was a painter in england who reached his peak during the 60s and 70s , drawing hideously bizarre drawings of carnage and the like . he was one of the first to really come out of the closet , and in interviews , he was notoriously drunk yet incredibly witty . as played by great shakesperean actor derek jacobi , he 's like a foppish and self - absorbed cross between oscar wilde and nero . he lives life the way he wants to live it , to the disatisfaction of those who have the privelege of being really close to him . it 's as if he were taking delight in the destruction of others and maybe himself ( " champagne for my real friends , and pain for my sham friends , " he says one night at the bar he frequents ) . " love is the devil " chronicles the latter part of his life . bacon , well - known in his mid - life , awakens one night when he hears a man tumble through his ceiling window and land on the floor . he walks in , unafraid of what he finds , and discovers a thief , george dyer ( daniel craig ) . bacon gives him an offer : if he spends the night with him , he can take anything he wants in the morning . george agrees to this , and off to bed he goes , but ends up staying with him , for whatever reason . the film shows their lives together , at least in reference to one another . while creating bacon 's world of friends ( like " high art , " this film minors in showing a certain group of people who radiate a connection that is not shown but is understood ) , the film shows the relationship of bacon and george as it remains rather stagnant . bacon is haughty and bizarre ; george is simple and does n't understand bacon in the least , especially not his paintings . while watching this , that 's basically all i thought was there . the film has a hypnotic feel , free of any restraints of form , and is shot so uniquely that i felt my attention was almost entirely on the way this film was made rather than what it is about . once the film is over , it 's easier to piece it together . i kept on thinking about this film , wondering what the point to all of it was . someone does n't merely make a film of all style and no substance at all , and if they do , they do it by accident , but still allow some substance to creep in . thinking about it , i remembered how the two fed off of eachother . i thought about how bacon was a masochist , in love with cruelty ( in one scene , he watches a boxing match with a orgiastic delight , and lets out a squeal of pleasure when blood from the one boxer 's head splashes across his face ; in another scene , he masturbates to the odessa steps sequence of eisenstein 's " battleship potemkin " ) , and perhaps he drove george too far in his delight for pain . he drove him over the edge , and for him that was love , even if it was n't for george . i guess that explains the title . a bit . that 's great and all , but i almost wish the film was devoid of any meaning . i wish it had n't reduced itself to making some point about humanity , about how love is the most selfish thing in the world ( and it is , if you look at it a certain way ) . or maybe if it had avoided any meaning about humanity and merely drove itself into being the one film that was truly inside one man 's twisted pysche . it 's almost always best to obtain insights from looking at one man 's uniqueness than it is forcing universality down an audience 's throat . that way you do n't reduce your film to something it 's just not . i ca n't say i totally enjoyed " love is the devil , " though . despite all of the things i respect about this movie , it 's still rather uncomfortable to sit through . even at a normally trite length of ninety minutes , the film still seems like an arduous task to sit through , especially after an exhausting first hour . though hypnotic , it still almost seems gimmicky and even redundant at times , as if it were taking advantage of one man 's truly bizarre nature but not doing anything deeper with it . as such , i respect the way the film looks . it 's beautiful and painstakingly crafted so that , along with " what dreams may come " and " dark city , " it 's the year 's most visually stunning film . in fact , if a better script had been forged , i 'd almost compare it in visual power to a peter greenaway film , complete with similar haunting images that stick in the mind forever . and with a dymanite performance by derek jacobi , it has the comic and distanced tone that it needs . i just wish it had been more than mostly style and just a hair bit of substance . then i would have had something to hold me over even now .

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" love is the devil " is a challenging film , munundating its audience with wild imagery and a plot rather than the artist 's lifeline . watching it , i was enthralled with the look of the film , the way the 's subject , looked at it personally . but while i was engrossed , i stumbled upon my thoughts halfway through the film john maybury , " love is the devil " is stylish masterpiece for the senses . everything looks originally bizarre and perplexing . the camera angles are ferociously askew , and the 's basically all i thought was there . the film has a hypnotic feel , free of any restraints of form , and is shot so uniquely that i felt my attention was almost entirely on the i guess that explains the title . a bit . that 's great and all , but i almost wish the film was devoid of enjoyed " love is the devil , " though . despite all of the things i respect about this movie , it 's still rather uncomfortable to sit through . through , especially after an exhausting first hour . though hypnotic , it still almost seems gimmicky and even redundant at not doing anything deeper with it . as such , i respect the way the film looks . it 's beautiful and painstakingly crafted so that , along with " what dreams may come " dark city , " it 's the year 's most visually stunning film . in fact , if a better script had been images that stick in the mind forever . and with a dymanite performance by derek jacobi , it has the comic and distanced

a costume drama set in the 1500s , england , elizabeth is a lush , romantic , political masterpiece about the upset over the crossing of a protestant queen from a respected catholic one . when the court and country are a whole after the passing of the queens , the royal family , so to speak , are upset that a protestant should be crowened , and not another catholic , plus , the new queen , elizabeth i ( cate blanchette ) , was the bastard baby of the previous queen mary 's father . the persecution over catholics and protestants is n't the only majority in elizabeth . elizabeth i must face the decision to give up personal pleasures , and her lover ( joseph fiennes of shakespeare in love ) , in order to rule , successfully , the country , which she did for 40 more years . both elizabeth and shakespeare in love are set in the elizabethian era , and both feature a queen elizabeth i ( judi dench plays her in love ) , or course . yet , i found elizabeth more stimulating and involving than love , not just because elizabeth features a great deal more of elizabeth i , but because i found blanchette a more powerful , hypnotic sense for the role . elizabeth , also featuring geoffrey rush and richard attenborough , is my pick for the best picture of 1998 award . it 's a dynamic , important , breathtaking film of loyalty , power , greed , and trust . shakespeare would die for the book rights .

1POS

drama set in the 1500s , england , elizabeth is a lush , romantic , political masterpiece about the upset over the crossing of a protestant queen her in love ) , or course . yet , i found elizabeth more stimulating and involving than love , not just because elizabeth features a great more of elizabeth i , but because i found blanchette a more powerful , hypnotic sense for the role . elizabeth , also featuring geoffrey rush and richard attenborough , is my pick for the best picture of 1998 award . it 's a dynamic , important , breathtaking film of loyalty , power , greed , and trust .

jay and silent bob strike back can rightfully be subtitled " kevin smith 's greatest hits " for the film is comprised of numerous references and characters from smith 's earlier works including , clerks , mall rats . chasing amy and dogma . so , be advised : bone up on that cinematic quartet in order to achieve the maximum enjoyment from smith 's latest outing . kevin smith must be a very likable person because several good sports took a ton of kidding in this feature , most notably miramax , the studio whose subsidiary , dimension films , is jay and silent bob 's distributor . others deserving accolades include ben affleck , matt damon , directors gus van zant and wes craven and the mighty george lucas . this is a laugh - filled , foul - mouthed road film with jay ( jason mewes ) and silent bob ( smith ) hitching to hollywood to sabotage miramax 's production of bluntman and chronic , comic book characters based on the two jersey slackers . jay 's convoluted reasoning is that if the film is shut down , people on the internet will stop insulting him and bob , even though it is not him and bob the people are dissing , but rather their comic book counterparts . no matter , the duo begin their long trek hitching rides across the country . but first they get some tips from a veteran hitchhiker , played by george carlin , who tells them to follow " the book " - the rules of the road . of course jay 's interpretation immediately gets the duo in trouble with a friendly nun ( carrie fisher ) who offers them a ride . jay and silent bob contains enough laughs that the movie 's weaker aspects - which include a lame subplot about a girl gang of diamond thieves as well as a buffoonish federal park ranger played by will ferrell - can be easily tolerated . really , how can you not laugh at a film in which our heroes are picked up by the mystery van , and jay has a pot - induced hallucination concerning velma and daphne . the movie 's highlight , though , is near the finale . in hollywood , jay and silent bob sneak onto the miramax lot where they crash the set and are mistaken for extras of the latest affleck - damon picture , good will hunting 2 : hunting season . here we are privy to a hilarious conversation between affleck and damon in which the two put down each other 's careers and film choices . and the laughs continue to grow . next up is jason ( american pie ) biggs and james ( dawson 's creek ) van der beek , the actors chosen to portray bluntman and chronic . the pair mistake jay and silent bob for their stunt doubles . finally , comes a star wars homage featuring one of the stars of that legendary feature . this bit will leave you howling . smith 's obvious affection for pop culture icons is evident in the way he shoots these scenes and handles his performers . he allows them to play it all tongue - in - cheek . their fun comes through the screen to the audience . it is too bad that this is jay and silent bob 's swan song . the characters have grown since their supporting role debuts in clerks . but smith realizes that times have changed , and he does n't want his creations to overstay their welcome . so smith has provided them with just the right kind of exit , saving the best for last . goodbye jay and silent bob . at least you 're going out with a blast .

1POS

wes craven and the mighty george lucas . this is a laugh - filled , foul - mouthed road film with jay ( jason mewes ) and silent bob ( who offers them a ride . jay and silent bob contains enough laughs that the movie 's weaker aspects - which include a will ferrell - can be easily tolerated . really , how can you not laugh at a film in which our heroes are picked up a pot - induced hallucination concerning velma and daphne . the movie 's highlight , though , is near the finale . in hollywood , jay and silent bob sneak onto , good will hunting 2 : hunting season . here we are privy to a hilarious conversation between affleck and damon in which the two put down featuring one of the stars of that legendary feature . this bit will leave you howling . smith 's obvious affection for pop culture icons is way he shoots these scenes and handles his performers . he allows them to play it all tongue - in - cheek . their fun comes through the screen to the audience . it is too bad that this is jay and provided them with just the right kind of exit , saving the best for last . goodbye jay and silent bob . at least you 're going out with a blast .

a sci fi / comedy starring jack nicholson , pierce brosnan , annette benning , glenn close , martin short and other stars . a warner bros picture the martians have landed in this hillarous tim burton movie . before entering the cinema , i was initially a little bit nervous about what this film would be like . many people were saying that this film was silly rubbish , and there was no point to it all . how wrong they were . i left this film feeling much happier than i was before i entered the cinema . the story is about martians attacking earth . using ray guns ( hooray ! ) they generally cause havoc around the u . s and other countries . nicholson plays the president who must try to stop invasion , and also taking advice from his loopy officials . but , basically , its a load of set pieces showing the martians destroying earth . the way people are killed by the ray guns is great , they is a hillarous ( and mildly disturbing scene ) involving a martian lady , a mad general who just wants to nuke the aliens away , ( and ends up getting squashed by an aliens foot ) and a gory finale involving lots of alien heads exploding . but , most of all , this film is fun . the martians are full of character , the performances are spot on , and the all star cast help make the film more enjoyable . the film is a million times better then the dire independance day , and is a real tribute to the tacky ' 50s invasion movies . they are is a great score by danny elfman , and lots of laughs . this has to be the best invasion i 've seen for a long time .

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a warner bros picture the martians have landed in this hillarous tim burton movie . before entering the cinema , i point to it all . how wrong they were . i left this film feeling much happier than i was before i entered the cinema . the the way people are killed by the ray guns is great , they is a hillarous ( and mildly disturbing scene ) involving a martian lady alien heads exploding . but , most of all , this film is fun . the martians are full of character , the performances are spot on , and the all star cast help make the film more enjoyable . the film is a million times better then the dire independance day , and is a real tribute to the tacky ' 50s invasion movies . they are is a great score by danny elfman , and lots of laughs . this has to be the best invasion i 've seen for a long time .

let 's face it : the $ 100 million - plus smash that was " goldeneye " was not a good film by any means , and as a bond movie was only marginally better than , say , " a view to a kill " or either of the timothy dalton pictures , by virtue of nice pacing . but it did revive the series , and granted the producers some new directions in which to take the it ( ie . the new " m " is a woman ) . " tomorrow never dies " is the picture " goldeneye " should have been ; it 's also the most entertaining bond outing since " the spy who loved me " . the new picture opens with china considering war with britain after a standard military operation is misconstrued as a hostile threat from an english submarine . as an attack occurs , the front - page headline is already being prepared , courtesy of carver media . carver ( pryce ) the man is a deluded magnate , a sort of hybrid of ted turner , bill gates , and peter sellars ' german scientist from " dr . strangelove " ( physically , pryce even recalls sellars in his kubrick days ) . it 's up to james bond to take him down , with assistance , of course , from a wealth of gadgets ( including a multi - purpose cell phone ) , and beautiful women . enter michelle yeoh , fresh from " supercop " , as a chinese secret agent with her own agenda ; with effortless grace , she cat burgles , dispatches baddies seemingly with the ease of preparing pasta , and refuses the advances of our philandering hero . they make a great team . " tomorrow never dies " is a surprisingly entertaining and efficient film , given that at the helm is none other than the director of " turner & hooch " . spottiswoode has crafted some breathtaking set pieces , each much more intricate and impressive than , for instance , the tank scene in " goldeneye " . moreover , brosnan has at last settled into the role some feel he was born to play ; last time out , the fate of the franchise rested on his shoulders , and there was noticeable discomfort in his body language . returned in brosnan 's eyes has some of the playfulness he demonstrated for so many years on tv 's " remington steele " , as has his deadpan wit . and though carver 's motives are muddy ( when carver explains that " genius is insanity with some success " , screenwriter fierstein is taking a lazy shortcut ) , pryce makes an agreeable , memorable villain . in the future , they should pursue actors as talented and experienced as pryce to breathe life into these cardboard figures . there a few too many explosions in " tomorrow never dies " , perhaps so many they qualify as dialogue . and it could have used a sharper script , though i was amused by the double entendres , none of which i will reveal here . as it stands , the plot suffers many holes ( i 'm not taking about implausibilities ) , and the dialogue tends towards the hackneyed . now that the elements are in place : modern special effects and stunt work , cool pierce brosnan , kickass female allies . . . it 's time to put them to use in something truly special . there 's no mistaking , however , that " tomorrow never dies " is ideal holiday escapism , and for the first time in perhaps years , you 'll walk out wanting more bond movies . -reviewed december 17 , 1997

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" goldeneye " should have been ; it 's also the most entertaining bond outing since " the spy who loved me " . the , and refuses the advances of our philandering hero . they make a great team . " tomorrow never dies " is a surprisingly entertaining and efficient film , given that at the helm is none other than the director of " turner & hooch " . spottiswoode has crafted some breathtaking set pieces , each much more intricate and impressive than , for instance , the tank scene in " goldeneye " . moreover , brosnan has at last settled into the role some feel he was born to play ; last time out , the fate of the franchise screenwriter fierstein is taking a lazy shortcut ) , pryce makes an agreeable , memorable villain . in the future , they should pursue actors and it could have used a sharper script , though i was amused by the double entendres , none of which i will hackneyed . now that the elements are in place : modern special effects and stunt work , cool pierce brosnan , kickass female allies . . . it 's time to put them to , however , that " tomorrow never dies " is ideal holiday escapism , and for the first time in perhaps years , you 'll walk out wanting more bond movies . -reviewed december 17 , 1997

rated : r for strong language , sexual dialogue , drug use , crude humor , violence and brief nudity . starring : ben affleck , matt damon , linda fiorentino , salma hayek , alan rickman , chris rock , kevin smith , jason mewes , jason lee , george carlin , alanis morissette . running time : 130 minutes being a huge fan of kevin smith , i was expecting a lot out of his newest project ' dogma ' . it might just be kevin 's best work to date . it 's very funny with smart and foul - mouthed dialogue while unexpectedly it has a serious undertone to it and besides going against god and jesus christ , it actually tries to tell people that there is such a thing rather than that there is n't . in 1994 a little $ 27 , 000 movie premiered at sundance . this little film was called ' clerks ' and this little film went on to become a huge video sensation . you really ca n't meet a person on this green earth who has not seen ' clerks ' . it was hailed by critics as one of the best movies of the year and soon a sequel is coming . in 1995 kevin made another movie ' mallrats ' that flopped horribly , thought it was not the best movie ever made it was a pretty good little flick . it was panned by critics but hailed by audiences and in 1997 ' chasing amy ' came out and was kevin 's biggest success to date . now in 1999 we get a great little movie by the name of ' dogma ' . wow ! what a cast . ok here is the plot in this movie : linda fiorentino plays a regular woman who works at an abortion clinic . one day at her house metatron ( the voice of god ) appears at her house much to her surprise and tells her that she must stop two fallen angels ( matt damon and ben affleck ) from getting back into heaven by ways of a church . ok now get this , she is told to find two prophets : one who talks a lot and one who does n't , however she gets jay and silent bob instead ( who give us great performances ) . now on her way to new jersey with jay and silent bob to try and stop the two angels the 13th apostle falls out of the sky ( chris rock ) and helps guide her to find these angels . salma hayek plays serendipity who also helps her out along her way . azrael ( jason lee ) who is a demon is trying to help the two angels out so that they can win . bethany ( linda fiorentino ) has to now use the help of all these people to try and stop the angels before they cheat their way back to heaven leading to a violent and bloody end that will make you think twice about your faith . what a movie , it is everything rolled into one : an offensive , offbeat , smart and sassy comedy that surprisingly has a great message at the end , and ends up being a feel - good movie . who would have known kevin had such a soft side on him that could make us know that he is a faithful person himself . now for those of you who get offended with this movie really should not take it to heart . yes it may target the catholic community and bash them a lot , but it also seems to rather than go against god and heaven , it actually goes with god and kevin gives a message that there is a god . this review may sound confusing at first but really the only way to understand it is to see this excellent movie . kevin goes to new lengths in this hilarious comedy and gives us some great characters with not too much background or study and rather we start to know the characters as we watch the movie . of course the best ( and funniest ) of them all is the only duo in history that have made me fall out of my chair laughing and that my friends are jay and silent bob . probably the best characters in movies that i like . the star - studded cast is amazing and has some other cameos by george carlin , jeanne garafolo and so may more that we start to lose track after a while . the script was written by kevin smith with many f'words in there of course and a strong emphasis on sexual talk but he also seems to concentrate on what is important rather that what is n't and makes us laugh at the same time as we think . chris rock gives a hilarious performance and gets into his character very well , with some classic lines . linda fiorentino is just perfect for her role and makes us believe that she really is who she is . of course jason mewes and kevin smith do a great job as jay and silent bob with some priceless lines from jay ( as well as silent bob ) . alan rickman , jason lee , salma hayek round out the cast with matt damon and ben affleck in the starring roles . being oscar winners for the classic ' good will hunting ' they give great performances here again but matt damon seems just a little held back and to me did not give it all he could . ben however was all out and got very much into his character as well as the story . the movie 's only big flaw is that it has a few unfunny lines and some slow parts to go along with it . however the direction by kevin and the script by kevin as well as the priceless performance by many of the cast members , ' dogma ' stands as a new classic and i think i can safely compare it to ' clerks ' . while being funny at times , in the end it becomes a serious movie with an important message that some may not agree with but ca n't deny it . ' dogma ' will offend people , especially deeply religious people , but for those of you who are open minded and want to see some very funny material then this is the movie for you . all kevin smith fans must see ! !

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' dogma ' . it might just be kevin 's best work to date . it 's very funny with smart and foul - mouthed dialogue while unexpectedly it has a serious undertone to it and little movie by the name of ' dogma ' . wow ! what a cast . ok here is the plot in this movie : n't , however she gets jay and silent bob instead ( who give us great performances ) . now on her way to new jersey with jay a movie , it is everything rolled into one : an offensive , offbeat , smart and sassy comedy that surprisingly has a great message at the end , and ends up being a feel - good movie . who would have known kevin had such a soft the only way to understand it is to see this excellent movie . kevin goes to new lengths in this hilarious comedy and gives us some great characters with not too much background or study and rather we the characters as we watch the movie . of course the best ( and funniest ) of them all is the only duo in history that have made me fall out of my chair laughing and that my friends are jay and silent bob . probably the best characters in movies that i like . the star - studded cast is amazing and has some other cameos by george carlin , jeanne on what is important rather that what is n't and makes us laugh at the same time as we think . chris rock gives a hilarious performance and gets into his character very well , with some classic lines . linda fiorentino is just perfect for her role and makes us believe that she really is who she is . of course jason mewes and kevin smith do a great job as jay and silent bob with some priceless lines from jay ( as well as silent bob ) . oscar winners for the classic ' good will hunting ' they give great performances here again but matt damon seems just a little held all he could . ben however was all out and got very much into his character as well as the story . the movie 's only by kevin and the script by kevin as well as the priceless performance by many of

one of the most popular subplots in the entire science fiction genre is time travel . that concept , although many purists doubt its scientific credentials , spawned many interesting novels , comic books and films in the last century . however , the big grand - daddy of time travels , h . g . wells ' novel the time machine , was n't written with the intention to speculate about that concept or its consequences . the author , h . g . wells merely used it as a convenient way to express his socialist views and condemn the great social gap between the rich , idle capitalist class and impoverished labour . whatever intentions wells had , the future generations of readers were less impressed by his political messages . instead they were fascinated by the idea that the strange new worlds could be explored without traveling trough space . the novel became one of great classics of science fiction genre and it natural for filmmakers to use it as inspiration . first of them was george pal , who in 1960 directed film which would , through the years , become genre classic of its own . the plot revolves about george ( rod taylor ) , victorian scientist who discovered the way to travel through the fourth dimension - time . at the eve of the new 20th century , george gathers his friends in order to present them his invention - machine that would enable him to travel through time . they are skeptical , but that does n't prevent george from carrying out his plan and traveling into the future . at first , he travels slowly , seeing london as it changes through the years and three world wars . finally , after witnessing world war three , he travels far into the future , hoping that he would cease to witness wars and senseless destructions . when he finally reaches year 802 , 701 ad , at first glance , new world looks like utopia - humanity consists of young , beautiful , but idle eloi , people who are fed , clothed and taken care of by unseen machines . but , weena ( yvette mimieux ) , eloi woman , tells george about another side of the coin - in the night , her people is preyed upon by morlocs , humanoid creatures from the underworld . the time machine became the cinematic classic for the very same reason the novel became the classic in science fiction literature - the fantastic concept was a brilliant way for the authors to talk about burning issues and fears of their respective times . for h . g . wells it was frightening threat of class struggle ; for george pal and his screenwriter david duncan , who produced the film in the worst days of the cold war , it was the constant and more imminent threat of nuclear holocaust , underlined with the negative references to war throughout the movie . even the modern audience , which would be tempted to discard the film as old - fashioned , could find some values in its universal messages , fit for each era . compared with the genre films of today , the time machine is even better , and could serve as a good example how to make intelligent , thought - provoking films . of course , since this is hollywood product after all , the time machine delivers such concepts in the form of classic adventure , sometimes sacrificing plausibility for the sake of attractiveness . for example , it is hard to imagine that someone would be able to understand perfect english million years in future ; same is with morlocs degenerating into mutant monsters , while eloi remain undistinguished from the people of today . some of the final scenes , that turn victorian scientist into an action superhero , are also rather unconvincing . but , on the other hand , the film is very well directed , cleverly paced and the special effects , although definitely old - fashioned , are more than adequate for this kind of picture . the acting is good , with rod taylor in one of his most remembered roles , while in the same time alan young brings rather memorable performance as george 's trusted friend filby . yvette mimieux , who plays weena , on the other hand , would be remembered more by her looks than by the complexity of her role . however , despite all those flaws , the time machine is a very good piece of cinema , something that connoisseurs of quality science - fiction films sorely miss these days .

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humanoid creatures from the underworld . the time machine became the cinematic classic for the very same reason the novel became the classic in science fiction literature - the fantastic concept was a brilliant way for the authors to talk about burning issues and fears tempted to discard the film as old - fashioned , could find some values in its universal messages , fit for each era . compared with the genre films of today , the time machine is even better , and could serve as a good example how to make intelligent , thought - provoking films . of course , since this is hollywood product after but , on the other hand , the film is very well directed , cleverly paced and the special effects , although definitely old - fashioned , are more than adequate for this kind of picture . the acting is good , with rod taylor in one of his most remembered roles , while in the same time alan young brings rather memorable performance as george 's trusted friend filby . yvette mimieux , , despite all those flaws , the time machine is a very good piece of cinema , something that connoisseurs of quality science - fiction films

if this keeps up , jane austen ( sense and sensibility , pride and prejudice ) may have to apply for posthumous membership to the screen writers guild . yet another novel of hers has made the transition to the silver screen . mansfield park is a turn of the century ( 18th century going on 19th ) story about love among the classes as well as an examination into proper society and family ties . ten year old fanny price ( hannah taylor - gordon , jakob the liar ) , taken from her mother and father and the poverty in which they dwell , is sent to live with her aunt and the privileged class at mansfield park , under the stern patriarchal hand of her uncle , sir thomas bertram ( harold pinter , mojo ) spending her days reminded of her lower status , she also invents and writes fanciful stories during her private times . fanny eventually grows to become a beautiful , intelligent , and engaging heroine ( quite unlike the original character which ms . austen originally penned in her novel . ) writer / director patricia rozema ( when night is falling ) is responsible for the textual changes . from a purely dramatic perspective , the revision makes perfect sense and improves the film 's audience appeal . what ms . rozema has done is to infuse the main character with much of ms . austen 's own personality by including excerpts from the author 's journals , giving that dialogue to fanny . the result is a central character that is immediately appealing . as the grown fanny , australian actress frances o'connor ( all about adam ) does wonderfully textured work . at times , ms . rozema has fanny address the camera directly to communicate many of the novel 's more introspective observations . this is a difficult device to work seamlessly into a period film and it is to ms . o'connor 's credit that it works as well as it does . the central theme which gives the story its legs in an old one . . . whether it is better to marry for love or for social standing ? fanny has fallen in love with her cousin edmund ( jonny lee miller , plunkett & macleane ) who appears fond of her as well . his attentions are soon divided as the stylish and socially acceptable mary crawford ( embeth davidtz , bicentennial man ) enters the picture along with her equally acceptable brother henry ( alessandro nivola , inventing the abbotts ) who eventually sets his romantic sights upon fanny . while mary and henry are evidently less than sincere in their affections , their presence does provide the movie and the main characters with the necessary conflict that keeps our interest until the film 's appropriately austen - like ending . other thematic devices include a awkwardly inserted reference to the source of the wealth of mansfield park . . . the slave trade . there is also a hint of both lesbianism and incest but neither is carried very far and is soon forgotten . the motivation for marriage remains the primary thematic thrust . fanny 's cousin , maria bertram ( victoria hamilton , persuasion ) is an example of one making a poor match , marrying a well - to - do fool who is able to make her comfortable , but never happy . fanny 's own mother , trapped in her chosen life of squalor warns fanny by admitting that her situation is due to the fact that she " married for love . " fanny , given those two terrible examples , and faced with the same choice is understandably indecisive as to which way to lean . the spiritual answer , of course , lies in the middle of those two extremes . marriage is not a cold , calculating decision based upon self - preservation . neither is it a senseless decision made in the warm afterglow of a passionate embrace . in the purest sense , marriage forms an insoluble union whereby two people agree to function as one . " and said , for this cause shall a man leave father and mother , and shall cleave to his wife : and they twain shall be one flesh ? " matthew 19 : 5 [ kjv ] love and logic can be combined . god 's word contains both . so does a marriage based upon his truth .

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changes . from a purely dramatic perspective , the revision makes perfect sense and improves the film 's audience appeal . what ms . rozema has done is to infuse , giving that dialogue to fanny . the result is a central character that is immediately appealing . as the grown fanny , australian actress frances o'connor ( all about adam ) does wonderfully textured work . at times , ms . rozema has fanny address movie and the main characters with the necessary conflict that keeps our interest until the film 's appropriately austen - like ending . other thematic devices include a awkwardly inserted reference to

saving private ryan ( dreamworks ) running time : 2 hours 48 minutes . starring tom hanks , edward burns , tom sizemore and matt damon directed by steven spielberg already being hailed as the ' greatest war movie ever made , ' saving private ryan is an harrowing , saddening and riveting movie . it may not be the greatest war movie in my opinion , but it 's certainly one of the best war movies made , and one of the best of 1998 . tom hanks stars as a captain who 's troop has to find private ryan ( damon ) who has a ticket home because his three brothers have been killed in action . action , drama and even some humour occur as the troop journeys through wartime france to find him . after the disappointing amistad ( 1997 ) spielberg has returned to form with this excellent movie . i 'm not the war movie genre biggest fan , but i found this film to be gripping , and very scary , thanks to the excellent cast , direction and terrifying battle scenes . tom hanks is superb , straying away from his usually soppy dramatic roles , such as in forrest gump ( 1994 ) . this time , he plays the role with gritty realism , and is much better for it . occasionally he overacts the sentimentally , but he generally delivers a fine performance . edward burns , looking a lot like armageddon 's ben affleck , also delivers a top notch performance , moving away from his roles in films such as she 's the one ( 1996 ) tom sizemore makes less of an impact , but is still watchable , and matt damon reinforcing his position as one of the finest young actors working today . spielberg directs very well , putting the audience right in the heart of the action of the battle scenes . and what battle scenes they are ! they 're truly terrifying , yet the audience can not drag their eyes away from the screen . the battle scenes are filmed with a jerky hand - held camera , and the panic and confusion felt by the soldiers is emphasized by this technique . the gore and violence is n't spared either , which body parts flying , and blood spurting . this film is certainly not for kids and sensitive adults . other factors help saving private ryan be a masterpiece of 90 's film making . the cinematography is excellent , and the music score by john william 's is also superb . it is never intrusive , and adds to the drama on - screen . but while they are thousands of good things great about private ryan , there 's one major flaw that detracts the genius of the film : the writing . it is unusually flat , with many of the speeches strangely weak . the film never really makes any profound statements . this is not a major gripe , as private ryan is a film of action , not words . still , the script could of been a lot better . thankfully , the actors help partly to rectify the situation with their great delivery of their lines . saving private ryan , in the end , is an excellent film , but not the ' greatest war movie ' due to it 's weak acting . this film should be viewed by everyone who has the stomach for it , as it 's rewarding and extremely worthwhile . it really should n't be missed , and dreamworks skg has finally found it 's first hit movie .

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, tom sizemore and matt damon directed by steven spielberg already being hailed as the ' greatest war movie ever made , ' saving private ryan is an harrowing , saddening and riveting movie . it may not be the greatest war movie in my opinion , but it 's certainly one of the best war movies made , and one of the best of 1998 . tom hanks stars as a captain who . after the disappointing amistad ( 1997 ) spielberg has returned to form with this excellent movie . i 'm not the war movie genre biggest fan , but i found this film to be gripping , and very scary , thanks to the excellent cast , direction and terrifying battle scenes . tom hanks is superb , straying away from his usually soppy dramatic roles , in forrest gump ( 1994 ) . this time , he plays the role with gritty realism , and is much better for it . occasionally he overacts the sentimentally , but he generally delivers a fine performance . edward burns , looking a lot like armageddon 's ben affleck , also delivers a top notch performance , moving away from his roles in films such as impact , but is still watchable , and matt damon reinforcing his position as one of the finest young actors working today . spielberg directs very well , putting the audience right in the heart of the scenes they are ! they 're truly terrifying , yet the audience can not drag their eyes away from the screen . the battle scenes are filmed with a jerky hand sensitive adults . other factors help saving private ryan be a masterpiece of 90 's film making . the cinematography is excellent , and the music score by john william 's is also superb . it is never intrusive , and adds to the drama on - screen . but while they are thousands of good things great , the script could of been a lot better . thankfully , the actors help partly to rectify the situation with their great delivery of their lines . saving private ryan , in the end , is an excellent film , but not the ' greatest war movie ' due to it 's weak acting . this film should be viewed by everyone who has the stomach for it , as it 's rewarding and extremely worthwhile . it really should n't be missed , and dreamworks skg has finally found it 's first hit movie .

50 's ` aliens vs . earth ' idea revamped ! if you have been following the movie news over the net , you could not have escaped the hype over id4 . it promises to be the summer film of the year and it has all the elements necessary . id4 opened in the us on 2nd of july , and up till now , only after a week of release , it has nearly touched the us$100 million mark , a phenomenon last observed when jurassic park was released back in 1993 . the premise of the movie is disgustingly simple : earth defends itself against the aliens , a typical and highly popular 50 's hollywood theme which manifested itself in many films produced in that era . the movie opens via star wars , however unoriginal it may be , it worked . the aliens have sent a large mother ship ( supposedly to be 1/4 size of the moon ) to attack earth by deploying attack ships 15 miles in radius to all the major cities on earth . the us president ( pullman ) does not know of the aliens ' intention but soon finds out when david ( goldblum ) a scientist , discovers that the aliens are counting down to a synchronised attack on all the major cities . capt . hiller ( smith ) , a hot - shot f-18 pilot are one of the hundreds assigned to take out the hovering alien attack ship over washington dc . his squadron came under heavy alien fire after discovering that their weapons were useless against the invaders , he crash lands after a spectacular 1-on-1 chase over the grand canyon , one of the many highlights of the movie . id4 features many characters and we are shown the impact on them as the story progresses . acting on the whole was ok although i thought that bill pullman was a bit unsuitable for the president role but he did make a very rousing speech before sending his troops into battle ( do we smell a bit of braveheart here ? ? ) . no prizes for guessing how id4 ends , its just plain obvious . id4 borrows heavily from star wars , return of the jedi , alien and in some parts of the movie , i could even sense a bit of x - files on screen . if i were to critically review this movie , id4 is full of plot holes , corny dialogue , and ridiculously dumb aliens . however below that wafer - thin plot and on - screen flaws , id4 scored well in playing with the appealing idea of the entire world giving up their petty differences to unite themselves as one force against the alien invasion . an idea which will have the audience strongly rooting for the united front throughout the movie , thus maintaining a screen - viewer interaction that virtually render any holes in the movie acceptable , no matter how ridiculous . id4 was produced under a modest budget of us$68 million , a film of such magnitude would have easily been another waterworld but director roland emmerich ( universal soldier , stargate ) and producer dean devlin assembled a team which did their own special effects rather than commissioning it to ilm or any other special effects company . some of the effects are not too good but most of it are very believable , especially the epic standoff between 150 f-18 's and 250 alien saucers , reminiscence of the classic space battle featured in return of the jedi . id4 is a movie for all . though there are many explosions and implied deaths , there are no gory scenes of human destruction , thus young kids should be able to take it . sit back and do n't be too critical , chances are you will be absorbed into the movie just as i was . if you are not planning to watch any movies this year , please , at least make time for this one . this film is best watched on the big - screen .

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weapons were useless against the invaders , he crash lands after a spectacular 1-on-1 chase over the grand canyon , one of the many highlights of the movie . id4 features many characters and we pullman was a bit unsuitable for the president role but he did make a very rousing speech before sending his troops into battle ( do we smell - thin plot and on - screen flaws , id4 scored well in playing with the appealing idea of the entire world giving up their petty differences to one force against the alien invasion . an idea which will have the audience strongly rooting for the united front throughout the movie , thus maintaining . some of the effects are not too good but most of it are very believable , especially the epic standoff between 150 f-18 's and 250 alien saucers , reminiscence battle featured in return of the jedi . id4 is a movie for all . though there are many explosions and implied deaths , back and do n't be too critical , chances are you will be absorbed into the movie just as i was . if you are not planning to watch any movies

the trailers and the beginning of the move sum up this plot very easily . three filmmakers venture into the woods of maryland to track down the legend of the blair witch for a documentary they are making . they disappear and their footage is discovered a year later buried underneath the foundation of a one hundred year old house . from there , things become a little more complicated . i can say , with absolute assurance , that no film has ever had quite the impact that this little movie has had on me . although i know it was all a staged " mockumentary " , there 's no denying the psychological impact this film will leave on you . i did n't feel much upon initially watching it . i just thought it was an interesting film with some pretty creepy parts . i never even dreamed that thirty minutes after the film had ended i would be frightened out of my mind just discussing it with a friend . i 've gotten chills every time i 've brought it up since then . this is not a movie that hits you right away . instead this is a movie that sits at the base of your spine , waits until you think everything is okay , then it slowly starts to creep it 's way up into your mind . this is truly the most frightening movie i have ever had the pleasure to watch . the film is comprised of home video and 16 mm camera footage that the documentarians supposedly shot for their blair witch film , so do n't expect any steadi - cam shots or fancy camera work . this is as real as it gets folks . i do n't recommend sitting too close to the theater screen though , because i guarantee you will get motion sickness from the constant movement of the camera . the performances of the three lead actors in the film are so real , you may find yourself questioning whether all of this has really happened or not . this is definitely a movie that warrants home video viewing , especially due to the fact that the bulk of the movie was shot with a standard home video camera . the reality of the images will strike frighteningly close to home when viewed as actual video instead of the tape - to - film transfer done for the big screen . word has it that a special edition dvd with boatloads of extras ( hours of deleted scenes , alternate endings , commentary , the sci - fi channel special , and others ) is being planned for release . i urge artisan entertainment to forge ahead with this plan and give us what could be the dvd to rival all dvd 's . i know i 'll be first in line to buy one . [ r ]

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. i can say , with absolute assurance , that no film has ever had quite the impact that this little movie has had on me . although i know it was all a staged " mockumentary " , there 's no denying the psychological impact this film will leave on you . i did n't feel much upon initially watching it to creep it 's way up into your mind . this is truly the most frightening movie i have ever had the pleasure to watch . the film is comprised of home video and 16 any steadi - cam shots or fancy camera work . this is as real as it gets folks . i do n't recommend sitting too close to the motion sickness from the constant movement of the camera . the performances of the three lead actors in the film are so real , you may find yourself questioning whether all of this has really happened or not . this is definitely a movie that warrants home video viewing , especially due to the fact that the bulk of movie was shot with a standard home video camera . the reality of the images will strike frighteningly close to home when viewed as actual video instead of the tape - the dvd to rival all dvd 's . i know i 'll be first in line to buy one . [ r ]

apocalypse now , based on the novel " hearts of darkness " , is an extremely striking , gripping , and horrifying depiction of the vietnam war from another angle . a long debate has surrounded this movie as if it is actually an anti - war film . in many ways , this debate could go either way . apocalypse now is probably one of the most memorable vietnam war films ever made . in addition , now film has gone to the extremes that this film does - a disturbing look at the corruption and terrifying effects of the most devastating war of recent years . apocalypse now follows the mission captain benjamin l . willard , played by martin sheen , to seek out and eliminate colonel walter e . kurtz , a green beret who is thought to have gone insane and set up his own militant base in cambodia . captain willard is ordered to assassinate kurtz with " extreme prejudice " because he has been deemed a murderer . willard accepts his mission , but not while pondering the accusation . accusing someone of murder in this situation is like " handing out speeding tickets at the indy 500 " , as he puts it . it does n't make too much sense . escorting him on his mission are a group of men who operate a riverboat . the men are chef ( frederic forrest ) , chief ( albert hall ) , lance johnson ( sam bottoms ) and mr . clean ( a fifteen year - old laurence fishburne ) . willard is ordered not to let them know exactly what his mission is , but they all know it is something big . the men encounter many exciting , dangerous and bizarre situations . but no situation is more bizarre than the infamous napalm scene with a very eccentric robert duvall as lieutenant colonel kilgore . kilgore decides to attack and overtake a certain beach area so that his men can surf . surf . this is all inspired when kilgore is able to meet the famed california surfer lance johnson . duvall 's portrayal as lieutenant colonel kilgore is terrific , and , he provides a number of memorable quotes . eventually , captain willard encounters colonel kurtz 's frightening community full of strange things everywhere you look , especially his followers . one of his main followers is a freelance photographer ( dennis hopper ) who attempts to convey the situations to willard . but willard can not understand the madness that encompasses the colony . kurtz is actually well aware of willard 's mission , and refers to him as " an errand boy sent by grocery clerks to collect a bill " . yet willard is intent on completing his mission , no matter what shocking things kurtz does . apocalypse now , possibly one of the greatest films ever made , is a stunning vision into the madness that corresponds to the vietnam war . a movie that will hypnotize you with it 's brilliant cinematography , apocalypse now is an outstanding epic drama about the controversial and horrifying ravages of war . definitely on the " do not miss " list . be prepared for a very memorable film .

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on the novel " hearts of darkness " , is an extremely striking , gripping , and horrifying depiction of the vietnam war from another angle . a long debate could go either way . apocalypse now is probably one of the most memorable vietnam war films ever made . in addition , now johnson . duvall 's portrayal as lieutenant colonel kilgore is terrific , and , he provides a number of memorable quotes . eventually , captain willard encounters colonel kurtz 's frightening matter what shocking things kurtz does . apocalypse now , possibly one of the greatest films ever made , is a stunning vision into the madness that corresponds to the vietnam war . a movie that will hypnotize you with it 's brilliant cinematography , apocalypse now is an outstanding epic drama about the controversial and horrifying ravages of war . definitely on the " do not miss " list . be prepared for a very memorable film .

sometimes i find 19th century british costume dramas a little hard to relate to . it 's not the time or the distance , it 's the rules and conventions of a social class that deserves resentment rather than sympathy . yet somehow , the movies are all well made and i always get caught up in the story . the wings of the dove fits the pattern . kate ( helena bonham carter ) and merton ( linus roache ) are in love . merton , a newspaper writer , would like to marry kate . but kate 's " job " , if you will , is to be a member of the british upper class . her father lost all of her family 's money , but a wealthy aunt agreed to take care of her until she married a nice rich man . naturally , a newspaper writer 's wages do n't count as " rich . " kate leads him on , but she always ends up giving him the cold shoulder , ultimately because he 's not marriageable . kate 's american friend millie ( alison elliot ) stops in for a visit on her way to venice . at a party , millie catches a glimpse of merton and likes what she sees . kate realizes that if merton were introduced to millie , he might forget about her . it appears that she is trying to spare him from the heartbreak of their inevitable breakup . merton sees what kate is doing and resents her for it . he is still in love with kate , and will accept no substitute . the three of them , along with a fourth friend ( elizabeth mcgovern ) end up on holiday in venice together , where their interactions are quite complicated . let 's sum up : millie has fallen for merton . merton has no feelings for millie because he is still in love with kate . kate loves him but ca n't marry him , so on the one hand she 's trying to match him up with someone who will make him happy , but on the other hand she 's jealous of them as a couple . a clear solution presents itself to kate when she realizes that millie is very sick - dying , in fact . at this point she decides that merton should marry millie until she dies . millie will leave her money to merton , who will then be rich enough to marry kate . she lets merton know of her schemes and , since it will help him win kate , he reluctantly agrees . kate leaves venice so that the two m 's can be alone together . merton finds that pretending to love millie is a lot like actually loving her . he 's not sure he can separate the two . kate finds that she 's not so sure she really wants her merton falling in love with and marrying anyone else . the brilliant scheme proves to be painful to all involved . without revealing the details , suffice it to say that the situation ends badly . the title refers to the object of merton 's vain hope that something might lift him from his predicament . one is left with feelings of regret and despair . what started as such a promising relationship was damaged by greed , anger , and jealousy . an interesting thought struck me after the movie was over , and that is that the wings of the dove almost fits the story line of a film noir . a couple conspires to cheat someone out of their money so they can live happily ever after . their involvement in the deception makes each less attractive to the other , and after a few things go wrong , the whole idea seems like an awful life - ruining mistake . i would n't call the wings of the dove a film noir , but the comparison is interesting . as i have acknowledged before , i am not a wonderful judge of acting , but i liked the performances from roache and elliot . roache successfully conveyed his character 's ambivalence toward millie : near the end , he hugs her , at first staring into space , as if he 's thinking about his plan with kate , then giving that up to fully embrace millie . millie 's part did n't require as much range , but elliot gave her the necessary bubbly personality that made her irresistible . i will probably file away the wings of the dove in the same low - traffic corner of my mind as sense and sensibility and persuasion . their settings are far removed from my personal experience - geographically , historically , and socially . still , the movies are well made and the stories inevitably win me over .

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a social class that deserves resentment rather than sympathy . yet somehow , the movies are all well made and i always get caught up in the story . the wings of the dove fits the pattern . i am not a wonderful judge of acting , but i liked the performances from roache and elliot . roache successfully conveyed his character 's ambivalence toward millie : near the end part did n't require as much range , but elliot gave her the necessary bubbly personality that made her irresistible . i will probably file away the wings of the historically , and socially . still , the movies are well made and the stories inevitably win me over .

earlier this year , the movie holy man opened to a meager box office receipt and to indifference from audiences and critics . a real charmer of a movie , it 's possible that the subject matter was too hip or trendy to attract any real audience . now , at the end of 1998 , comes waking ned devine , a comedy which inspires the same vein of easygoing laughter . there 's no substantial difference between the two other than a more refined atmosphere -- they strike all the same chords -- but still , ned devine is a movie worth seeing . the plot is interesting and robust : the latest lottery winner is ned devine ( jimmy keogh ) , of tullymore , ireland . ned 's prize is over six million pounds , but the shock of winning killed the poor old man , and the check remains unclaimed . enter jackie o'shea ( ian bannen ) and michael o'sullivan ( david kelly ) , the only two residents who are aware the winner is in their village . the two men eventually find the ticket , and decide that if michael can convince the lotto authorities that he 's actually ned , the entire town can reap the benefits ; their only adversary is an ancient old woman ( eileen dromey ) who sees more profit in reporting the fraud . ian bannen and david kelly truly shine as jackie and michael . jackie , stocky and large , is the brains behind the operation ; michael , scrawny and short , is the method man . the two contrast each other delightfully , and at the same time remain sympathetic to the audience . every viewer is sure to like both of them . there are other minor subplots included as well , such as an unlikely romance between a local girl and the town pig farmer . this appears quite inconsequential until the end , and even with a startling revelation it 's a tad bit unnecessary . overall , waking ned devine has a predictable outcome , and plot twists are never really taken seriously . the ending , a very hilarious and very ironic twist of fate , somehow fits with the twisted sense of humor the movie exhibits throughout . the kirk jones script is indeed off - the - cuff . in a way , waking ned devine is exactly like the class of people it presents : warm , friendly , outgoing , and jovial . it 's the perfect kind of comedy , a real gem of a tale that sets up a trivial plot outline by which to introduce a sympathetic cast of characters and a string of jokes . there 's nothing remotely serious or grounded for more than a moment or two , because the spirit of ned devine is a lighthearted one . indeed , it 's one of the year 's best feel - good movies -- 91 minutes of unrestrained joy that no one should miss .

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the same chords -- but still , ned devine is a movie worth seeing . the plot is interesting and robust : the latest lottery winner is ned devine ( jimmy in reporting the fraud . ian bannen and david kelly truly shine as jackie and michael . jackie , stocky and large and short , is the method man . the two contrast each other delightfully , and at the same time remain sympathetic to the audience . every viewer is sure to like both of them twists are never really taken seriously . the ending , a very hilarious and very ironic twist of fate , somehow fits with the twisted sense is exactly like the class of people it presents : warm , friendly , outgoing , and jovial . it 's the perfect kind of comedy , a real gem of a tale that sets up a trivial plot outline by which to introduce a sympathetic cast of characters and a string of jokes . there 's nothing remotely serious or grounded for more devine is a lighthearted one . indeed , it 's one of the year 's best feel - good movies -- 91 minutes of unrestrained joy that no one should miss .

susan granger 's review of " the perfect storm " ( warner bros . ) " more people die on fishing boats , per capita , than working in any other job in the u . s . . every journey a fishing boat makes can be an all - or - nothing risk . it is life at its most exhilarating and its most terrifying , " says director wolfgang petersen ( " das boot " ) . and that 's just what he captures in this true story of struggle and humanity aboard a swordfishing boat , the andrea gail , sailing out of gloucester , massachusetts , in late october , 1991 . early in bill wittliff 's screenplay , based on sebastian junger 's best - seller , we meet the crew of six . the veteran captain ( george clooney ) is frustrated because he ca n't find fish on the grand banks , yet a rival skipper ( mary elizabeth mastrantonio ) brings in huge hauls . his right - hand man ( mark walhberg ) needs money to build a new life with his girl - friend ( diane lane ) . there 's a devoted dad ( john c . reilly ) with an estranged wife and son , a free - spirited jamaican ( allen payne ) , a lonely guy ( john hawkes ) , and a last - minute replacement with a bad attitude ( william fichtner ) . the skipper 's convinced he can change his bad luck streak in remote flemish cap , and he does . but then trouble begins . there 's a rogue wave , a man overboard and the ice machine breaks - with 60 , 000 lb . of fish that could spoil . but that 's minor compared with a deadly monster storm approaching which a boston meteorologist describes as " a disaster of epic proportions " that also threatens the lives of a coast guard helicopter rescue team trying to save three people stranded on a sailboat on the high seas . it 's formulaic and there are cliches , but the walls of water , created by fluid dynamics simulating real - life phenomena , are awesome . on the granger movie gauge of 1 to 10 , " the perfect storm " is a terrifying , suspenseful 8 . hang on for the white - knuckle thrill ride of the summer !

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wolfgang petersen ( " das boot " ) . and that 's just what he captures in this true story of struggle and humanity aboard a swordfishing boat , the by fluid dynamics simulating real - life phenomena , are awesome . on the granger movie gauge of 1 to 10 , " the perfect storm " is a terrifying , suspenseful 8 . hang on for the white - knuckle thrill ride of the summer !

just in time for halloween and christmas , the reissue of the nightmare before christmas could n't be more appropriate . with all of the attention thrown to " family films " in recent years , namely those starring pocket monsters and nickelodeon characters , it 's high time we raised the intellectual level of children 's fare as well as the animation achievements of the movie studios . with that in mind , it was refreshing to revisit an animation classic on the big screen that still retains the originality and freshness it had seven years ago . nightmare is the story of one man 's quest to discover his true purpose in life -- to look beyond the accolades of his peers , the achievements of his years , and the praise of his ego . jack skellington , the pumpkin king of halloweentown , is the main dude behind the halloween holiday for kids everywhere . but during his reign as pumpkin king , jack has somehow lost his understanding of his place in the world and the magic he creates with his halloween holiday . after the completion of one particular halloween season , jack walks with a heavy heart and ends up discovering in the woods outside halloweentown a grove of trees with doors to all of the other holidays in the world . imagine his surprise to discover christmastown , a far more impressive and uplifting holiday than halloween , surrounded by happy elves making toys , and with good cheer all around . upon his return to halloweentown , jack decides to combine halloween and christmas together by kidnapping " sandy claws , " employing all the residents of halloweentown to build toys for children . he then aims to take over the role as primary joy - provider and gift - bearer to the children of the world , in the hopes of rediscovering the zest for life he once had . alas , the co - mingling of halloween and christmas creates disastrous results involving shrunken heads , psychotic wooden ducks , a sleigh pulled by a phantom dog with a lighted nose , and a large , sinister , singing bag named oogie boogie tim burton -- the man behind such great films as ed wood , beetlejuice , pee - wee 's big adventure , and edward scissorhands -- is the creative force behind nightmare . originally , burton authored a poem that became the basis of the storyline , and he was jointly involved in the production design of the film ( though many mistakenly assume he directed the picture ) . the stamp of burton is clearly everywhere in the film -- with bold colors , imaginative character design , and it 's simple yet compelling story . the direction of harry selick , who also directed james and the giant peach , is strong , offering intimate views of the strange collection of characters . also memorable are the songs in the film , written by former oingo boingo lead singer danny elfman , the next john williams of film composing . the nightmare before christmas is intended for both the kid and adult in everyone . it 's not just child 's play for the holidays ; it 's a movie about how to be truly happy in a tough world , saying that all you need to do is just be exactly who you are , without compromise . what better message is there for christmas ?

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pocket monsters and nickelodeon characters , it 's high time we raised the intellectual level of children 's fare as well as the animation achievements of the movie studios . with that in mind , it was refreshing to revisit an animation classic on the big screen that still retains the originality and freshness it had seven years ago . nightmare is the story wee 's big adventure , and edward scissorhands -- is the creative force behind nightmare . originally , burton authored a poem that of burton is clearly everywhere in the film -- with bold colors , imaginative character design , and it 's simple yet compelling story . the direction of harry selick , who also directed james and the giant peach , is strong , offering intimate views of the strange collection of characters . also memorable are the songs in the film , written by former just be exactly who you are , without compromise . what better message is there for christmas ?

every once in a while a movie comes along that completely redefines the genre : with dramas , it was citizen kane , with arthouse it was pulp fiction , and with comedy it was , well , that jim carrey guy ( okay , so he 's not a movie , but he did have a huge influence on the genre . not to mention an expensive one . ) sometimes a movie even combines them all into a big , sprawling motion picture event , as did forrest gump four years ago . with action films , it was aliens , whic was released to much hype seven years after it 's equally - innovative parent , alien ( 1979 ) . directed and written by james cameron ( t2 : judgement day , the abyss , true lies ) , the authority on action films , it was a masterful encore to his sci - fi thriller the terminator ( 1984 ) . while the original alien film was a dark , enclosed horror film that featured one alien slowly massacering a horrified crew , james cameron took the big - budget action film with aliens , which featured multiple aliens doing basically the same thing , although on a much - larger scale . and boy , did he take that route ! i 'd say at about 165 mph or so . . . the film opens 57 years after the original , with lt . ripley ( weaver ) being found in her ship in a cryogenic state by a salvage vessel . if you 'll recall , at the end of alien ripley , the only surviving member , cryogenically " hibernated " herself after expelling the rogue alien from her ship . unfortunately , she thought she 'd only be out for a couple of weeks . . . once she 's returned to earth , ripley is quickly interrogated by " the company " , who quickly dismiss her and her stories as lunacy . in truth , they believe her , as they soon approach ripley with an offer to travel with some marines to a new colony planet as an " alien advisor " . it seems that the colony planet was a once - breeding ground for the nasty aliens , and now all communication with the planet has been lost . . . it does n't exactly take a genius to guess what happens next : ripley agrees , and before you can say " big mistake " , she and the half dozen marines , plus the slimy corporate guy ( reiser ) , who has more than it looks like up under his sleeve , are off to the colony . when they arrive , they find the planet in ruins . only one survivor is found , a little girl , newt , who confirms that , yes , the aliens were here and that she only managed to survive by hidding in the ventilation system . and soon enough , the marines come under attack from the aliens . . . what happens for the next hour and a half or so is what completely sets this movie apart from any other standard alien sci - fi movie : the action scenes . cameron directs them so skillfully , and so suspensefully , that you 're literally ringing your hands by the time the finale rolls around . which features , in my opinion , the best fight scene ever recorded on film , as ripley straps herself into a huge robot and battles the nasty queen alien to the death . many people will tell you that this film , while being a great action film , has no real drama and is all cliches . well , they would be wrong , my friends . if this film had no " drama " , then why was sigourney weaver nominated for best actress at the 1987 academy awards ? that 's right , best actress . you know that any action film that has an oscar nomination attached to it for something other than technical stuff like editing and f / x has got to be good . in short , aliens combines all the right elements ( great action and f / x , drama , a good plot , good dialogue , and great villains ) into what could arguably be called the best action film of all time . then again , maybe not . movies rise and fall from glory and , sad to say , aliens was wrestled from it 's throne of best action movie by another cameron film , t2 : judgement day , in 1991 . so who will be the next king ? well , let 's wait until december 19th and see yet another james cameron film - the highest budgeted film of all time - titanic to make that decision . i ca n't wait .

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every once in a while a movie comes along that completely redefines the genre : with dramas , it was citizen kane , with aliens , whic was released to much hype seven years after it 's equally - innovative parent , alien ( 1979 ) . directed and written by judgement day , the abyss , true lies ) , the authority on action films , it was a masterful encore to his sci - fi thriller the terminator ( 1984 the next hour and a half or so is what completely sets this movie apart from any other standard alien sci - fi movie : the action scenes . cameron directs them so skillfully , and so suspensefully , that you 're literally ringing your hands by the time the finale rolls around . which features , in my opinion , the best fight scene ever recorded on film , as ripley straps herself into a huge robot and no " drama " , then why was sigourney weaver nominated for best actress at the 1987 academy awards ? that 's right , best actress . you know than technical stuff like editing and f / x has got to be good . in short , aliens combines all the right elements ( great action and f / x , drama , a good plot , good dialogue , and great villains ) into what could arguably be called the best action film of all time . then again , maybe not . movies rise and

in 1995 , brian singer and christopher mcquarrie dreamed up a simple concept : the audience is n't stupid . from that , they went on and created the most plot - driven , intricately pieced movie in the last 25 years . the result : the usual suspects , one hell of a movie that redefines the word plot twist . the story is convoluted , and is really confusing to read , although easy to follow on screen . special investigator kujan ( chazz palminteri ) grills " verbal " kint ( kevin spacey ) , a crippled con - man who is the lone survivor of an la boat explosion that claimed more than 20 victims . kujan wants to confirm that his nemesis , the rogue cop keaton ( gabriel byrne ) , is actually dead . kint relates the majority of the film in flashback , beginning with the fateful day when five shifty guys meet in a police - station lineup in new york city . along with dour keaton , kint encounters cheerfully sociopathic mcmanus ( stephen baldwin ) , mordantly sarcastic hockney ( kevin pollak ) , and fenster ( benicio del toro ) , whose speech is virtually incomprehensible . together they plot to steal a small fortune in gems from " new york 's finest taxi service " --crooked cops who provide escort service for visiting drug kingpins . what follows is a shell - game of violence and betrayal , all hinging on the identity of a mysterious villain called keyser soze . the film is brilliantly compact : its the shortest 90 minutes you 'll ever spend in a movie theater . the cast is exceptional . palminteri shines , he is brutally honest , a true cop , one who is going after the whole story because its there . byrne is terrific , his brooding character , his seriousness is needed to supplement the hysteria of benicio del toro , who is a riot as fenster . del toro is brilliant , his lines are a jumbled mess , you ca n't understand a word the man says , but it sure is damn funny . baldwin is also very good , he is careful , methodical , and cold , a chilling character with a nasty streak of hot - blooded sarcasm . pollak is also terrific as usual , a very good character actor . however , this will be forever known as the film that launched kevin spacey . spacey is simply breathtaking , he is a force on screen , giving a magnetic performance that jars the senses at the end of this twisting maze . spacey 's performance will be remembered for years , for it is the best of his career , it may be the best supporting actor performance in the last 50 years . verbal kint is a clever storyteller , weak , oppressed , and gleefully evil to the bone , yet pitiful , one who draws sympathy . the film is a good one , a decent film until the last 10 minutes . what this film boils down to is the greatest ending in cinematic history , for me at least . the revelation of keyser soze , the closing gunfights , it is something wondrous . you have to see this movie about 10 times to believe what they do . kudos to mcquarrie and singer for giving the audience a delightful , fast - paced , furiously plot - driven movie with quirky characters , phenomenal acting , and some hilarious moments stuck in the middle . mcquarrie refuses to believe the audience is dumb . without furnishing too many details , he concocts his story and lets it run , hoping the audience gets it at the end . we do . this might just be the finest cinematic puzzle ever created . kudos also to singer and john ottman , who created the score . they both create what is a true film - noir setting , carefully setting up this intricate puzzle until the final , jarring ending . there are flaws : more questions raised than answers , lack of character development , and no strong female characters ( save one ) . however , the plot , and that stunning ending , make up for all the flaws and more . if you have n't seen the movie , rent it . watch it . then rewind the tape , and watch it again . trust me , you 'll be amazed .

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from that , they went on and created the most plot - driven , intricately pieced movie in the last 25 years . the result : the usual suspects , one hell of a movie that redefines the word plot twist . the story is convoluted , and is really confusing of a mysterious villain called keyser soze . the film is brilliantly compact : its the shortest 90 minutes you 'll ever spend in a movie theater . the cast is exceptional . palminteri shines , he is brutally honest , a true cop , one who is going after the whole story because its there . byrne is terrific , his brooding character , his seriousness is needed to supplement the hysteria of benicio del toro , who is a riot as fenster . del toro is brilliant , his lines are a jumbled mess , you ca n't understand a word the man says , but it sure is damn funny . baldwin is also very good , he is careful , methodical , and cold , streak of hot - blooded sarcasm . pollak is also terrific as usual , a very good character actor . however , this will be forever known as the film that launched kevin spacey . spacey is simply breathtaking , he is a force on screen , giving a magnetic performance that jars the senses at the end of this twisting maze . spacey 's performance will be remembered for years , for it is the best of his career , it may be the best supporting actor performance in the last 50 years . verbal kint is a clever storyteller , weak , bone , yet pitiful , one who draws sympathy . the film is a good one , a decent film until the last 10 minutes . what this film boils down to is the greatest ending in cinematic history , for me at least . the revelation of keyser soze , the closing gunfights , it is something wondrous . you have to see this movie about 10 times to believe what they do . kudos to mcquarrie and singer for giving the audience a delightful

it has happened again . a movie that is well scripted , well acted , and well directed . it is involving , suspenseful . . . it even has an unexpected twist at the end that packs a punch like a blow to the solar plexus . but in order to accept its premise one must also accept a spiritual lie . the sixth sense is that movie . starring bruce willis ( armageddon ) as a child psychologist and haley joel osment ( forrest gump ) as a troubled youngster , the sixth sense is more spooky than scary , though it does contain disturbing images designed to startle . eight - year - old cole sear ( osment ) sees dead people . not just in dreams . and not just as lifeless bodies . he sees them walking around like regular people . and he sees them all the time . dr . malcolm crowe ( willis ) is trying to help him . he recognizes in cole many of the same attributes as one of his earlier patients whom crowe failed , resulting in that patient shooting crowe before turning the gun on himself . if crowe could manage to find a way to help cole , he believes he just might be able to put his own demons to rest . but first he needs to gain cole 's trust . the boy is so frightened by what he sees , he has closed himself off emotionally , being unwilling to tell anyone . . . not crowe , not even his own mother ( toni collette , clockwatchers ) . . . about his " secrets . " crowe begins to spend more and more time with him , even as his own marriage starts to dissolve around him , his wife anna ( olivia williams , rushmore ) becoming cold and distant because of his neglect of her and his preoccupation with the boy . bruce willis underplays his role , allowing the excellent script to do most of the work of building character development . crowe moves from treating a troubled boy who wo n't communicate , to treating a troubled boy who is having hallucinations , to wondering if perhaps there is n't some truth behind what the boy sees . mr . willis does a serviceable job , letting the focus remain on the story instead of on his familiar action hero screen persona . eleven - year - old haley joel osment manages to impress us with his performance . he demonstrates an amazing amount of self - composure as well as an ability to play nuances in a complex character as if he were a seasoned pro . it is fine work for one of such a tender age . keep your eye on this young man . the supporting cast is also quite effective . toni collette , as the confused , frightened , and frustrated mother who ca n't understand what is happening to her child ; olivia williams , as crowe 's once loving wife who is shutting down emotionally due to the lack of attention from her husband ; and donnie wahlberg ( ransom ) as crowe 's ex - patient , now grown , who illustrates his doctor 's failure to help him in the most vivid terms imaginable . twenty - eight year old m . night shyamalan ( wide awake ) directed his own script , maintaining a proper tension throughout the film and crafting the storytelling so expertly that the film 's full impact is not reached until its final moments , when a surprising revelation forces a reevaluation of all that preceded it . it is a rare movie which manages to pull that off and mr . shyamalan , as the one responsible , is certainly to be commended . in giving the sixth sense a favorable " three star " review for its craftsmanship and artistic merit , i must also point out that , spiritually speaking , the film is highly misleading . there is no scriptural foundation upon which to base a belief in ghosts or the " living dead . " the concept of death being a doorway to another plane of existence is a devilish lie that has been around as long as man himself . the first lie recorded in the bible was devised by the serpent who assured eve , " thou shall not surely die , " a direct contradiction of god 's admonition . that same lie has been perpetuated ad infinitum throughout the ages . scriptures do speak of a time when the dead shall rise but that wonderful demonstration of victory over death will not commence until after the second coming of christ . . . an event which has not yet occurred . therefore , the dead remain in a state of oblivion , having no consciousness , until that long - awaited time when the final trump shall sound . and then , you 'll need six senses to register all the joy and rejoicing that will resound throughout the heavens .

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it has happened again . a movie that is well scripted , well acted , and well directed . it is involving , suspenseful . . . it even has an unexpected twist at the end that packs a punch like a blow to the solar the boy . bruce willis underplays his role , allowing the excellent script to do most of the work of building character development persona . eleven - year - old haley joel osment manages to impress us with his performance . he demonstrates an amazing amount of self - composure as well as an ability to play nuances in a complex character as if he were a seasoned pro . it is fine work for one of such a tender age . keep your on this young man . the supporting cast is also quite effective . toni collette , as the confused , frightened , shyamalan ( wide awake ) directed his own script , maintaining a proper tension throughout the film and crafting the storytelling so expertly that the film 's full impact is not reached until revelation forces a reevaluation of all that preceded it . it is a rare movie which manages to pull that off and mr . shyamalan , as the one responsible , is certainly to be commended . in giving the sixth sense a favorable " three star " review for its craftsmanship and artistic merit , i must also point out that , spiritually speaking

in the grand scheme of mel gibson movies , payback was better than conspiracy theory , but not as good as braveheart or lethal weapon . in other words , it 's a decent couple of hours of entertainment , but 20 years from now if a they compile a list of mel gibson 's greatest hits , payback probably wo n't be on it . gibson plays a crook who gets double crossed by his partner after they heist a payroll . mel 's partner needed the money to pay off a mob debt . so he puts a couple of bullets in mel , leaving him for dead , and goes on to pay off his creditors . but , mel is n't dead ( it would be a real short movie if he was ) and he certainly is n't happy . to make matters worse , he wants his money back and is willing to go to any lengths to accomplish this feat . his ex partner has already used it to pay off the mobsters , so mel goes after the mob to get it back . payback is often a very violent film . to its credit , there are a few scenes that could have been very graphic , but the director ( i 'm not sure which one -- more about that in a second ) made the choice to let the audience use their imagination instead of subjecting us to the usual gratuitous gore found in many films . the film appears a bit disjointed in places , which is understandable considering producer / star gibson was n't thrilled with how the film turned out and wanted parts of it re - shot . when the director refused , another one was brought in to do the re - shoot . so as a result while the final product is apparently better than the original ( although personally i would love to see the original version for comparisons sake ) it does get a bit of a choppy feel to it towards the end . it 's always tough to make a film where the main character is a villain , unless that person has some redeeming qualities . in this case , gibson 's character has few redeeming qualities . but hey , its mel , so even when he is killing people in cold blood we are still rooting for him . my guess is that if that you put some other johnny bananas actor in this role , the audience would not be quite as responsive . gibson is gibson , whether he is playing a suicidal cop or a stone cold killer , he does a good job . he almost guarantees that no matter what else happens in the rest of the movie at least the audience is going to get one good performance . this time out mel is surrounded by a good supporting cast , including maria bello ( as his love interest ) , william devane and kris kristofferson ( as mod bosses ) . the man who steals the show and unfortunately does n't have a real big part is james coburn ( as yet another mobster ) . if i had one big disappointment in this film , it would be that coburn did n't have a bigger role . in the end , payback is a fairly solid action thriller , just not in quite the same league as some of mel gibson 's other work .

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or lethal weapon . in other words , it 's a decent couple of hours of entertainment , but 20 years from now if a they compile back . payback is often a very violent film . to its credit , there are a few scenes that could have been which one -- more about that in a second ) made the choice to let the audience use their imagination instead of subjecting us to the usual gratuitous gore found in many films . the film appears a bit disjointed in places , playing a suicidal cop or a stone cold killer , he does a good job . he almost guarantees that no matter what else happens in the rest of the movie at least the audience is going to get one good performance . this time out mel is surrounded by a good supporting cast , including maria bello ( as his love interest ) kristofferson ( as mod bosses ) . the man who steals the show and unfortunately does n't have a real big part is a bigger role . in the end , payback is a fairly solid action thriller , just not in quite the same league as some

the thought - provoking question of tradition over morals is the subject directly at the core of " leila , " a powerfully articulated and subtle drama from famous iranian director dariush mehrjui , that is his first motion picture in a prosperous thirty - year career to gain u . s . distribution , thanks to first run features . although unfamiliar with mehrjui 's previous directing efforts , perhaps the reason for this is that , while the predicament at hand is no doubt exclusive to its own country , the heartbreaking and solely truthful emotions of the characters can easily be understood by all viewers . set in modern - day iran , " leila " begins on the birthday of the title character ( leila hatami ) , after a brief prologue in which we are shown the first encounter between leila and her future husband , reza ( ali mosaffa ) . as leila and reza set off to visit his parents , and then hers , where a birthday celebration has been planned , things seem rosy for the couple on the outside , but for leila , life is n't quite as sweet . earlier , on that very same day , leila had gone to see her physician , and has ultimately discovered that she holds very little chance of ever conceiving a child . when all of the conditions are ruled out , and leila passes up the possibility of adoption , reza firmly and lovingly tells her that he married her , and does n't care at all about having children . nonetheless , leila is ashamed that she will never be able to give him a baby , which is the societal norm , and her self - esteem is not helped at all by her domineering mother - in - law ( jamileh sheikhi ) , whose hopes to carry on the sacred family name vanishes once hearing the news ( reza is her only son ) . bluntly explaining to leila that reza has always wished for children and , in a country where polygamy is an accepted tradition , she suggests that he take a second wife to bear a child with . leila hesitantly agrees , and while she and reza are able to shallowly laugh afterwards about the hopeful womens ' inadequacies , reza finally does meet a woman whom he claims to like , even though he refuses to go through with the marriage if leila does n't give her full blessing . there are no easy answers to be found within " leila , " a film that thoughtfully examines the central character 's unfortunate plight , as well as the inner workings of leila herself , told through matter - of - fact narration . almost completely taken over by her own shame , she has no option but to agree to her forceful mother - in - law 's requests , even though she is unsure of how she will react if reza really does end up marrying another woman . maybe because " leila " is from iran , the film will unquestionably be shocking for american audiences , since the concept of polygamy is looked upon by the characters as a more or less everyday occurrence . leila , however , is unable to come to terms with the idea quite as easily , but feels it is her duty to make her husband happy , no matter what the circumstances . one of the strongest aspects of the film is in its portrayal of the relationship between leila and reza , who married only three months after their first meeting , but obviously love each other very deeply . it is this relationship that is the key ingredient to making what follows the opening scenes all the more powerful , and director mehrjui has succeeded just about as well as possible . although seemingly unimportant at first glance , an early sequence where leila and reza are eating dinner and both are laughing , nearly uncontrollably , actually is one of the most vital moments in the first half , as it unmistakably sets the boundary for their unrequisite love for one another . ditto for another scene in which reza gives leila a large stuffed animal for her birthday , and then reveals a beautiful necklace he has also gotten her . these " small " moments are the perfect contrast for the solemn , outraging sequences in the latter half , in which reza drops leila off at the side of a busy road , and then zooms off to go on a date with another woman . left there to ponder her quickly diminishing marriage , foolishly unbeknownst to reza , leila prays each time that the date will not go well , so she will be able to keep her husband to herself for a little while longer . refusing to stay over at her parent 's house , the film inevitably leads up to the second wedding night between reza and another woman , and in a sequence of extraordinary sorrow and potency , leila finds her whole being emotionally torn apart , as she is closed up in an upstairs bedroom as the marriage proceedings are going on down below . despite her initial agreement to such a thing , leila realizes how much she has been betrayed by reza , whom she believed cared for her as much as she did of him . sure , the whole second marriage was his mother 's idea , but if he really did believe what he initially had told her about not wanting any children , then he could have still easily backed out , could n't he ? in the pivotal role of leila , who appears in every scene , leila hatami is nothing short of remarkable , injecting her character with an equal measure of startling strength , unavoidable vulnerability , and utter despair . unlike most american films , in which everything always has to be spelled out for audiences , hatami says much more with just an elusive expression on her face than could possibly have been conveyed by words . every bit a perfect match for hatami is ali mosaffa , as reza , a man who , i believe , does hold an unbreakable bond with his wife , but is too naive to realize what he will be doing to leila if he marries someone else . for all of its strong aspects , " leila " is n't a perfect film . on a technical level , i found many blatant punctiation and spelling mistakes within the subtitles that need to be fixed . and concerning the plot developments , the final five minutes ring false when compared with everything that has come before . mehrjui 's decision to use an extremely stylized approach to the ending was the wrong choice , particularly in his almost comedic way of wrapping up the character of the spiteful mother - in - law , played memorably by jamileh sheikhi . despite these minor missteps , " leila " is an important motion picture that should definately be sought out upon its limited may 16 release at new york 's cinema village , and then on may 21 in la . the thought - provoking questions that the film deals with is balanced evenly with its uneasy morales , and when the climax arrives , leila 's self - worth is startlingly stripped away to reveal a victim led into complete devastation , to which there is no return . it 's difficult to not consider how leila 's culminating interior demise could have been so simply avoided , had the other characters taken a second out of their own selfish lives to consider what leila , the major pawn in the unforgivable scheme , was going through .

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subject directly at the core of " leila , " a powerfully articulated and subtle drama from famous iranian director dariush mehrjui , that is his hand is no doubt exclusive to its own country , the heartbreaking and solely truthful emotions of the characters can easily be understood by all viewers . set in modern - day iran , " leila be found within " leila , " a film that thoughtfully examines the central character 's unfortunate plight , as well the key ingredient to making what follows the opening scenes all the more powerful , and director mehrjui has succeeded just about as well as possible . although seemingly unimportant at first glance , an early also gotten her . these " small " moments are the perfect contrast for the solemn , outraging sequences in the latter half reza and another woman , and in a sequence of extraordinary sorrow and potency , leila finds her whole being emotionally , who appears in every scene , leila hatami is nothing short of remarkable , injecting her character with an equal measure of startling face than could possibly have been conveyed by words . every bit a perfect match for hatami is ali mosaffa , as reza , be doing to leila if he marries someone else . for all of its strong aspects , " leila " is n't a perfect film . character of the spiteful mother - in - law , played memorably by jamileh sheikhi . despite these minor missteps , " leila " is an important motion picture that should definately be sought out upon its limited may 16 release at new york 's

barely scrapping by playing at a nyc piano bar , timothy hutton returns to his massachusetts hometown for a couple of weeks . on the surface , he 's coming home for a high school reunion , but since this is a movie , you know that he 's really looking for some major life decisions . a fairly " small " film , this sports an impressive ensemble cast including uma thurman , rosie o'donnell and a bunch of actors that you 've seen before but ca n't quite place . commendable jobs all around ; they seem like real people . hutton arrives at his past and is greeted by his spirit - dead father , terminally goony brother and old high school chums . all of his old buddies are engaged in the snow removal business and most are in the midst of a relationship crisis . the perfect stuff for a comedy about people in the twenties angst . he meets and falls for the new next door neighbor : a beautiful intelligent lively girl who is obviously taken with him . the problem is that she is only 13 . unconsummated ( no , it 's not _ that _ type of movie ) , their relationship builds and neither knows what to do with it . star - crossed lovers with no where to go . so hutton is gaga over a barely - teen , one of his buddies is two - timing his girlfriend with a married old flame , another 's girlfriend is sleeping with a meat cutter ( " and she 's a vegetarian ! " ) . things are a mess . enter uma thurman . the beautiful stranger in town for a few days is both a delight in the film and one of its minor downfalls . her character is fun to watch . even more entertaining is observing the guys falling over themselves trying to impress her . like the lone ranger , before she leaves , she solves most of the problems and sets everyone onward with their lives . the ending is a bit too pat . everything is tied up with a neat little bow . rosie o'donnell is a stand - out in her limited screen time with her brash personality and " tell it like it is " pronouncements . structured somewhat like a " diner , a few years later " , this feel - good story is a good time , but ends a little too nice .

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decisions . a fairly " small " film , this sports an impressive ensemble cast including uma thurman , rosie o'donnell and a bunch of you 've seen before but ca n't quite place . commendable jobs all around ; they seem like real people . hutton arrives at his past and is greeted by most are in the midst of a relationship crisis . the perfect stuff for a comedy about people in the twenties angst . beautiful stranger in town for a few days is both a delight in the film and one of its minor downfalls . her character is fun to watch . even more entertaining is observing the guys falling over themselves trying to impress her tied up with a neat little bow . rosie o'donnell is a stand - out in her limited screen time with her brash personality and a " diner , a few years later " , this feel - good story is a good time , but ends a little too nice .

it 's an interesting premise . our reality is only real to us because it is what we perceive to be real . in truth , our entire existences are lived out in our minds as we are fed information through electronic inputs directly to our brains . what we see , what we do , everything around us is nothing more than a computer - generated construct interlinked with the minds of others through a vastly powerful artificial intelligence . our bodies , severely atrophied , are kept alive for the sole purpose of generating heat and electrical energy for a dominating order of machines which control the planet . the sci - fi realm has been waiting a little while for something new to come along . the matrix is n't it - the idea of a war between man and a sentient computer network , a sham world , the ability to plug one 's brain into a computer , has all been gleaned from such sources as the terminator , dark city , and a few star trek episodes ( both classic and next generation ) . what is new is the ability to weave all of these various elements together and succeed in producing a film that is both entertaining as well as thought - provoking . keanu reeves plays a computer whiz nicknamed neo , who is plucked out of the artificial world ( known as the matrix ) by a group of renegade humans who are clandestinely fighting to expose the fallacy of the computer - generated existence and free humankind from the oppression of the machines . the group 's leader , morpheus ( laurence fishburne ) , has chosen neo because he believes neo is " the one " who is destined to lead the attack against the artificial intelligence . > from the beginning of the film , we are kept on our toes trying to figure things out . this , in a lesser movie would be annoying , but the matrix presents itself in an intelligent manner which makes the puzzle rather interesting and even fun . what is reality ? what is a sham ? the film turns our very perception of life on its side . more than once , we are also presented with the question of whether we would rather know the harsh truth of reality , or live a life of relative bliss , oblivious to the true nature of our surroundings . as viewers , this is intriguing enough , so imagine what it would be like for neo . and who to better play a bewildered person than keanu reeves ? reeves , whom i 've never really cared for as an actor , is competent in roles which require a lot of straightforwardness , and little subtlety . he was good in speed , for example , but laughably poor in a walk in the clouds . neo is actually one of those roles which reeves slips into rather nicely , so much of my expectation was happily for naught . in a couple of places , the script even capitalizes upon his wooden nature , and this is a heavy credit to writers / directors andy and larry wachowski . i mean , since bill and ted 's excellent adventure , what movie could you say really " utilized " keanu reeves ? more interesting than reeves is fishburne , who 's morpheus nearly runs the gamut of emotions , and convincingly so . very surprising for a sci - fi movie . fishburne also maintains a certain demeanor about himself throughout , as if he always knows what to expect . this helps to further the aura of his character 's proficiency and extensive knowledge . hugo weaving as agent smith , one of the artificial intelligence 's anti - intruder programs , is also good playing his deadpan , no - nonsense , kick ass role , which requires him to show emotion at the appropriate time . unfortunately , when weaving speaks for more than a few sentences in a row , the nature of his character 's speech pattern becomes a little more laughable than impressive . carrie - anne moss plays trinity , morpheus 's number one assistant who becomes somewhat of a love interest for neo . although her character is somewhat inconsistent , moss nevertheless delivers an above par performance when fishburne is n't in the picture . there were few expenses spared when it comes to the special effects . many methods of imagery are employed , from modeling to bluescreen to computer graphics . of special note is the use of the " freeze and turn " effect where the entire scene is frozen , turned , then continued from a new angle . this is accomplished by using a large number of still cameras employed in a semi - circle , with motion picture cameras placed at the two ends . the motion cameras film the action , and at the appropriate moment all the still cameras fire at once . place each still image in a film sequence and you get a nearly seamless transition from the first motion camera to the second . pretty slick . the matrix drips with style . from the clothing to the music to the action , we 're watching an exaggerated version of what we 're used to . much of it seems like the combination of two genres of the hong kong action film - there 's a lot of kung fu , there 's a lot of gunplay . when a character is letting go with an automatic weapon , much is made of the empty cartridges falling to the floor in slow motion . there 's also the element of the japanese action cartoon ( called anime by aficionados ) , especially in the way the sequences are filmed in sweeping pans and emphasized actions through special effects . combined , it 's really like no live - action film i have ever seen . the film is not without its faults . some of the scenes and ideas are " borrowed " a little too liberally from other films , and one component of the ending is decidedly disappointing . some of the lines are also pretty bad - in one instance , a supporting character incorrectly delivers a famous saying , and it was n't meant to be a joke . however , these shortcomings detract little from what is an overall solid action sci - fi film that for once does more than merely entertain .

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it 's an interesting premise . our reality is only real to us because it trek episodes ( both classic and next generation ) . what is new is the ability to weave all of these various elements together and succeed in producing a film that is both entertaining as well as thought - provoking . keanu reeves plays a computer whiz nicknamed neo , intelligence . > from the beginning of the film , we are kept on our toes trying to figure things out . this , in a lesser movie would be annoying , but the matrix presents itself in an intelligent manner which makes the puzzle rather interesting and even fun . what is reality ? what is a sham ? the film turns our very perception of life on its side . more than once , we are also presented with the true nature of our surroundings . as viewers , this is intriguing enough , so imagine what it would be like for neo 've never really cared for as an actor , is competent in roles which require a lot of straightforwardness , and . neo is actually one of those roles which reeves slips into rather nicely , so much of my expectation was happily for naught could you say really " utilized " keanu reeves ? more interesting than reeves is fishburne , who 's morpheus nearly runs the gamut of emotions , and convincingly so . very surprising for a sci - fi movie , as if he always knows what to expect . this helps to further the aura of his character 's proficiency and extensive knowledge . hugo weaving as agent smith , one of the artificial intelligence 's anti - intruder programs , is also good playing his deadpan , no - nonsense , kick ass neo . although her character is somewhat inconsistent , moss nevertheless delivers an above par performance when fishburne is n't in the picture . there were transition from the first motion camera to the second . pretty slick . the matrix drips with style . from the clothing to the music to the action pans and emphasized actions through special effects . combined , it 's really like no live - action film i have ever seen . the film is not without its faults . some . however , these shortcomings detract little from what is an overall solid action sci - fi film that for once does more than merely entertain .

one of kyle mclachlan 's earlier cinematic features , this movie has had an obvious influence on such films as the terminator ( 8/10 ) , species ( 7/10 ) and the more recent , fallen with denzel washington . plot : a science - fiction picture set in modern times , this thriller follows the exploits of an " entity " from outer space , who likes to inhabit human bodies , use them up until they are completely worn out , and then switch over to the next available receptacle . fbi agent ( mclachlan ) and local top cop ( nouri ) are charged with the capture of this " thing " before it 's too late . critique : this fast - paced , urban equivalent of the thing ( 8/10 ) , checks in on all cylinders for ultra - violence ( god knows how many people died in this movie ) , action and an overall rock ' n roll attitude . then again , how can you go wrong with an " alien " that likes the ferraris , guns , heavy metal music and sexy girls ? ! granted , the plot is n't the most elaborate of tales ( alien bad , find alien , kill alien ) , but i can honestly say that i was never once bored during the viewing of this entire picture . i would n't recommend it to those who do n't like car chases , murders , and bland acting , but for all the rest of you out there , those who enjoy putting away their brains every now and again , sitting back , slamming back some salsa'd nachos , and relishing in the cheeze some call film . . . have a blast ! ! two scenes to watch for are both within the first ten minutes of this gore - fest . the opening sequence is one of the most rockin ' scenes to open any action movie , and the subsequent extra - terrestrial " transformation " is another eye - catcher . even the late 80 's special effects were okay . followed by the hidden ii in 1994 . little known facts : this film was kyle maclachlan 's first non - david lynch foray into the world of feature films . his first two movie appearances were in lynch 's wretched dune ( 4/10 ) and the sensational blue velvet ( 8 . 5/10 )

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thing " before it 's too late . critique : this fast - paced , urban equivalent of the thing ( 8/10 ) , kill alien ) , but i can honestly say that i was never once bored during the viewing of this entire picture . i would n't recommend it to those who do relishing in the cheeze some call film . . . have a blast ! ! two scenes to watch for are both within the first of this gore - fest . the opening sequence is one of the most rockin ' scenes to open any action movie , and the subsequent extra - terrestrial " transformation " is another eye - catcher . even the late 80 's special effects were okay

i want to correct what i wrote in a former retrospective of david lean 's war picture . i still think that it does n't deserve being the number 13 in the american film institute 's list of the 100 greatest american movies . and i think that lumet 's " 12 angry men " , wilder 's " witness for the prosecution " and kubrick 's " paths of glory " would have been better choices for the best picture oscar in 1958 . but i ca n't deny the importance of " the bridge on the river kwai " - cinematically and in its contents . the film is set in burma in 1943 . a bataillon of british soldiers in japanese war captivity is forced by the japanese to build a strategically momentous railway bridge over the river kwai . but the british commanding officer , colonel nicholson ( alec guinness ) , insists - corresponding to the geneva conventions - that his officers need n't work as simple workmen . struggling toughly , col . nicholson forces the japanese commandant , col . saito ( sessue hayakawa ) , to give way in this respect . afterwards col . nicholson assiduously commits himself for the building of the bridge . he considers it an opportunity to raise his men 's morale , and he wants to prove superior british capabilities to the japanese . but the british high command sends a few soldiers who shall destroy the bridge , among them the american shears ( william holden ) - an escapee from the japanese prison camp - and the british major warden ( jack hawkins ) . . . a flaw of the picture is the clich ? d characterization of the japanese people . they are presented as if they were intellectually inferior to the british - as if the japanese were incapable of building a bridge . and the film does n't consistently question the military spirit as kubrick does in " paths of glory " . lean seems rather fascinated by the military hierarchies . this is also perceptible in the conversations between col . nicholson and col . saito . in this regard it is symptomatic that shears , who doubts the military logic , is a somehow unpleasant person in the film . the audience is supposed to applaud col . nicholson 's perseverance concerning the question if his officers shall work on the bridge or not . the spectators are supposed to neglect the risks col . nicholson takes for his men . ( the plot by - passes these risks . ) that means , the picture is n't perfect . but it has a lot of virtues as well . it shows the " madness " of war and what war can produce in people 's minds . it shows how col . nicholson becomes possessed by the idea of being a hero and that others ( like shears ) get cynics . and " the bridge on the river kwai " is an interesting study of characters with clashing interests . these points and the sometimes ironic dialogue make this film an anti - war film ( despite the inconsistencies in the treatment of this theme ) . david lean 's effective and atmospherically perfect direction creates a high suspense , especially in the dramatic ( though not wholly plausible ) showdown . alec guinness does a magnificent job of bringing col . nicholson to life and making him such an interesting character . the other actors deliver very good performances as well . jack hildyard 's fine color cinematography and the apt score are also helpful . i like this extraordinary film despite its weaknesses . ( c ) karl rackwitz ( klein k ? ris , germany , 1999 )

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choices for the best picture oscar in 1958 . but i ca n't deny the importance of " the bridge on the river kwai " - that means , the picture is n't perfect . but it has a lot of virtues as well . it shows the " madness " of war and and " the bridge on the river kwai " is an interesting study of characters with clashing interests . these points and the sometimes ironic the treatment of this theme ) . david lean 's effective and atmospherically perfect direction creates a high suspense , especially in the dramatic ( though not wholly plausible ) showdown . alec guinness does a magnificent job of bringing col . nicholson to life and making him such an interesting character . the other actors deliver very good performances as well . jack hildyard 's fine color cinematography and the apt score are also helpful . i like this extraordinary film despite its weaknesses . ( c ) karl rackwitz (

of the major horror sub - genres , vampire movies are easily the most adaptable . think about it . frankenstein movies have n't changed all that much because they still need that mad - scientist - in - bavarian - castle setting . if you made a frankenstein movie today , you 'd have to have the monster be a virus or something -- and outside of michael j . fox , there are n't any actors that could play a virus convincingly . movies about mummies would still have to be set in egypt . there 's not much you can do with werewolves except take them to london or paris , unless you want to have a teenage werewolf or something . ( and there 's that michael j . fox thing again . ) but you can have vampires do anything , and you can place them in any genre you want , just about . you can have traditional vampire movies ( bram stoker 's dracula ) or have the anne rice version ( interview with the vampire ) , or play it for laughs ( vampire in brooklyn ) . you can put vampires in locales from sunny southern california ( the lost boys ) to squalid mexican dives ( from dusk till dawn ) to your local high school ( buffy , the vampire slayer ) . were it not redundant , you could have a movie about a law firm full of vampires . any day now , i expect we 'll see a movie about a vampire third baseman who has to decide whether to play a day game in order to break the home run record . or , you can insert the vampire legend into a hong kong action movie -- and when you do that , you get blade . wesley snipes has the chow yun fat role in this movie -- the silent , expressionless hit man who destroys everything in his path . in this case , the everything happens to be vampires that explode into cgi shards instead of dead , bleeding corpses . snipes has less to say here than as the fugitive in u . s . marshals , but does a demonstrably better job here as a half - vampire wreaking vengeance on the bloodsuckers . blade is a silent , brooding presence , laying waste to vampires without a shred of remorse . he is as cold as his silver - bladed sword , as single minded as his garlic - filled bullets . yet , he 's not without quirks : blade drives a battered muscle car and has to glean rolex watches from his vampire victims in order to stay solvent . like any good hong kong movie , blade is heavy on the chopsocky action . for some reason , blade spends a lot more time using his kung fu artistry than using the traditional anti - vampire weapons of garlic and silver . ( blade dismisses a man - portable arc lamp as being too heavy , although it looks to be a more efficient tool to dispatch vampires . ) unfortunately , the guiding hand of john woo is absent from this film , relegating blade to the status of the replacement killers , which it most strongly resembles . the replacement killers is the last movie i saw that i did n't review -- mostly because it made no impression on me , and i could n't remember anything other than noise , violence , and the intensity of fat 's performance . blade has a little more going for it , and has the vampire myth to draw from -- but other than that , it 's the same kind of movie -- exciting , with well choreographed action scenes , but with no resonance . with a stronger villain ( stephen dorff is ( pardon the pun ) curiously bloodless as the head vampire , leaving us to wonder what denis leary might have done with the role ) , a wittier script , and a strong supporting cast , blade might have been able to rise beyond the level of commonplace summer entertainment . as it is , blade is an average action movie that serves to do nothing but remind us that the summer movies just keep getting dumber and the vampire movies just keep multiplying .

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the fugitive in u . s . marshals , but does a demonstrably better job here as a half - vampire wreaking vengeance on the bloodsuckers , and the intensity of fat 's performance . blade has a little more going for it , and has the vampire myth to draw from -- that , it 's the same kind of movie -- exciting , with well choreographed action scenes , but with no resonance . with a stronger villain

when quentin tarantino made " pulp fiction " , he was not only making the greatest film of the 90s ; he was also making what i believe to be the most influential movie of all time . but before you send me hate - mail for not giving that title to " citizen kane " , hear me out . much like " citizen kane " , " pulp fiction " has changed movie making forever . but i think the latter has had a tad more impact . " pulp fiction " has actually ushered in a new era of film making . it has altered the way films will be viewed . " fiction " has spawned so many imitations , i 've lost count . sure , some have been excellent ( " bound " and " the usual suspects " spring immediately to mind ) , but any serious movie - goer recognizes " pulp fiction " as the original neo - noir of the 90s . in this review , i hope to change all the people 's minds who have criticized it for it 's excessive profanity and violence ( which , by the way , is n't really that graphic ) . the most brilliant aspect of tarantino 's masterpiece is the screenplay . it is filled with so much classic dialogue ( the " quarter pounder with cheese " speech will go down in history ) , it should be required reading for any film student , if it is n't already . the story ( told in unorthodox non - linear format ) centers around three main episodes , all of which eventually intertwine . the first , titled " vincent vega and marcellus wallace 's wife " , deals with a very loaded john travolta ( i forgot to mention the cool heroin shoot - up sequence ) taking mia wallace ( a star - making performance by uma thurman ) , his bosses wife , out on a date to a cool 50s restaurant called jack rabbit slim 's . they talk for a while ( with the occasional " uncomfortable silence " ) , mostly about a guy called tony rocky horror . after giving marcellus ' new bride a foot massage , he was thrown off a building and into a greenhouse , giving him a " speech impediment " . they also partake in a cool dance contest and end up twisting to the chuck berry classic " you never can tell " . i wo n't reveal the rest of the story , but i 'll definitely say that it turns out to be a real bummer of a night , despite the cool trophy they win . the second story ( the least of the three but still four stars ) stars bruce willis ( proving he can play someone other than john mcclain in the " die hard " flicks ) as boxer butch coolidge . previously in the film ( like i said , it 's told in non - linear form ) , he had made a deal with marcellus wallace that he would take a fall in a match . as it turns out , he not only does n't take the fall , but he ends up actually killing his opponent . he takes a cab to his half - witted girlfriend 's apartment , and to make a long story short , ends up going back to his own place to retrieve a gold watch , sort of a family heirloom explained by christopher walken in a hilarious flash - back sequence . on his way home , he bumps into ( literally ) marcellus . the two winde up prisoner to two hillbilly sex murderers , which results in the infamous " gimp " scene , which is very reminicent of the " squeal like a pig ! " scene from " deliverance " . the last ( and best , in my opinion ) of the episodes features john travolta ( again ) and samuel l . jackson ( in the best performance of any supporting actor ever ) as two slightly off - kilter hitmen trying to rid themselves of a bloody car . they seek help with a friend of jackson 's ( played by the q - man himself ) , desperately in need of a stress ball . they end up calling a " cleaner " of sorts , played by the god among men harvey keitel , to help them out . in the end , the story brilliantly loops around itself , actually ending where it began . if you have n't already seen the film ( or even if you have , for that matter ) , i suggest you invest your money in a copy of the letterbox collectors edition . it features two previously unreleased scenes and the original film restored how it was originally meant to be seen . earlier today , i bought this version and watched it a few hours ago . what the pan - and - scan did to this movie is inexcusable . that version cut out , like , half the movie . what i have missed in the past years of viewing this flick is amazing . for instance , when travolta and jackson are in the apartment near the end , the widescreen version allows you to see that several things on the walls make crosses . this might help explain the divine intervention that takes place . just a theory . . . one of the things that pisses people off so much about this movie is that tarantino borrowed alot of scenes from other movies ( i . e . " psycho " " kiss me deadly " , " deliverance " , etc . ) . but why should n't he ? it 's not like he out - right and blatantly stole . give the guy a break . in case you have n't already noticed , i believe " pulp fiction " is a supremely excellent film and one of the best of all time ( up there with such greats as " casablanca " and " the godfather " ) . trust me , you will not see a better film come out of the 90s . and besides , it 's one hell of a ride . note : if anyone knows how i could get a " bad motherfucker " wallet , please e - mail me . any help would be greatly appreciated .

1POS

made " pulp fiction " , he was not only making the greatest film of the 90s ; he was also making what i believe to be the most influential movie of all time . but before you send me hate - mail for like " citizen kane " , " pulp fiction " has changed movie making forever . but i think the latter has had a tad more impact . " pulp fiction " has actually ushered in a new era of film making . it has altered the way films will be viewed . " fiction " has spawned so many imitations , serious movie - goer recognizes " pulp fiction " as the original neo - noir of the 90s . in this review , i hope to change all the way , is n't really that graphic ) . the most brilliant aspect of tarantino 's masterpiece is the screenplay . it is filled with so much classic dialogue ( the " quarter pounder with cheese " speech will heroin shoot - up sequence ) taking mia wallace ( a star - making performance by uma thurman ) , his bosses wife , out sort of a family heirloom explained by christopher walken in a hilarious flash - back sequence . on his way home , ( again ) and samuel l . jackson ( in the best performance of any supporting actor ever ) as two slightly off - kilter hitmen trying to a " cleaner " of sorts , played by the god among men harvey keitel , to help them out . in the already noticed , i believe " pulp fiction " is a supremely excellent film and one of the best of all time ( up there with such greats as " casablanca " and " the godfather " ) . trust me , you will not see a better film come out of the 90s . and besides , it 's one hell of a ride . note : if anyone knows how i could get

there 's some movies i enjoy even though i know i probably should n't and have a difficult time trying to explain why i did . " lucky numbers " is a perfect example of this because it 's such a blatant rip - off of " fargo " and every movie based on an elmore leonard novel and yet it somehow still works for me . i know i 'm in the minority here but let me explain . the film takes place in harrisburg , pa in 1988 during an unseasonably warm winter . john travolta plays the local big - shot tv weatherman who is idolized by the townsfolk as if he were john travolta himself and not the bumbling russ richards . russ is married to crystal ( lisa kudrow ) , a blonde bimbo if ever there was one in the history of cinema . she 's a selfish , nasty bitch full of lust and desire but somehow she got the job of the lottery ball girl - not exactly the most intellectually taxing job on the market . crystal 's cheating on russ with their collective boss dick ( ed o'neil ) , the tv station manager . she does n't seem to genuinely like either of them , but it 's all she can do in this one - horse town . much like " fargo , " this movie tells the story of a man who 's going broke and has to pull off a huge scam to get rich quick . he enlists the help of his english friend gig ( tim roth ) , the local stripclub owner who tells him how to fix the lottery . along the way a subplot involving a two - bit thug named , accurately , " dale the thug " ( michael rappaport ) gets mixed up in the process . there 's also a bookie that somehow gets thrown in the mix once the deal goes down . i 'm not going to elaborate much further on the plot and story because it continues to unwind and take twists and turns you 're not expecting . this is a farce , which is basically a straightforward , adult - oriented comedy but does n't go as far as a classic black comedy should . where as " fargo " was sometimes shocking and disturbing while being funny , " lucky numbers " is just funny because you ca n't take these characters in these outrageous situations seriously . it 's all a big cartoon basically , but it 's funny and i can respect that . travolta is great in his role and even though he 's not a really likable character , he 's trying to be a nice guy despite the fact he 's a creep . he 's like a gangster with morals who genuinely feels sorry for the guys he has to kill . crystal is just the opposite , she 's constantly arguing and using whatever brain cells she has left to look out for herself . kudrow is perfect in this role since she 's spent 8 years on tv as the dim - witted phoebe on " friends . " here is character is basically a very evil incarnation of phoebe . i have to admit i was honestly surprised and pleased by how the plot unraveled and the methods each of the main characters use to try to get their share of the money . like " jackie brown , " ( an elmore leonard adaption ) , the story is about a circle of 10 characters all after the lottery money that has been won illegally . the screenplay does a fine job in balancing the characters and slowly revealing their motivations and hidden agendas while at the same time keep russ richards the main focus . more and more characters are introduced and since the film has such an iconic , cartoony atmosphere you can take on faith just what makes the minor characters do what they do . the ending itself is great . it 's surprising and funny and makes you feel good . you realize this film has packed in about 10 different movies ' worth of stories into two hours ' time and did n't fall apart ( although many other critics might beg to differ ) . i liked it , and i could see it again - is n't that what makes a movie good ?

1POS

every movie based on an elmore leonard novel and yet it somehow still works for me . i know i 'm in the minority here but and disturbing while being funny , " lucky numbers " is just funny because you ca n't take these characters in these outrageous . it 's all a big cartoon basically , but it 's funny and i can respect that . travolta is great in his role and even though he 's not a really likable character has left to look out for herself . kudrow is perfect in this role since she 's spent 8 years on tv as the very evil incarnation of phoebe . i have to admit i was honestly surprised and pleased by how the plot unraveled and the methods each of the main characters use to lottery money that has been won illegally . the screenplay does a fine job in balancing the characters and slowly revealing their motivations and hidden agendas while at what makes the minor characters do what they do . the ending itself is great . it 's surprising and funny and makes you feel good . you realize this film has packed in about 10 although many other critics might beg to differ ) . i liked it , and i could see it again - is n't that what makes a movie good ?

this summer , one of the most racially charged novels in john grisham 's series , a time to kill , was made into a major motion picture . on january 3 of this year , director rob reiner basically re - released the film under the title of ghosts of mississippi . based on the true story of 1963 civil rights leader medgar evars ' assassination , ghosts of mississippi revolves around the 25-year legal battle faced by myrlie evars ( whoopi goldberg , sister act ) and her quest to have her husband 's obvious assassin and racist byron de la beckwith ( james woods , casino ) jailed . so she turns to assistant district attorney and prosecutor bobby delaughter ( alec baldwin , heaven 's prisoners ) to imprison the former kkk member . ghosts sets its tone with an opening montage of images from african - american history , from slave - ship miseries to life in the racist south of the 1960 's . but all too soon , the white folks take over , intoning lines like " what 's america got to do with anything ? this is mississippi ! " as beckwith , james woods , with his head larded with latex most of the time as an old man , teeters between portraying evil and its character . meanwhile , goldberg turns in a very serious and weepy performance as the wife who would n't let her husband 's death rest until she got the conviction . both deserve serious oscar - consideration . this brings us to the dull performance of baldwin . let 's face it , trying to match matthew mcconaughey 's wonderful acting in a time to kill is basically impossible . and baldwin is living proof of this , as no emotions could be felt . it seemed as if he actually had to struggle to shed a single tear . either poor acting or poor directing , but something definitely went wrong . another strange mishap was the fact that goldberg 's facial features did n't change , as she looked the same in the courtroom as she did holding her husband 's dead body 25-years earlier . yet woods ' was plastered with enough make up to make him look like goldberg 's father . at least the make - up was realistic . with some emotional moments in the poorly written script , ghosts of mississippi lacked in heart , when its predecessor , a time to kill , brought tears to everyone 's eyes . do n't get me wrong , the movie was n't all that bad , but if you 've seen grisham 's masterpiece , then do n't expect this one to be an excellent film . ,

1POS

husband 's death rest until she got the conviction . both deserve serious oscar - consideration . this brings us to the dull performance of baldwin make him look like goldberg 's father . at least the make - up was realistic . with some emotional moments in the poorly written script

towards the middle of " the sweet hereafter , " a crowded school bus skids on an icy road surface as it rounds a bend , careens through the steel guard rail , and disappears out of sight . then , in long shot , we see the vehicle slowly sliding across what looks like a snow - covered field . it pauses for a moment before the " field " cracks under the bus ' weight and the bright yellow vehicle vanishes in an effortless moment , a single smooth second of time . compare that scene , if you will , to the last eighty minutes of " titanic , " when the behemoth sinks slowly and spectacularly to its watery demise , and you 'll appreciate the futility of comparing greatness in films . the scene in " the sweet hereafter " epitomizes all that 's right with independent canadian director atom egoyan 's film . it 's not sensational . we do n't see the inside of the bus with its payload of screaming , terrified children being bloodied and battered about . the bus does n't explode or break into a thousand tiny pieces . it simply leaves the road and silently slips beneath the surface of a frozen lake . it 's a horrifying sequence made all the more so by calm and distance . using a non - linear approach to his narrative , egoyan shifts back and forward in time , connecting us with the inhabitants of the small british columbian town who have been severely affected by this tragedy . fourteen children died in the accident , leaving their parents and the town itself paralyzed with grief . the catalyst at the center of the film is ambulance chaser mitchell stephens ( a wonderfully moving performance by ian holm ) , who comes to sam dent to persuade the townsfolk to engage in a class action suit . stephens , who " does n't believe in accidents , " functions as a concerned , involved observer , scribbling details in his notebook and providing the parents with an opportunity to reach some kind of closure in the harrowing aftermath . while stephens ' initial drive may be financial ( one third of the total settlement if he wins ) , his involvement provides him more with an outlet to come to grips with his own loss . his self - destructive , drug - addicted daughter has been in and out of clinics , halfway houses and detox units for years . egoyan 's attention to detail and ability to establish mood are so impeccable that even the sound of a kettle boiling resonates like a plaintive cry . mychael danna , who composed the shimmering music for " the ice storm , " contributes another memorable score that shivers and tingles . equally impressive is paul sarossy 's cinematography , capturing the imposing canadian mountainsides and low - hanging fogs as splendidly as his shadowy interiors -- in one scene a bright wall calendar serves to illuminate portions of a room . " the sweet hereafter , " while undeniably grim , urges the viewer to grab onto life with both hands and not let go . it 's a film of generous subtlety and emotion .

1POS

halfway houses and detox units for years . egoyan 's attention to detail and ability to establish mood are so impeccable that even the sound of a kettle boiling resonates like the shimmering music for " the ice storm , " contributes another memorable score that shivers and tingles . equally impressive is paul sarossy 's cinematography , capturing the imposing canadian mountainsides and low - hanging fogs as splendidly as his shadowy interiors -- in one scene a bright " the sweet hereafter , " while undeniably grim , urges the viewer to grab onto life with both hands and not let go . it 's a film of generous subtlety and emotion .

losing a job is not an all too uncommon thing . reacting to such a personal setback by taking a group of small children hostage is a bit more rare . while we all might feel the desire to blow someone 's head off with a shotgun when they do n't seem to grasp our point of view , actually threatening them with one is usually something we avoid . this is n't the case with sam baily - john travolta 's slightly askew average - joe persona in mad city . " i do n't think people listen to guys like me , " sam laments during an exclusive interview from behind the walls of a museum . just a few days ago , sam was a guard at this same museum , but when cutbacks led to the elimination of his security position , sam 's apprehension resulted in a brash decision . in an effort to get his ex - boss , museum director mrs . banks ( blythe danner ) , to " just listen " , he barges into the museum one day equipped with a fully loaded shotgun , taking the uncooperative banks and a group of school children hostage . sam 's overall concern is valid enough - if he loses his job , his paycheck , his benefits , etc . , his wife and two children wo n't be provided for . he 's not a lunatic or a hot - tempered madman , he 's somewhat like a child - panicky , compulsive , and running on emotion - and his naive intentions are n't helped any by the fact that banks was n't overly compassionate with the let go . overall , he 's just like you and me - except that he has the capacity to view the line we 'd deem " far enough " as the starting mark of some crazy race . meanwhile , television reporter max brackett ( dustin hoffman ) is also on the scene . covering a " fluff " story for the evening news concerning the museum cutbacks , max suddenly finds himself in the middle of the biggest - breaking news story he ever could 've hoped for . having been demoted from network newsman to smalltime affiliate reporting , max is anxious to turn this into his , and only his , story . max immediately bonds with sam . max even coaches sam thru hostage negotiations and writes scripts for him to use with the police over the phone . at first , max 's intentions do n't stretch beyond high ratings and a good boost to the ole pride factor , but as he gets to know sam more personally , he begins to sympathize and even become somewhat of an advocate for him . the media , however , is creating a frenzy that leaves the fickle public shifting gears as often as a diesel truck moving downhill . the accidental shooting of ex - co- worker cliff ( bill nunn ) , a black security guard , becomes one of the main factors in the controversy over sam 's honest ambitions . also involved in this film are robert prosky as lou potts , head of the news department of the station max falls directly under , and alan alda as the nationally famed reporter kevin hollander , who uses his network power to try and outshine max . alda and prosky both turn in fine performances that fit like gloves on their acting abilities . then there is mia kirshner , who plays the young tv station intern laurie . she falls under max 's wings only to become a student taught too well in the way of sensationalistic reporting . kirshner 's credits are relatively small for now , including roles in films like exotica and the forgettable sequel to the crow . still , kirshner 's character transformation shows that she has shining ability to play both good girl and kinda - bitchy - in - a - reserved - way roles . i would n't mind seeing her in some more prevalent parts , where perhaps her talent will be able to blossom more fully onscreen . while the viewpoint of the media as a greedy , self - righteous monster has indeed been tackled before , mad city provides a solid two hours of enjoyability . hoffman and travolta are both excellent actors , and seeing them together is a real treat . they both do a great job at smoothly and naturally becoming their characters , and they provide enough chemistry for us to genuinely care for both . there is quite a bit of humor in this film , and without it , it could 've fallen into a drab , cliched social statement more likely to garner sleep from the audience than applause . this is n't a flick that will grip at both your funny bone and your heart , but it will lightly touch both , making for a recommendable movie . if for nothing more than the opportunity to watch both hoffman and travolta at the same time , i urge you to check this one out .

1POS

power to try and outshine max . alda and prosky both turn in fine performances that fit like gloves on their acting abilities . then crow . still , kirshner 's character transformation shows that she has shining ability to play both good girl and kinda - bitchy - righteous monster has indeed been tackled before , mad city provides a solid two hours of enjoyability . hoffman and travolta are both excellent actors , and seeing them together is a real treat . they both do a great job at smoothly and naturally becoming their characters , and they provide enough chemistry for at both your funny bone and your heart , but it will lightly touch both , making for a recommendable movie . if for nothing more than the opportunity to watch both hoffman and travolta at the same time , i urge you to check this one out .