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Reviews
Mystery Men (1999)
Sad, Sad and Sad again....
This movie reminded me of one of Shakespeare's lesser know quotes. My summary would be Sad, Sad and Sad again, the talent is gone but the movie remains. When I saw the trailers for this movie I was, to use a word, thrilled. Stiller and Garofalo in one movie and with such great back up actors such as William Macy and Paul Reuben, I did not think this movie could miss. Boy, was I wrong. It took me two times to get through this awful example of cinematography. I found this movie a typical example of the best lines being used in the trailer. I could not believe with such great comic talent in this movie, nothing funny happened. I can only assume the funniest parts of this movie ended up, for some unknown reason, on the cutting room floor. If you want to watch a good Ben Stiller and Janeane Garofalo performance I would have to recommend `Reality Bites'; far superior to Mystery Men. I guess my tag line is it is a Mystery why Mystery Men was made. Avoid if not on free TV.
Total Recall (1990)
Don't look at the man behind the curtain
This could have been yet another great Philip K. Dick story turned into a movie (Blade Runner). However at the critical moment this movie fails. After doing a good job setting up Quaid's motivation to go to Mars and getting the characters together; the movie does a great job of throwing in a killer plot twist. However it is as this plot twist is being resolved that the movie loses it creditability. Once the Alien air-making machine is put into action realism would dictate that every structure on the planet would be leveled. Just imagine the effect of taking a structure built to handle the near vacuum of the Martian atmosphere and suddenly hitting it with 15 lbs per square inch of weight. The Alien machine, to work properly in the movie would take several weeks to create a Martian atmosphere. And that means that Quaid dies after being sucked out of the airshaft. Even if we look at that scene, think of the incredible damage that would have been done to Quaid's body. He would never be the same. What saddens me is these are small plot points that could have been dealt with properly had the director and screenwriter taken some time to do so. Had they done so, this would be an undeniable instant Sci-Fi classic, instead of a good movie with a hoaky ending.
Ronin (1998)
Great car chases, that's it!
After watching this movie I can only say one thing. Great car chases. I am a great fan of Robert DeNiro and Jean Reno. I found the performances by both these fine actors to be below par. I never found myself caring about their characters or any of the characters in the movie. I think Frankenhimer tried to do a "Pulp Fiction" type of mystery with the ice-skating case, but it really did not come across. I never understood why DeNiro's character cared for the woman character, unless she was one heck of a kisser. It seemed to me there should have been more to Reno's character, because that character unlike the others, excluding Sam, seemed more grounded. My bottom line was I did not care if any of them retrieved the case or not. I found myself just wanting to see more car chases, maybe I will rent "Bullet".
The Wrong Man (1956)
No chemistry
I would have to say I was disappointed in the Wrong Man. I am a big fan of both Henry Fonda and Alfred Hitchcock and I felt this was a poor effort by both the brilliant actor and the brilliant director. In this movie Henry Fonda's performance was flat. I felt like he was sleepwalking through the movie, never involved in either the fear of being processed by the legal system or in the relief when the real criminal was found. I did not see anything special in Hitchcock's cinematography or in the way he presented the movie. I never felt any suspense or for that fact any interest in the charters he brought to the screen. The ending was very anti-climatic. If you are looking for a good performance by a young Henry Fonda see "Once upon a time in the west"; for Hitchcock see "Notorious".
The Matrix (1999)
Three Movies in One
The question what is the matrix, was answered in the movie. However, one burning question the movie did not answer was, what made Thomas Anderson/Neo the one. I walked away from this movie of two minds. On one hand I loved the fight/special effect sequences. And I liked how Neo's character developed. There was a logical progression in his skills from a novice as seen in the fight in the dojo to an accomplished master of the matrix. This progression did nothing for me but beg the question "What made Neo special, why could he do these thing and Morphus or Trinity could not?" My other side thought of the plot. Now I will say it was mind-blowing enough to have to accept and understand the concept of the matrix. I did not feel it help the movie to throw in the various subplots, such as the Oracle or the character that betrayed the group and gloated long enough for the "wounded" character to kill him. And where did this whole I love you from Trinity to Neo come from. Out of the blue if you asked me. It seemed that The Matrix borrowed heavily from three outstanding movies to make one mediocre movie. The AI machines felt like they had been taken out of the Terminator series and the concept changed enough to make the Wachowski brothers' legally safe. I also felt that Neo was being treated like Luke was in Star Wars. In Star Wars, I understood what made Luke special. Finally I feel the Matrix borrowed from Dreamscape. Here is where I felt the plot really fell down. Once anyone understood the concept of the Matrix, they should have been nearly invincible. Morphus seemed to show he understood the concept, yet he could not defeat the Agents. I guess I liked the fights and the special effects, but the plot just left too many holes.
Seven Dials Mystery (1981)
Confusing and Poorly constructed
Lately I have been watching Agatha Christie stories that have been made into movies. Some of them, like Murder on the Nile, and Murder on the Orient Express, are great films. This one is not. I would suggest you pass on this film and watch either version of 10 Little Indians instead. This film suffers from unimaginative directing, poor acting, and poor writing. Some of the plot devices were so bad I could have done better. This is a very poor film, I would recommend avoiding it.
The Wild Geese (1978)
Great War Movie
I liked this movie on many levels. I liked the characters. Of course, Richard Burton, Dennis Harris, Roger Moore, and Hardy Kruger are fantastic in their roles. But in my mind even the smaller parts are great. When you watch this movie you get a real feel for the type of people who chose the life of a mercenary. You also see how a professional group of soldiers operate in the field. In the planned operation they are quick and professional, operating in such a manner as to effectively eliminate opposition and danger to themselves. However, when things go wrong you see the strength of character in each of the soldiers, the dedication to working as a team and the professional friendship they have. This movie has great plot and action. It does not go over the top to show these soldiers as superheroes, you see them as men doing their job and attempting to survive. This movie is well written, well acted and well filmed. If you enjoy war movies this is one you should not miss. I would rate this up with "Saving Private Ryan".
Bambi Meets Godzilla (1969)
The sequel
This movie is funny from the beginning. The credits are funny the animation is funny and the plot is funny. If you enjoy this look for Mark's sequel "Bambi's Revenge". In this film the small fawn dishes out a short lived Revenge on the Godzilla. Both movies are fun to watch backwards.
Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
Good Combination
I enjoyed this picture. This movie is one of the finest examples of John Carpenter and Kurt Russel working together. Every Carpenter/Russell movie is great fun. In this movie, yes movie, Kurt plays a straight shooting, level headed hero. It is interesting to see how he reacts to the strange magical world that the Chinese create and inhabit. The movie is great if for no other reason than his monologue at the beginning and end of the movie. Well you know what Jack Burton would say at a time like this..."Have I paid my dues, I sure have. The check is in the mail."
Eegah (1962)
Bad Movie Good MST3K
I saw this movie and it was awful. The only thing that made this movie tolerable was the fact that I saw it as a Mystery Sciene Theater 3000 episode.