Reviews

I was even IN this movie (as an uncredited extra) and I knew at the time it was going to be bad. What I didn't realize was how bad bad could be.

I know one of the cameramen and he knew better how bad it was going to be but after seeing the stunning editing job they did, he too was amazed at the appalling disjointed quality of this film. I hesitate to use the word 'film' even. And don't use the word 'professionalism' either, as jelly was spilt on at least one roll of film and things had to be reshot. Why did they bother?

The Bumblebee Flies Anyway was certainly a drama. People die, sad things happen, and the viewer is blown away by the stunning storytelling. That's what it's supposed to be, right? And was it, in this case? Sort of. Major plot points came and went without much surprise from me. But I still found it interesting and entertaining. The title comes from the fact that bumblebees are actually too big for their wings, and shouldn't be able to fly, but they do. The acting was fine, but it's funny to see that Elijah Wood did better than Janeane Garofolo. The script was similarly passable. Soundtrack: Pretty good, and sometimes quite effective.

On the plus side, some awesome questions are asked, and that's what makes this so powerful. I can't go into detail without giving away the plot. Overall, it's not a waste of time, but there are probably better movies out there. I'd recommend it for people who like to ponder philosophically.

Wild Palms isn't just a movie, it's a commitment. A four and a half hour commitment. But it's well worth it. The story, set in 2007, has parts of it that are starting to come true, and others that very well may. The beautiful thing about it is this: Practically everything you see or hear in the movie has a double meaning. Every line, every plot point has been thought out to the point that you're almost watching two movies at once. I remember seeing this on TV, during the original miniseries broadcast, and thinking, 'TV isn't ready for this. The world isn't ready for this.' I was amazed, and you will be too. You won't miss the four-letter profanity that you'd get from a theater film. The only problem is that some of the actors aren't that great. Angie Dickinson seems to over-emote like she's in a soap opera, but that atually adds charm in my opinion. Ben Savage(who was pretty young then) seems to have trouble with strong emotions, and Aaron Metchik (another young actor) has trouble, period. But who can blame him? I can't figure out his character either. One minute he's strong, intelligent, witty, and calm, and the next he collapses into a simpering little boy. But what can you do? You only have 4.5 hours to develop all these characters, huh? My rating: Quite Good.

I love a movie that leaves my mind buzzing like this. Whether it's with fear, beauty, or (in this case) paranoia, any film that can make me feel like this is great.

It's not for everyone, though. My friend saw it at the same time, and he didn't like it as much as I did. He pointed out that it's probably more exciting for a math freak.

But I'm not a math freak. I just like good movies that make me think. I have a sort of explanation for those who don't understand, but I think it would be more fun to try and figure it out for yourself.

Two small complaints, though. 1: The film and lighting quality was such that in parts I didn't quite know what I was looking at. Perhaps this was done on purpose, because most of the time it was pretty clear. But I like to catch everything the first time around. And, 2: I've seen that ending before. But I understand it, because the other possible ending would have been a Kubrick.

So do yourself a favor. Put on your thinking cap and rent Pi.

I figured that everyone who voted would give it either a 10 or a zero, so I knew that my vote of six would be next to useless. No, it's not worth a ten, but not so bad as to give it a zero. Anyway, after watching it (on cable, not the big screen), I had to think about my feelings about it before commenting. The obvious things have all been said: the bad script, etc. But what I was bothered by was the cinematography. The use of filters and such was too prevalent. I realize this was to diffuse the light and give everything a soft, antique-y look, but it bothered me nonetheless.

I watch movies and ask myself, "What does this scene add to the overall movie?" In many cases with this film, the answer was "Nothing at all." I understand the importance of establishing shots, but I don't see the need for them to be that long. I got up once to go to the bathroom, and when I returned, it was still the long, sweeping, panoramic establishing shot! Ok, by this time I had figured out it was a big ship.

I also didn't think the whole "outside" story set in the present was necessary, but I guess James Cameron wanted something to differentiate this story from all the other 'true love versus class struggle' stories.

I do often get emotional at sad movies (hard for a guy to admit), but I didn't cry for this one, for whatever reason. It seemed too fake, I guess.

I know a lot of people who think this is the funniest movie ever, and the Mike Myers is a genius for playing two roles in the same movie. Personally, I thought "So I Married an Axemurderer" was better, and his multiple roles were better. It's obvious he idolizes Peter Sellers and his unique ability, but unfortunately he falls short.

The Austin Powers role is good, and he has that role down just fine, but I don't think he put as much time into the Dr. Evil character. Aside from that, the movie was OK, but not as good as people make it out to be. I've heard mixed reviews about the sequel. Looks like I won't be paying to see that one in the theaters either.

Which would you rather: Titanic or The Tic Code? They were both on at the same time, and I chose the latter, a made for premium cable movie, which means it will be available for rental sooner or later. If you like good acting and good jazz, this one's for you. The kid is amazing in his portrayal of a kid (go figure) with Tourette's. It's your typical 'freaks are people too' movie, but that doesn't mean it's not good. It's very well done. It intrigues me that maybe Thelonious Monk had Tourette's too. He's probably my favorite pianist. OK, take out the probably. But I saw that this is listed under the "children's" genre. Not that I'm saying it isn't good for kids, but it's also good for adults. By the way, watch all the way to the end of the credits. It's worth it.

A made-for-cable exclusive: Last Rites. Sometimes direct to cable can be a bad thing. Randy Quaid was pretty good, but, as my sister pointed out, he never plays a sane character. However, the rest of the cast was for the most part lame, and the story was incredibly predictable. That means something, coming from a guy who actively tries not to guess what will happen next. It's more fun to just let it happen. When it comes out on video, stay away. Rating: Kind of Lame.

Lost in Space. How about Lost in Scriptwriting, 101? Take a decent story, a good idea, amazing (almost) special effects, and great actors, and force those actors to say horrible lines. (Much like the original Star Wars.) If Gary Oldman (Dr. Smith) had to tell us one more time that he was a bad guy, I would have killed him myself. If Matt LeBlanc's character could be any more two-dimensional, I would have gotten a paper cut from him. Oh well, I guess that's Hollywood. Yes, plenty of room for a sequel. Got to tie up those loose ends.

About 15 minutes before Men in Black was on, I decided I wanted to watch it. I did enjoy it, even though I cringe at most movies that feature deadpan lines right before someone gets killed. The special effects weren't obviously computer-generated, which was good. I was pleasantly surprised at how enjoyable it was. Danny Elfman still makes a good score, and Will Smith isn't a bad rapper. For a summer movie, this one surely beats Independence Day and Armageddon hands down.

It's always neat to see a bunch of actors you've never heard of pull off a fine job like that. It makes you wonder if they're just undiscovered talent, if they're actually well known in Britain, or if it takes a tremendous amount of skill to direct those amateurs. The movie is good, but the accents are tough to decipher in places. Maybe it's just because I watched it with the volume low. Anyway, I'd have to rate it: Pretty Good.

If you've got nothing better to do, watch it. If you could be rearranging your sock drawer, . . . Tough choice. Horror movies do have a certain way of solving their own problems, though. She can't act? Good, she dies early on. For some reason, my dad just stood there through the whole movie. It's not like we only have one chair in the living room. Maybe he was waiting for it to get good before he sat down. The movie has plenty of gore, lots of obvious computer-generated effects, and an ending that just makes you mad. Jerry Goldsmith has written a hugely derivative score, though. I think it's called "Phantom of the Mission: Impossible." I was going to say it was decent, but due to the amount of yelling at the screen I did, I'm going to have to say it's kind of lame.

I would just like to recommend it to everyone. Maybe one day they'll release episodes on video, which would be well worth the investment (time and money). It is a well-scripted story about a prison that uses a tempestuous mixture of tense drama, hilarious comedy, and brutal violence. There is plenty of philosophical insight, and the direction is top-notch. Rating: Depends on episode, but excellent overall.

There's a simple lesson to be learned from Prizzi's Honor: Don't fall in love; women are evil. Jack Nicholson is great, of course, almost even playing someone other than himself. Angelica Huston and Kathleen Turner (overdrive) are good also. I can't say anything amazing about John Huston's directing, but it wasn't bad. Get plenty of sleep beforehand, or you'll end up dozing off, like I did. It's not exactly action-packed, and I'm running quite a sleep deficit. Otherwise, not bad.

I have wanted to see Detour ever since I read about how it is the ultimate film noir movie. I didn't think I would ever rent it, though. Of course, I didn't. I streamed it from the internet. I don't know if it is better on the big screen than a TV, but the choppy sound and video from the internet playing in a six-inch window is far from ideal. Still it is a decent movie, but I hate old-time movie music. It doesn't seem to fit very well (which isn't to say that modern music does). Anyway, maybe I'll watch it for real sometime. Rating: Not Bad.

And to think that I almost didn't watch Earthly Possessions. You know, it's a made for HBO comedy action adventure, you can never tell if it's going to be worth it. I don't normally count how many times a movie makes me laugh, but when I had to laugh twice before the opening credits were done, I thought I might as well try. I lost count. Susan Sarandon was wonderful. I did have to go to the bathroom during the obligatory makeout scene, which was thoughtfully placed one hour into it (in case someone might have to go to the bathroom). It's a fun movie.

I was entertained mostly by the somewhat predictable story (I'm being kind), but the real reason to see it is for the performances. I like De Niro (who doesn't?), and Billy Crystal was wonderful (of course), but I think they should have given Lisa Kudrow more screen time. She's a comic genius. As hard as it is to psyche myself up to watch a comedy, I wanted to see this. I convinced myself that it would be good. It was all right. It's not a classic, though.

U.S. Marshals is the sequel to The Fugitive. I believe Perry Farrell of Jane's Addiction said it best when he sang, "Why do you have to make it so, so obvious?" If there was ever any doubt as to who the 'one armed man' was in this film, it was before he was in any scenes. Giving him two arms fools no one. This, however, does not change the fact that Tommy Lee Jones is a fine actor, and Wesley Snipes and Robert Downey, Jr. are also pretty good. Decent stunts, lame music.

The Replacement Killers was good enough, but that's it. I came to expect more from John Woo, who executive produced it (whatever that means). Chow-Yun Fat was excellent, of course. I wanted to hear him speak English, and he did a remarkable job. He's more fun to watch when you don't have to read the screen every time someone talks. Action flick. Bang bang. Big guns. High body count. It just makes me want to see his new film with Mark Wahlberg, whom I have a newfound respect for - Boogie Nights was quite good.

I liked the fact that George Clooney and Nicole Kidman didn't shack up. I liked the music, a lot. I liked the fact that the bad guy was a musician who loved his family. Other than that, this was a totally average action movie. Not a total waste of time though.

Nightwatch, which was apparently an English-language remake of the Dutch film Nattevagen, both from director Ole Bornedal, was a dark horror murder mystery. It has a great cast in Ewan McGregor, who has a good American accent, Patricia Arquette, John C. Reilly, and Nick Nolte. It's sad that they weren't asked to do anything impressive. There was a very existential tint to it, but it was too little, too late to add any depth. It did make me think, though. Still, it was nicely shot, and the gross parts are enough to make you shiver without making you sick, and they were done quite effectively. Nothing was unnecessary. The soundtrack was a good mix of rock, classical, and spooky "atmosphere" music.

"I think I am a reflection, like the moon on water. When you see me, and I try to be a good man, you see yourself." Kundun was definitely worth watching a second time, though it did drag a little. When I saw it the first time, it was in the theater and I was awestruck by the amazing scenery and vibrant colors. It got my vote for best cinematography. I got the soundtrack, which is just as beautiful. When, after watching it the second time, on the small screen, they announced it won the award for best cinematography and best music, I felt vindicated. If you're renting, go for letterbox if possible. Scorsese may have only released it that way. Stop waiting for Hollywood plot complications, this is non-fiction.

Something should be done with the lyrics to pop songs on movie soundtracks. An American Werewolf in Paris had some of the worst. The movie wasn't much better. The special effects were OK, but still kind of disappointing. The werewolves aren't supposed to look computer generated. Maybe a guy in a costume would have been better. This Beetlejuice-meets-Interview with the Vampire (which I also did not like) tries too hard to be funny and scary. This was kind of lame. Interview was better. Beetlejuice was much better.

I'd say it was pretty good. Which is to say not very good, but entertaining. The complexity the aliens needed was finally given to them, and the one liners that mar other action movies (cough, Van Damme, ahem) was not overdone, and actually worked with the movie. But it was obvious who was going to die. Isn't it always? Anyway, it was gruesome, the special effects were great, and Sigourney Weaver is always good. I didn't jump out of my seat once, but I was thoroughly entertained.

I thought it was quite good. It gave me a feeling I haven't felt since I saw Sleepers. I loved the way the director overlapped scenes, and used flashbacks to tell the story. This is success where Pulp Fiction failed. All the characters were believable, and all the performances were good. In particular, I was impressed with the depth of emotion Nick Stahl portrayed without saying a word for the whole first half of the movie. Sometimes the ending you don't want makes the movie that much better.