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KathND
Reviews
Bridesmaids (2011)
sad not funny
I am a bit surprised at the other reviews for this movie, my college aged daughters were eager to see it and our family found it more tragic than anything else, especially for the lead character. Both daughters said they felt more like crying than laughing and wanted to see something else to "cleanse the palate" before calling it a night. Kristin Wiig is very talented and will likely follow up with more movies, but we found her character too sad, in an age where lots of young people are unemployed, underemployed or going bankrupt. A lot of the humor was gross - I guess we don't find mass diarrhea in wedding clothing that funny. We found Melissa McCarthy particularly unfunny and almost painful to watch.
The Tailor of Panama (2001)
predicting story
The story projects the danger of the US and UK unbalanced by the USSR. The espionage game has a cycle of self interest and if unchecked leads to bad outcomes. No need to be careful if there is no check on your power, and if you are not careful you act on misinformation. SOund familiar... The acting is wonderful. Brosnan appears to enjoy going against type there is nothing really likable about Andy though he is played by a very likable man. Rush brings some sympathy to a tragic character. When so much has gone wrong and he is to blame, you still feel somewhat sorry for him. The story is compelling and filled with comic jabs at spy movies. Don't expect James Bond here - this is a different kind of fictional spy world - one we hope is not too real.
Laws of Attraction (2004)
sweet little movie
I found this movie sweet and enjoyable. Thanks moveimakers for having romantic leads that are both over 40. This couple did not have the heat of the Brosnan/Russo pairing, but it was a very different set of characters. It's not profound, but the point of what makes a marriage can be a conversation starter afterwards. It was not a real laugh out loud comedy, but it was amusing. I loved Frances Fisher - the most amusing character. I liked that the male character was decent - a couple of on the edge ethical lapses - but he showed a conscious. He's not Atticus Finch, but I like the nod toward the idea that men are most attractive when they are respectful, decent and thoughful.
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)
mixed up
Sean Connery was fun, some very funny lines in the movie. He still can carry any scene. My favorite was when an soldier asks Dorian Gray "What are you?" while bullet holes just disappear from his chest. He answers "I'm complicated." On the plus side my daughters are now reading Oscar Wilde and Arthur Conan Doyle. On the minus side the plot made absolutely no sense. Why would "M" want to bring them together? We saw Pirates the same weekend and it is a far better movie.
The Mark of Zorro (1920)
still fun and beautiful to watch
We are reviewing the history of film with our young daughters and they are both captivated by Douglas Fairbanks in Zorro. His smile, his grace and his wit make this a joy to watch. He moves wth seemingly effortless grace. I can't think of anyone so physically captivating today - maybe in a quieter way like Jackie Chan? Does anyone know if the term "hat trick" has anything to do with the hat trick in the scene with the Pulidos?
The Kid (2000)
not just a kid movie
While my kids enjoyed the movie (and announced afterward that they want to buy it later) I think I got more out of it that they did. The scene in the airport shop at the beginning is real life (I did not use the cutting comment aloud, but I thought it). It is a feel good mid-life movie, a bit sappy and some scenes work less well than others (why does the kid stay with Bruce Willis after he knows his Mom is dying?), but all in all and good time. It also gave our family something to talk about - did my kids think my life was boring? What do they expect at 40? How can you not like a movie that gets a good conversation going with your kids?
The World Is Not Enough (1999)
what a waste of talent
Pierce Brosnan was capable, as usual, but the writers and casting people were not up to par. Dench is so wonderful in other films, but her M was written rather dim. Her character got some action, but was not developed well enough. John Cleese's talent was completely wasted.
I figured out the bad girl/daughter as soon as she was introduced, why didn't M? This one issue is just one symptom of the poor writing in this Bond. The sexual innuendos, historically silly, were no longer clever, they were just crude.
The female cast was one of the worst ever. I've heard Ms. Richards and Ms. Marceau have better performances in other films. Ms. Richards looks barely out of High School and is not convincing as a PhD senior scientist. The writers did neither of the women favors with their insipid dialogue. If Dr. Jones did not want jokes about her name, why not just use Dr. Jones or Chris?
Casting people should take a clue from the other Brosnan film last year, Thomas Crown Affair, and cast more mature women in some roles.
By the way, what brain trust thought they should kill off the Russian, a great repeating character?
A real let down after the previous Bond film.
The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)
smart, fun film for those over 30
We saw the Thomas Crown Affair in a packed theater in South Bend, Indiana. Two things were remarkable about that - theaters are not normally packed in South Bend and the average age of the crowd was probably 48. Everyone seemed to leave happy. My favorite aspects of the movie were the repeated twists and jokes, from the Etruscan horse onward. It was a light, fun drama that did not treat its audience like pre-teens. I was wary of a re-make, but I think they improved on the original. Set design were quite good. It was a sexy film, too. My only criticism is the glider and cat sequences seemed a bit long - probably in honor of the interminable dune buggy sequence in the original.
The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)
smart, fun film for those over 30
We saw the Thomas Crown Affair in a packed theater in South Bend, Indiana. Two things were remarkable about that - theaters are not normally packed in South Bend and the average age of the crowd was probably 48. Everyone seemed to leave happy. My favorite aspects of the movie were the repeated twists and jokes, from the Etruscan horse onward. It was a light, fun drama that did not treat its audience like pre-teens. I was wary of a re-make, but I think they improved on the original. Set design were quite good. It was a sexy film, too. My only criticism is the glider and cat sequences seemed a bit long - probably in honor of the interminable dune buggy sequence in the original.