Reviews

4 Reviews
Sort by:
Filter by Rating:
9/10
Adorable Old-School Disney!!!
29 November 2006
I mean, it isn't the best cinematic experience out there, but so what?

I probably had not seen this in twenty years and had only vague memories of Don Knotts 'hanging' around the bank with Tim Conway. This movie is really sweet and cute and fun to watch. You can see the way Disney used to make movies for children...the sets, the costumes, the character actors, the dialogue...even the music are all kid-friendly.

There aren't that many modern movies from Disney that I would let children see, but I can almost always trust the ones made before 1984 (basically a legal decision happened in that year that allowed corporate infiltration into the creative process...1984 is pretty much the year that the USA started to really go downhill as far as business ethics in the movie industry as well as other big corporations targeting children as cash cows). Apple Dumpling Gang wasn't meant to be a huge blockbuster success with corporate sponsorship and marketing agendas, it is a film made by a company who knew and loved kids and made movies to entertain them and their parents at the same time. It is full of nostalgia.

I highly recommend it for everyone!!! Oh, and Don Knotts, Tim Conway, and Bill Bixby are comic geniuses!!! It's definitely worth a rental to check it out for yourself, it sure couldn't hurt and you may be very pleasantly surprised. :)
4 out of 7 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
1/10
Supremely Stupid...and that's NOT a compliment...
12 February 2006
Warning: Spoilers
***Spoilers may be forthcoming!*** I am a huge fan of the Peter Sellers' movies so I had very high standards when I went. I suspected it was rotten from the moment I saw the previews, but decided to give it a chance anyway.

The main problem is that Steve Martin just tried too hard to be convincing and didn't let his natural funny come forth. I found his "French" facial "pucker" extremely annoying and his eyes looked...dead and blank. There was no life or sparkle in there. It was like watching a zombie of Steve Martin instead of Inspector Clouseau, and it made me sad for him.

The gags were not humorous to adults, in the least. The original Pink Panther movies, although much of them slapstick, are meant for intelligent adults with a dry, yet wacky, physical sense of humour. This was meant for very immature audiences with matching cerebral functions. Not that I don't find movies like that funny sometimes (Dude, Where's My Car?), but this one wasn't. My husband didn't even like this and he likes the Three Stooges! (That means something to the women out there.)

It was too "Hollywood-ized". There was not one funny joke...nothing original...the imitated gags were poorly executed...acting by Steve Martin was horrid...the product placement was insulting (Dell)...the Beyonce concert was stupid (although the one slightly humorous "off the wall" gag in the background during her performance almost made me smile, the very next one made me want to cover my eyes in shame)...and the physical comedy was just, well, boring.

Overall, we were ready to leave after ten minutes but we felt we deserved some sort of punishment for ordering popcorn, candy, and soda.

I would compare this movie to the awful comedy, Ishtar...but that's being generous. It was more like A Passage to India.

I usually find the positive in everything so let me say this, there was ONE shining star in this film and that was Jean Reno as Gendarme Gilbert Ponton (the straight man to Steve Martin'c Clouseau). He was, as usual, brilliant.

Otherwise, this "Birth of the Pink Panther" was a very painful delivery...and, as with most births, the 93 minutes of painful labor seemed to last forever...and ever...and ever...

...at least I only paid the matinée price.

PS - in the off-chance that Steve Martin would read this...I am a HUGE fan of yours. No, really! Just... not in this venture. I'll pray for you to find a more meaningful purpose.

V.
12 out of 39 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Beautiful, please see it for yourself...
8 January 2004
First, please don't base your opinion on the last critic's remarks. You must see this movie and judge for yourself. I have been in love with this movie since I was 7 years old (1979) and I just watched it again for the first time in many years. I STILL love it!

It is one of my top ten movies of all time (Lawrence of Arabia being #1).

There isn't any bad acting. In fact, I think that Kelly Reno did a fine job as Alec...clever, introspective, and curious. Hoy Axton did a great job as his father, as well. Maybe I just connect with them because I had a similar relationship with my dad.

I challenge you to watch this film without nit-picking it to death, especially if you have an artistic soul. I thought it was lovingly directed with a lot of original camera shots (for 1979) and perfectly composed/matched music. Do you know there is an incredible length of time during this film where not one word is spoken? Nor, is it needed. Indeed, words would be sacrilege to the simple beauty of the growing friendship between boy and horse.



It's an exciting, heartwarming, beautiful, and moving tale...I can't wait to show it to my future children so I can share the magic.



*PS - make sure you turn up the bass in the beginning so you can hear the ship's heart - imagine being on that ship and hearing that all the time. It really helps set the tone and brings a conflicting sense of impending doom and comfort.
83 out of 88 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Touching, Funny, and Clever - an absolute delight!!!
3 November 2003
I caught this movie while flipping through channels on local television in Houston and couldn't turn it off. I had never seen any VeggieTales before this and it blew me away. The talent it took to make this story witty, touching, and engaging all at the same time is obvious. Not only that, but the music and songs are excellent! Seriously...I don't mean they are excellent in some snobby religious way but actually catchy and fun. Maybe I'm a weirdo...actually, I know I am...but I had to get up and sing and dance while the choir sang inside the whale. Yes, I am 31 years old and I was dancing to a cartoon...alone.

I know it isn't popular to say anything like this, but I am going to say it. I really and truly felt the anointing of the Lord on this movie.

My future kids WILL be watching this flick.



PS - one of the best parts is the credits song after the movie ;)



10 out of 10 stars - **********
1 out of 1 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Recently Viewed