rebschucks's Reviews

Goodfellas (1990)

9/10

17 November 2009

I think this is actually an amazing film, and I'm surprised "Dances With Wolves" beat it out in the Academy Awards. It's raw, it's dark, and it stays with you long after you've seen it. I can certainly appreciate the movie for being quite possibly the most accurate mob movie in movie history. Nothing here is romanticized. They may have had a lot of perks, made a lot of money, but at what cost? That is ultimately the theme that is explored in "Goodfellas"

However it is most definitely NOT for everyone. There is no justice, no happy ending, sometimes no rhyme of reason for the crimes that are committed, except that it's just the way of life. The people in the movie are not sympathetic, you won't like them. You won't like their friends. You won't like their enemies. For some people that can be frustrating, myself included. It's disturbing; some of the murders in this movie made me downright angry. It took me about 3 viewings before I could watch the film in it's entirety.

So my advice would be to definitely go see this movie if you think you can stomach it. But be warned: You might be pushed to your limit.

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Heidi (I) (2005)

9/10

I loved it!

8 July 2009

Of the versions I've seen (1937/1968/1982 animation) this is the only one that really gets the story right! For starters, instead of the typical blonde we now tend to typecast Heidi in, we get the little brown-haired girl that Spyri depicted in her book. She wears simple clothes, not the traditional Swedish outfit, because they recognize that she was poor, and those clothes are only worn on special occasions anyways. The movie doesn't try to stray away from the original story with overt dramatic subplots, it simply depicts the story as it was originally told, and as the book is a very simple story, that's very hard to pull off in a movie. I was so glad that they didn't write out more minor characters like Tinette, Grandmamma or the Doctor. They just enrich the story so much and were played beautifully.

Only real critiques: They changed Schwanli and Bearli's names, and changed the name of the Alm Uncle to Uncle Alp. Also the Irish Accent of Emma Bolger could get a little distracting, and Fraulien Rottenmeier and Aunte Dete were a little crueler towards Heidi than I remember... but considering all that was included I was very satisfied. Makes me want to read the book all over again!

Definitely not a story for those who crave a lot of action and drama. But if you absolutely loved the book as a child, this is a great companion piece.

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John Wayne Bobbitt Uncut (1994 Video)

5/10

why doesn't anyone love this movie?!?!

28 May 2008

This was the first porno I had ever seen. First week of college 1996 my newfound friends and I bonded over JWB:Uncut - Okay, so the acting is bad, but no worse than any other porn I saw thereafter. And as for pure entertainment value, the, ahem, cut-to scene just after Lorena does the deed is one of the most hysterical things I have ever witnessed. Of course, after the big "reveal" I suppose there's not much else to see.

I won't argue that it's pure trash, and probably if you're using the film for solo viewing, yeah, I guess it's probably pretty distracting and not very useful. But if you're looking for something stupid to watch on a late night with your friends, I highly recommend it!

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The Linda McCartney Story (2000 TV Movie)

4/10

Not very interesting

26 March 2008

Well, Gary Bakewell looks a lot like Paul McCartney.

Other than that...

This movie lacks substance. The film is set up as a series of flashbacks while Linda is coping with breast cancer in the 1990s, so the ultimate doom of Linda kind of puts a downer on the whole movie. But the biggest problem is that it rushes up to the parts where Paul is courting Linda, then loses it's steam pretty quickly once Paul and Linda get married and the Beatles break up. The years spent as a photographer, with Wings, as an animal rights activist, even her time spent as a mother are barely skimmed over, so we the audience, are left feeling kind of gypped of at least 25 years worth of valuable information. Granted, a happy and stable marriage does not make much juicy filler for a movie, but we really don't get much of a feel for who this woman was, but rather who she was for Paul McCartney.

That said, I thought the actors did a decent job, considering the lack of material; there was a nice chemistry between Bakewell and Elizabeth Mitchell. And if you did know anything about the real Linda McCartney, watching her portrayed in her final days was touching. A nice film to have on in the background while you're busy doing other things. But as a film in it's own right, it's just not strong enough material to hold much interest.

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Heidi (1937)

7/10

Not true to the book, but oh Shirley!

2 March 2008

The story of Heidi is kind of hard to present to film-goers. As a book it's wonderful and engaging, but it's just not movie material. Thus we get versions like this, with kidnapping and gypsies and an evil witch of a Fraulein Rottenmeier who wants to keep Klara sick and bring Heidi down.

But how can you not love Shirley Temple? She just takes any movie and makes it golden! And we also have the heart of the story: a little girl who teaches a grumpy old man to open up his heart again. And those two things by themselves help the movie to shine.

A wonderful classic, especially for young viewers, but also good for the young at heart!

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Jane Eyre (1996)

8/10

A decent adaptation

8 November 2007

Warning: Spoilers

Jane Eyre is one of those books that once I pick it up I cannot put it down until I have read it cover to cover. That being said, I really enjoy this film. It may not be the "best" version, but it certainly does it's best to stay true to the original story. Charlotte Gainesburg looks and portrays a very convincing Jane Eyre, while William Hurt does a good job as a brooding, moody, passionate Rochester. The supporting cast did a very good job enriching this story, making for all the complexities within the world in which this movie lives. I was impressed with the particularly interesting job done with the character of Bertha Mason, which I think is a very difficult role to make much sense of. Especially in this day and age where so much more is understood about mental health, it is hard to pull off the confinement of Bertha without making it look either like either she was just an outright monster or like cruel and unusual punishment of a person driven to madness. You can really understand why Rochester even cared that she was treated well at all, in spite of his anger about the situation.

This is a very difficult book to adapt into a movie. I was disappointed (as I have always been in every adaptation I have seen) in the lack of accuracy of what progressed when Jane had left Thornfield, from the not very dramatic goodbye she gives to Mr Rochester to the struggles she had on her own in the cold cruel world to the quiet and happy but unsatisfying life she lived with the Rivers family. I was surprised at how much they skimmed over and watered down the relationship between Jane and St. John Rivers. There is also maybe a little less of Jane's younger life than I would prefer. It would have been interesting to see a little more of the relationship Jane had with her cousins, both as a child and as an adult (although I must say that Anna Paquin did a wonderful job as an intimidating yet sensitive young Jane). But again, to have all of this portrayed as it was in the book may make the movie suffer in terms of pacing.

In spite of any omissions and inaccuracies the movie is very beautiful, and the story is pulled off with all the mystery and suspense and drama without making it look like scene out of a cheesy soap-opera. If you're a purist you may grumble a bit, but for those who have never read Jane Eyre this is a very interesting and, for the most part, a fairly accurate representation of what Charlotte Brontë had written. I have enjoyed watching this movie many times.

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Zombie Lake (1981)

10/10

"I'll bet I can get naked faster than you!"

7 November 2007

Warning: Spoilers

"No fair, you're not wearing any panties!"

The previous lines from the scene with the naked girls volleyball team make this worth at least a night's viewing with your drunk friends. Zombie Lake is classic! Whenever I find out a video store carries this film, I immediately rent it.

Elaborate plot line boils down to this: Dead WWII soldiers dumped in a lake. One of them did the local farmers daughter the night before. Now the soldiers return as zombies, although the one has a soft spot for his daughter and helps her to save the locals from their flesh-eating ways.

The Zombies seem as if they aren't so much out for blood as they are looking to get some lovin. Half the death scenes look like they're just making out with their victims. Euro-trash de jour! Bon appetit!

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Music and Lyrics (2007)

5/10

So much fun!

1 July 2007

I wasn't really expecting to like this movie as much as I did - I figured it would have a few laughs but ultimately be forgettable 5 minutes later, as are most romantic comedies. Not so with "Music and Lyrics." Not only did I enjoy the movie more and more as the plot progressed, but for days afterwards I've been singing the PoP songs as if I've known them since way back when... The chemistry between the main characters was nice and it just seemed like everyone was having so much fun throughout the movie I couldn't help but share in their excitement. I was also impressed with all the hard work put into this film - you wouldn't have guessed that Hugh Grant wasn't musical before this movie, the 80s video looked hysterically authentic, and there was not just one new/old hit for PoP written for the movie. Kudos to everyone involved in the film, and if you've been on the fence over this film (the previews make it look tepid), let me encourage you to give it a try!

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Ghostbusters II (1989)

5/10

decent

25 June 2007

There was a couple things that kinda made the movie not so good: For starters, there was really no need for a sequel. There really wasn't anything that they really needed to add to make the Ghostbusters II fresh and original. So there was no bothering with new material, they just kinda stuck with what worked in the first movie.

The other thing is that the first movie was geared towards adults, but in the time between the first and second movie there was the Saturday morning cartoon series "The Real Ghostbusters." So in light of that success, there had to be a taming down of the naughtiness that fueled bits of the first movie. Basically they had to make a PG sequel out of a PG13 movie. They also had to, at least to a degree, put the characters of the movie version in line with the characters from the cartoon. I think that if it weren't for the animated series, this movie might never had been made and certainly would not have had much success at all.

But if you can deal with both those setbacks, the movie isn't completely terrible by any means. Just mediocre. Bill Murray looks bored throughout, but in an odd sort of way that actually kinda works for Peter Venkmann. Everyone else has fun with the movie, and the foursome are a much more balanced ensemble than the last time (I like that they give Ernie Hudson a little more to work with than the first movie). The whole evil painting scenario is a little ridiculous and as a villain isn't too bothersome, but Peter MacNichol makes a fun and memorable not-quite-so-evil lackey sidekick. For the most part the gags work and baby Oscar is adorable. I loved this movie as a kid and it has those late 80s nuances - like the Bobby Brown theme song - that make it kitsch-y enough to take me back.

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De-Lovely (2004)

10/10

stylish, beautiful film

6 June 2007

I have read a few of the complaints on this movie. I think that if you expect a straight biography that focuses more on the career of Cole Porter, then this film isn't for you. Instead, the films focus is on the relationship between Cole and Linda Porter, and the difficulties and strengths within their marriage.

The film portrays the era extremely well in terms of style, and they do play out a good majority of the film in order of events, but there is also bits of Porter's music written later in his life being played in earlier scenes. Also, the entire film is played on the premise of an old man looking back on his life as if it were a stage production itself. If you are not a fan of musical styles (ie, breaking out into song when seemingly unnecessary), or if you like your films to have a more realistic quality, then proceed with caution.

I was personally very moved by this movie. I am a big fan of musicals and felt that they really paid tribute to the style and time era of the American musicals of the first half of the 20th Century. The film has a lucid and dreamlike quality, weaving Porter's songs in throughout. Many current and popular artists were featured within the film, and certain songs were rearranged ("Begin the Beguine," in particular, is slowed down and played in a minor key), to not only give the story a fresh and current feel, but to also reflect the feelings within each particular scene. Kevin Kline and Ashley Judd do beautifully portraying a very unconventional couple, and the love and respect they hold for each other is touching and tender. The final scene is one I will not forget for a long long time.

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The Last Kiss (2006)

1/10

Very torn ***WARNING*** Not a date flick!!!!!!

14 April 2007

I want to start out by saying that the film has its merits. The script is amazing. The actors are all perfectly assembled and directed. The movie, if you look at it as merely a movie, was a 10 star film. Honestly.

BUT...

I was so angry by the end of the film that I was ready to break the stupid DVD in half. The movie is very real, and it can touch some Extremely Raw Nerves. There is one scene in particular, where the main character is bald-faced lying to his girlfriend and she knows it, and he's patronizing her about it. I wanted to rip his bleeping head off.

If it weren't for the fact that, as a film, it was so well done, I would have walked out very early on. I almost wish I had, because I was upset for hours. Even after watching an extremely stupid follow up film (the very silly "Idiocracy") that had me laughing the whole way through, I was still pi$$ed off.

Not for those who have had hurtful relationship issues. And most people have had hurtful relationship issues.... if nothing else, not for those who still get upset even when it's just a movie (i.e., me)...

And for those of you in a happy couple, don't watch this movie and expect to get laid later on in the night. Expect to have long talks about commitment issues instead. And don't watch this movie as a first date. It's good, but I would suggest seeing it with your friends rather than your significant other, if you have to see it at all.

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West Side Story (1961)

10/10

A long time favorite

19 August 2005

I think I've seen "West Side Story" at least a hundred times, and I could watch it a thousand times more but it will never cease to take my breath away. I remember being captivated by it as a child, and the older I got the more I understood about what was happening in the movie, how it was more than just love and songs and great dancing. It's about passion and fire taking over all reason. About how hard it is to be young and to accept the world we live in. Some people I know will never get past the dancing or the "breaking into song" - thinking that just makes it look stupid, that it's not realistic, etc. But that never stopped the opera or the ballet, so why should musical theater be laughed at for interpreting movement through dance? I think that if you can get past the "unrealities" and try not to compare it too much to "Romeo and Juliet" and just let yourself understand the content of the film as a whole, "West Side Story" will be a beautiful experience. I don't think I will ever get through the movie without shedding a tear.

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The Night They Robbed Big Bertha's (1975)

10/10

weird

11 August 2005

I bought this movie for $1.00 at a flea market because the title was so odd - I finally watched it about two years later when I was drunk with my friends. I don't remember anything about it except at some point Big Bertha gets mad and shoots a gun while banjo music plays in the background. Oh, and I think one of the girls at the whorehouse is possessed... It's been about 10 years and I still have this movie on my person, and I don't think I've watched it since, but the title never ceases to entertain me. Actually I was a little surprised that this movie was even listed because the quality of my tape was so bad I assumed it was possibly a homemade dealie. Score 10/10 because who cares?

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Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story (2000)

1/10

huh????

5 August 2004

OK, so the second movie kinda mixed up books 2-4, which I could kind of understand them not wanting to deal with Marilla's twin cousins coming to live with them or Anne's four years of college and Ruby Gillis dying and the so forth. But I THOUGHT that if they ever made another sequel that it would at least resemble the next couple of books or something! My dad and I had no idea what we were watching for about ten minutes until I was like, "Hey isn't that the guy who plays Gilbert?" and we soon came to realize that this WAS "Anne of Green Gables: the Continuing Story." Let's just say that the Anne series has been my favorite books since I was a little girl and I just couldn't watch the movie too long. It was too weird.

Not that I'm against people taking liberties when it comes to books, seriously. Even the first movie had a few of the tales mixed up and cut out a few years. But come on! All I could think of was that by WWI, according to the books, Anne and Gilbert were pushing 50 with 6 kids. I hope they realize that they've basically just screwed any chance of ever making another movie. They honestly COULD have made a pretty good movie out of Rilla of Ingleside, which focuses on their youngest daughter during WWI, but I guess... I just don't know what they were thinking. Maybe I'll eventually sit down and watch it, but I think I need to get over my shock and disappointment first. Whenever that happens.

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You've Got Mail (1998)

Hm.

3 May 2002

Okay so I didn't really think it was a great movie, but there is one thing I'd like to point out that I thought was clever...

Did you note that Meg Ryan's character's favorite book was "Pride and Prejudice"? Because if you've noted that, and you've actually read the book, you'll see an interesting parallel between Elizabeth Bennet and herself, Darcy and Tom Hanks, which is much more interesting than their coincidental e-mail relationship. He's rich and kinda snobby to her and really rubs her the wrong way. Then he finds he actually cares about her, and she might care a little for him, too, but her hurt pride gets in the way and he has to find a new game plan in order to let her know that really, he's not so bad and willing to love her. I think if you look at the movie in that perspective you'll enjoy it just a little bit better, I know I did.

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That '80s Show (2002)

1/10

ARGH!

31 March 2002

Watching this show is like watching a very nasty train wreck - you want to look away yet you can't help but stare at the horror... I think I've seen four episodes, and I hated every single one of them... I TRIED to like it! I kept hoping the stupid piece of you-know-what would get better... I didn't expect it to be that 70s show rehashed, but damn! There's a REASON they have a laugh track on this show, you know - no live studio audience would stick around. What gets me the most is the way they're trying REALLY REALLY FREAKING HARD to force a love plot with the main character and his overdone-punk co-worker. You realize Corey and Tuesday are going to get together, and when they finally passionately kiss that laugh track is going to give a big "WOOOOO!" and I think I'm going to go to my basement and hang myself. And while we're on the topic of Tuesday, I'm sorry, but I remember the 80s fairly well, and while mohawks were in, whatever the hell she's attempting to do with it was not (to be honest, I think that actress refused to shave the sides of her head in the name of her part so they had to think of something else). I hate this show... I hate myself for having wasted two hours of my life watching it. The only people who could possibly like this show are the hopeless pre-teens who have nothing better to with with their time and don't really know the meaning of quality yet (we're all victims at that age; I remember Saved by the Bell all too well). I'd rather sit and watch a loogie dry than to watch that 80s show ever again.

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Pretty Woman (1990)

3/10

Horrible

31 March 2002

Okay ladies, repeat after me: THE WOMAN IS A PROSTITUTE...

I remember when this movie came out. I was in the fifth grade and not allowed to see it because it was about a PROSTITUTE. So, I don't know, I think about two years ago I saw a copy of it in my parents video cabinet and popped it in to the VCR - and was so disgusted that I turned it off about a third of the way through (and trust me, I wanted to turn it off earlier). It embarrasses me to know that this is what is known as a "chick flick"... I mean, I like romance when it's not utter tripe and it's not about PROSTITUTES... I just had a hard time caring for any of these characters. If Gere had maybe paid her to spend time with his and then not have his way with her whenever he felt like, maybe I could have enjoyed and respected this film. Walt Disney must have turned in his cryogenic chamber when this film came into his company's hands. This movie was worse than Dirty Dancing!... and WHY was it worse, ladies???

Because THE WOMAN IS A PROSTITUTE!!!

What a waste.

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