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Reviews
Lost (2004)
Highly over-rated.
(SPOILERS) LOST is an over-rated piece of celluloid. Facts & information are introduced only to be forgotten or contradicted. J.J. & Damon bluff their way through interviews, acting as if they know what they're doing when they haven't a clue. They want to appeal to fans of the supernatural yet they try to appease skeptics by claiming everything has a logical explanation. None of it makes a bit of sense. It's all a big tease. The show manipulates its viewers.
Of all the show's female characters, Shannon was the standout. While the other girls blended, Shannon's bitchy persona separated her from the rest. Her relationship with her step-brother Boone was easily the best thing about LOST. They provided much needed comic relief, romance & heart. When LOST killed Boone off they also killed off the show. Boone had so much potential. The creators teased us with what was easily the most interesting background of any of the survivors. Boone's death was cruel, unnecessary & caused Shannon to become like the other female survivors. In other words she is now a Stepford survivor.
LOST is as its title suggest: LOST. Most shows have a tendency to deteriorate after the third season. LOST fell apart before the end of its first season. SHAMEFUL!
Hey Cinderella! (1969)
Another winner for The Muppets.
Leave it to The Muppets to take a fairy tale classic, make it their own & come up with a winning TV movie. Belinda Montgomery & Robin Ward are perfectly cast as Cinderella & Prince Charming AKA Arthur. Their wide eyed expressions & fun performances give the muppets stiff competition. Of course everyone comes out on top, but like 'The Muppets Frog Prince' this TV film shows Kermit acting differently from his later day persona. This Kermit is less square (I hope I don't get in trouble for that comment) & more sarcastic, although anything works for Kermit, but he's hilarious here.
Its a shame The Muppets didn't take on more fairy tale classics. With a winning combination like this, they couldn't lose. Great family fun.
The Haunting (1999)
Catherine & Lili are superb!
(CONTAINS SPOILERS)
People who are hard on this film should get a life. It's not a bad movie. Two of my favorite things about 'The Haunting' are Catherine Zeta-Jones & Lili Taylor. They deserve nothing but praise for their acting in this film.
When I first saw 'The Haunting' I didn't know anything about the book or original movie. I'm open to slash pairings & immediately fell in love with the Nell & Theo scenes. I hate it when two characters of the same sex have chemistry, but because it's a mainstream film or whatever they bring in a love interest of the opposite sex. I liked how in 'The Haunting' Nell & Theo's relationship was taken the most seriously. Now when I first saw the movie I mistakenly assumed this was the filmmakers putting a new spin on an old story, but I discovered that it was actually a big part of the original.
I've seen a lot of put downs towards the Nell & Theo relationship. People so uneducated on the story that they assume the relationship was to cash in on Ellen & Xena. How mistaken. I've also seen barbs at Zeta-Jones' Theo. The only complaint I have is that the story should have had her as a flat out lesbian & not bi-sexual, but that's the screenwriter's fault not Catherine's. She takes on the role of Theo with real energy. She's an actress who probably never takes on a role half heartedly. She's trying her best & she's not afraid to show interest in Lili Taylor's Nell. Also if we're going to give Nell a female love interest, why not give her one of Hollywoods most beautiful women? I applaud Catherine's performance. I also appreciated the subtlety of the Nell & Theo scenes. Their relationship was never exploited. I wish people would show this some understanding, but then again they never do. What did they expect to see anyway: Catherine as a stereotypical female Bubba forcing herself on some unwilling victim?
I only have a few problems with 'The Haunting'. Catherine & Lili are so interesting that they overshadow the male characters who end up coming off as very bland & boring. Also Nell's background relation to Hugh Crain's wife could have been a bit more fleshed out, but who cares? Catherine & Lili more than make up for any flaws & I also liked the film's spirituality.
I give it 8/10.
Staying Alive (1983)
Where's Stephanie?
(may contain spoilers)
When I watched 'Saturday Night Fever' & thought of Tony a few years from then, I never pictured him in tights. This is a terrible sequel. What on earth possessed Sylvester Stallone to make a sequel to SNF. I understand why John Badham passed on this project. Where's Stephanie? I'd like to believe that even if they weren't involved, they'd at least be friends.
Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970)
Torn
(Contains Spoilers)
This was my first Russ Meyer movie. Since BVD, I have seen three more. Although liking BVD, its position on my chart has slipped. I'm kind of torn on my opinion of the movie. The actors & performances especially those by David Gurian, Dolly Read, Erica Gavin, Duncan McLeod, Cynthia Myers, Michael Blodgett, John LaZar & Jim Iglehart always manage to put a smile on my face, but the sloppy script & confusing plot, kind of muddle the proceedings.
I'm not exactly big on exploitation films, but what shocks me about Meyer is that although he's been dubbed, 'King of the Nudies', his films, at least the four I've seen, always manage to have interesting elements. Unexpected moments of hilarity & sweetness. Like when Pet suggest they play 'Find It' to Kelly as a way to thank someone & a flashback of Harris from the start pops up. The film's music is also really good. Maybe the problem lies with Roger Ebert's writing. Perhaps if Meyer had collaborated with one of his previous writers the movie would have been better. I have no idea what the story is trying to say, what characters motives are. Is the movie homophobic? Is Ebert portraying the gay characters as evil? Why are all the gay characters killed off? It's all too confusing. Ebert has said the plot was made up as he & Meyer went along & you can tell, which isn't a good thing.
Vixen! (1968)
I've got a fond spot for Tom & Vixen.
(Contains Spoilers)
Most reviews focus on how Vixen sleeps with just about everyone in the film & although my review touches on that, Vixen & her husband, Tom remain at the heart. What I find so odd about Vixen is that she does truly love Tom. Not that the movie's main audience will care, but I do. Tom's naivete towards his wife's infidelity endears me. Vixen just has this terrible problem. Like there should be a pill to help her condition. Maybe it's hereditary or she has deadly bodily fluids she needs to get rid of. No, I know what the real cause of her problem is: Russ Meyer & the audience he's catering to. He's also out to shock.
I believe everyone has the need to be loved unconditionally. Even though Vixen betrays Tom's trust she probably values & needs the love & respect he shows her. Tom's the nicest guy in the film. Some may call Tom bland, but I don't agree. Niceness doesn't always translate into blandness. Tom is very amusing & cute. Throughout everything Tom remains number 1 in Vixen's books. In an unexpectedly poignant moment Tom laments how a visitor to their cabin makes more money than he has in the last 5 years. Vixen doesn't care, Tom pleases her where it counts most. No shock as to what she means by that. Maybe if she'd stop to think, she'd realize that nobody could take Tom's place because she actually loves him & he loves her. People have called Vixen selfish & although I don't condone her racist remarks, I can't totally agree with this view. If she's so selfish how come when Nile's threatens to hurt Tom, she's willing to let everyone aboard the plane including herself die. You don't have to tell me, I know the ending shows no improvement in Vixen's condition, but I was happy to see that the last sex scene in the film is between Tom & Vixen. It was so rewarding to see the right people together.
I enjoyed Erica Gavin's acting. For someone who wasn't planning on being an actress she does a mighty fine job. The only sad thing was that having seen her in 'Beyond the Vally of the Dolls' first it was a shock to see that she once looked healthy. I wish she would have kept the weight on.
Vixen's story is simplistic & doesn't bare much scrutiny, but if it is merely a skin flick it is definitely one with characters with substance & a silly musical score.
I give it a 7 out of 10.