glass_chameleon Reviews

Excalibur (1981)

A very bad, yet very entertaining movie

[30 December 1999]

I have to admit I found this movie to be extremely silly, with terrible acting, ridiculous dialogue, no plot or continuity, and extreme overuse of stage fog and fake blood.

In spite of this...well, actually BECAUSE of this, I found this movie to be highly entertaining. It's unintentionally hilarious, what with the overacting and the bad script and the silly costumes and so on. (Why didn't MST3K ever do this movie?) Then there's the additional fun of picking out well-known people before they were well-known ("Whoa! Patrick Stewart has hair!"). And, to give the movie credit, the fight scenes are cool, and the Wagnerian soundtrack is very fitting. If you like cheesy movies, definately see this one. I loved it.

One last comment: This movie is supposed to be true to Sir Thomas Malory's "Le Morte D'Arthur". I've read that, and a good deal of Malory's sources that he plagerized, and this movie isn't close at all to these tales. True, it has some of the same elements, but then again, so does "Monty Python".

Battle Creek Brawl (1980)

an action film that makes you go hmm....

[5 September 1999]

I'm a big, big fan of Jackie Chan and like most people, I don't watch them to get any intellectual challenge whatsoever. And normally I don't pay attention to the plot, either, since usually there isn't any. However, this movie was extremely interesting to watch from a Caucasian American point of view because of its depiction of white America.

I remember that this movie looked like somebody watched a couple of 30's gangster movies, several westerns and "The Godfather" three or four times and decided that's what the US was like. It was very interesting -- and very eye opening -- to see how Caucasians and Americans were stereotyped! *All* of the white characters (that I remember) were extremely racist, going out of their way to torment Jackie and his grandfather, who were just trying to eke out a living in a harsh environment.

Usually we're used to seeing the "no speaka engleesh" Asian characters who are usually convenience store clerks or yakuza or math geniuses. It was very scary to see Americans shown only as rednecks or gangsters! Although unfortunately I think the racism is less of a stereotype and more of the truth.

Anyways, this is something to keep in mind while you're watching Jackie beat the crap out of his opponents!

White Squall (1996)

so bad it was funny

[2/10 · 1 September 1999]

This is one of those movies that are so bad you laugh at them. I remember watching this movie with a large group of people and we ended up making fun of it, MST3K style, because it was so bad. Terrible dialogue, stupid plot and laughable characters make this movie one to rent only if you're in the mood for a really really really bad movie.

Lily and Jim (1997)

absolutely brilliant

[10/10 · 28 August 1999]

I saw this short as a part of the Spike and Mike Festival of Animation and it *completely* stole the show. Basically it's about two people -- who are obviously perfect for one another -- on the ultimate Blind Date from Hell, where things rapidly go from awkward to horrible to worse. I wish I dared to write down some of the absolutely hysterical dialogue, but that would be spoiling the fun for others. This is a brilliant, very twisted gem of a short film, and made me an instant fan of Don Hertzfeldt, the animator. See it and you'll become one too.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)

The strangest Disney film I have ever seen.

[6/10 · 19 August 1999]

You know, after watching this movie, I had to wonder what the brainstorming sessions were like at Disney while coming up with the idea for this film. Were all the cute books taken or something? I mean, there's nothing about the original novel that exactly screams Disney.

Both my eyebrows went up while watching this movie, and stayed up. I mean, I remember Frollo's song about Esmerelda and I couldn't believe they made hellfire and damnation into a *musical number*, for god's sake. And Esmerelda's number where she's singing to God was a little heavy for a kid's flick.

On the other hand, this is one of the wittiest Disney films I've ever seen.

All in all, the strangest film Disney has ever produced.

The NeverEnding Story (1984)

Once again proving the book is (almost) always better.

[19 August 1999]

The first time I saw this movie was waaaay back in second grade and all I really remember of it then was that it scared the heck out of me. I saw it again a couple of years ago and wasn't particularly impressed.

But then, on a whim I picked up the book this movie is based on and was blown away. The book is a million billion times better than the movie! Magical, mystical, lyrical and philosophical: it earned a special place on my bookshelf with the children's books I loved as a kid and still love as an adult, such as Peter Beagle's "The Last Unicorn", C.S. Lewis' Narnia books and Susan Cooper's "Dark is Rising" series.

So, put down the VCR remote and the Blockbuster rental card and go get the book instead. The movie is mediocre; the book is magical.

Dumbo (1941)

A Disney classic that shows its age.

[7/10 · 19 August 1999]

This is a cute, poignant movie with a lot of memorable sequences and good songs. However, I have to agree that it's surprising that Disney got away with the whole Pink Elephant sequence, even if it WAS 1941. And the crows...I don't think I would quite call it racist, but definately stereotypical. It's very odd to watch this movie in current times. But all in all, a classic.

Happily Ever After (1989)

mind-numbingly annoying movie

[15 August 1999]

Whose bright idea was it to make a sequel to the Walt Disney classic? (Not Disney, thankfully.) Snow White is now on an completely forgettable adventure with the seven "dwarfelles", all of whom are annoying. If your kids want to watch this, make sure you're somewhere else. Don't waste an hour of your life watching this drivel.

Shakespeare in Love (1998)

cute movie, but not Oscar material

[6/10 · 10 August 1999]

I thought this was a very sweet & cute movie with an original plot and good acting. With that being said, I have NO idea what they were smoking when they voted this movie Best Picture. It just was not that deep or great and the romance wasn't THAT electric. It's a good bit of fluff that you'd take a date to or rent for a sleepover with all your galfriends. But not Oscar material.

L.A. Confidential (1997)

Not terrible, but not as great as rumored.

[5/10 · 10 August 1999]

I know this movie got really good ratings, but I didn't care for it all that much. I found the plot hard to follow at times and the acting was a bit on the cold side.

However, it does have some memorable lines and a few good scenes, and overall it isn't a bad movie. I'm just glad I rented it and didn't pay to see it in theatres.

Talk Soup (1991–2002)

I miss John, but Hal isn't bad

[10 August 1999]

This is one of the funniest shows on TV, and one of my all-time favorites, up there with MST3K, Star Trek Next Generation and Space Ghost: Coast to Coast.

I never got to see the Greg Kinnear years but I loved John Henson as the host. Skunk Boy was the best and the reason I tuned into the show every day. I didn't expect to watch the show much after he left, but I was pleasantly surprised with his replacement, Hal Sparks. He's not John, but he's not bad, either.

The comedic style of the show has changed, but not in a bad way. John was sarcastic-funny but Hal is kind of dorky-funny...sort of like your cute, funny but slightly annoying cousin that you beat up on when you both were kids. All in all, I think E! made a good choice.

Dead Poets Society (1989)

one of the few movies to make me cry

[8/10 · 10 August 1999]

As a rule, I don't normally cry at movies, but this one is a genuine tearjerker.

This is one of my favorite movies, because there isn't a whole lot about this movie to dislike. The acting is excellent (especially Robin Williams, who can do dramatic acting almost as well as he can comedic), the story rings true and the dialogue is memorable. A really good film.

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

a beautifully crafted black comedy/satire

[10/10 · 10 August 1999]

This is beyond a doubt one of the best movies ever made; a great black comedy and satire of the Cold War. There's not a single note in this movie that rings false.

All of the acting in this movie is excellent, and the dialogue is just hysterical. The conversation between the American & Russian presidents is just classic. Wonderful film.

Oliver's Travels (1995– )

A very funny, very romantic and very British mini-series

[29 July 1999]

I saw this mini-series on "Mystery" on PBS and absolutely loved it. I usually hate movies/shows with a romantic bent but Alan Bates and Sinead Cusack have the most wonderful (and non-saccharine) chemistry of anybody I have seen. It was lovely to see a romance between two intelligent people who have plenty of lines on their faces instead of the typical 'Friends' twentysomethings. I honestly had to check the credits to make sure they weren't married to one another.

The writing overall is very well done, especially the conversations between Oliver and Diane, the two main characters. The plot has enough twists and turns to keep you interested and the humor is...well...very British. But very very funny. Highly recommended.