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Reviews
The Road Rager (2012)
Dude, Gosling wasn't available?
Two nits to pick: The doc was way too hot for The Rager. She needed someone like Hugh Jackman or Ryan Gosling or Brad Pitt to costar with her. Why was the cork in the wine bottle after it was already open? Since the man is the one who handles the wine after the sommelier has poured the initial glasses, it is obvious that Harrison has put the cork back in. Total violation. And if Janet wasn't so needy, she would have walked out right then.
These are just so many picayune spitballs bouncing off the dreadnought that is 'The Road Rager!
This short restates the negativeness of the universe. The hideous lonely emptiness of existence. Nothingness. The predicament of Man forced to live in a barren, Godless eternity like a tiny flame flickering in an immense void with nothing but waste, horror and degradation, forming a useless bleak straitjacket in a black absurd cosmos.
Loved it!
The Business of Strangers (2001)
Absorbing but Implausible
This is a very well crafted, interesting film that kept me watching all the way through. Most of the film's good and bad points have been delineated in other comments, however there is one large fly in this film's ointment.
Why would Julie, the hard-boiled, female CEO fall for a story told by someone she just met that day and who has already shown the CEO that she likes to manipulate other people? It was obvious from their initial conversation in the hotel bar that Paula is a cynical, egocentric child who `likes the messiness of life.' Julie neither asks Paula for any sort of evidence nor confronts Nick, the accused, about the story. Julie just believes the whole story from the get-go. This would never happen in real life. I could understand Julie being sympathetic to Paula, but would she stoop to participating in very criminal acts solely on the word of a person such as Paula?
Perhaps my incredulity can be ascribed to a lack of sensitivity on my part - that today's women share a bond of sisterhood that a middle-aged man can never hope to understand. But a middle-aged woman like Julie who came up the hard way (East Michigan Community College) would be more likely to ask for some hard evidence before taking action against a business acquaintance.
Other than this turd in the punchbowl, The Business of Strangers is a well-crafted piece of cinema featuring very good direction by Patrick Stettner, excellent acting especially Stockard Channing and believable dialogue. Hopefully, Mr. Stettner's next writing effort will find something more credible to wrap the plot around.
Vertical Limit (2000)
A Truly, Truly Awful Film
Everyone connected to this film in any way must have spent too much time at altitude without their oxygen. This movie was an insult to my intelligence, heck it was an insult to my parakeet's intelligence.
This movie is so awful it's not even unintentionally funny. I believe this film falls under the Supreme Court definition of obscenity: it has no redeeming social value! Don't waste your money on a rental, don't waste your time on a viewing of this putrescent film.
Finding Forrester (2000)
What a Fairy Tale
YUM (young urban male) is proficient enough to be a basketball savior and the next Arthur Hailey - I don't think so. Yes some people are born with the talent to write without putting in a lot of time and effort (although no one I can think of comes to mind), but there is nobody in New York City good enough to lead a team to the state basketball championship without devoting at least 4-5 hours per day practicing. In addition, Jamal also had to do a high level mathematics course, 2 social studies courses, and 2 electives. All this in a high school that demands more of its students than most colleges. The writer should have omitted the basketball sub-plot. (I think he was trying to say something about the white power structure in a very heavy-handed way.)
At least Good Will Hunting had the good sense to limit Will to one world class skill (if you don't count his drinking).
There were some good points to the movie. Busta Rhymes was a pleasant surprise (and his life of street hustling quid pro quo's probably would have made a more interesting movie). Also the writer had the good sense not to clutter up the plot with an extraneous inter-racial love affair. Having Clare and Jamal remain only friends was just the right touch (pun intended) keeping the plot focused on Jamal's writing. Sean Connery gives his usual performance, touching all the right bases. Some more interplay among Jamal, William, and William's gofer would have been welcome.
In the end the movie falls short for one reason - Jamal was just a boring character. He never says or does anything interesting. What should have been a deep conflict between him and his former friends gets very short shrift.
The concept of the movie is good, but it is not executed very well.
American Beauty (1999)
All the Subtlety of a Bull in a China Shop
What an amalgamation of social pornography! Many prurient social situations, absolutely no redeeming social content.
Spoiler Alert! (With an apology to the late great Claude Rains as Inspector Renault.) Although if you didn't see these coming you need remedial movie watching lessons.
I was shocked, shocked I tell you to find out that Col. Frank Fitts was a closet homosexual!
I was shocked, shocked I tell you to find that the only two good people are the drug dealer (Where were all his customers? Why didn't his suspicious father ever find out where he got all the money for all of his high end electronic equipment?) and the teenage angst ridden girl who absolutely abhorred her parents.
I was shocked, shocked I tell you to find out that the Burnham's hadn't had sex for years!
I was shocked, shocked I tell you to see Ms. Burnham have an affair with Buddy Kane. I was even more shocked when Mr. Burnham discovered them together!
I was shocked, shocked I tell you to find out that the General manager of Mr. Burnham's magazine was a man given to stealing from the company and using the money for illicit sexual dalliances.
I was shocked, shocked I tell you when the Lolita like Ms Hayes sexual persona was revealed to be all bluster when she admitted to being a virgin when Mr Burnham was finally able to bed her.
I was shocked, shocked I tell you to find the only healthy monogamous relationship in the whole movie was between the Burnhams' homosexual neighbors.
I was really shocked to find that Mrs Burnhams handgun wasn't the one that finally killed Mr Burnham.
I wasn't shocked however to find that this would be a Best Picture. After all, anything that rips the cover from the sordid surburban anomie American lifestyle is always a favorite with the Academy. (Now there's a case for population control, Mrs. Baldwin).
Nice production values, nice touch tieing it all together with the rose petal bit, but just way too over the top.
Witness (1985)
Must Be Seen
Musical Score - 9; Screenplay - 10; Direction - 10; Cast - 10; Story - 10; Production - 10. What else is there to say?
Is it the most thrilling movie ever? No. Is it the most romantic movie ever? No. Is it the best 'fish out of water' movie ever? No. But it stands as one of the best movies ever.
To weave all the different threads of the story into such a wonderful tableau is an outstanding cinematic achievement. Weir's vision and deft touch made me want to stand up and cheer his artistry.
The story doesn't lag, it develops the characters. There are just too many wonderful scenes to describe. Don't read about this movie - SEE it!