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Flywheel (2003)
1/10
Do not rent this movie!
25 November 2006
Warning: Spoilers
I like to rent "indie" films and in general films that are not exactly mainstream because they seem to be more focused on the art of film-making than money-making. Throw in the fact that I have always liked small foreign cars and when I saw this on the shelf at the video store, it seemed like a good movie for me.

The film seemed amateurish at first but I did not let that deter me from continuing because I have been pleasantly surprised by films with similar low-budget production values in the past. Well into the story I was intrigued by the way the central character's life had gotten all screwed up. I have to admit I was waiting anxiously to see what event was going to come along and change this man's life. I started to have some suspicions but I was hoping a film that seemed to have such promise would not stoop to that.

Well, when it became apparent that this was a "come to Jesus" flick I was furious! I suppose if I had looked at some of the fine print on the box I might have had a clue (the Sherwood icon with the cross on it, for example) and not wasted my money. I made myself stick it out to the end because I wanted to see how ridiculous it would be. I was not disappointed in that respect.

How stupid do you have to be to get inspiration from a "miracle" that is really just part of a made-up story line in a movie? To me it's up there with a magician doing his tricks on TV. TV and movies are all about smoke and mirrors so I am not impressed by magic or miracles on the small or large screen.

I went off the "how stupid do you think we are?" scale when the wife was doing the books and found out that their profit was going to be exactly (to the penny) how much he determined he would have to pay back to people he ripped off over the years. Wow! Now that is a miracle! And it happened there on the movie screen right in front of me.

If you are really interested in seeing miracles on film, I highly recommend that people who rented "Flywheel" go rent "Jesus is Magic" starring Sarah Silverman. I won't ruin it for you by telling you what it's about; just trust me.

Frankly, if you are into the whole "just put it in the hands of the Lord" thing, then this movie will probably reinforce that belief for you, even though it is not based on fact in any way, shape, or form. But I don't think that ever mattered to people who choose to believe that stuff anyway. But if you are not one of those people and want something that is entertaining and truly inspiring, DO NOT RENT THIS MOVIE! Instead rent something like "The World's Fastest Indian". That movie is based on a true story about a man who achieved greatness because he believed in himself, and thus is REALLY inspiring.
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Bulworth (1998)
8/10
Warren Beatty as Bulworth is a hoot!
19 September 2005
I saw this movie when it first came out and thought it was somewhat amusing. But frankly I never liked rap at all and that was a barrier that prevented me from appreciating this film for what it is. I've grown up and chilled out since then and although I still don't like rap, I am better able to appreciate this movie.

Warren Beatty is way over the top in his performance and had it been anything less, this movie would not have succeeded. He is absolutely hilarious.

Yeah, there are some credibility gaps. A smart, young, beautiful black woman raised in the hood falling for a middle-aged establishment white guy? Makes you think this whole movie should have been part of Bulworth's dream sequence. But enjoying this movie requires getting past the whole credibility thing.

Like I said, I don't like rap and never have, but I found myself hanging on ever f...ing word of his "lyrics".

I haven't laughed this hard in a very long time. But somebody help me. I can't get that freakin' song from the movie out of my head.
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9/10
Packed with great one-liners!
18 September 2005
This is one of my favorite movies of all time.

I say that not because it has any particular social significance, is thought-provoking, has Oscar-worthy performances (except perhaps Michael Caine), etc. I say that because it is fun to watch! This is due largely to the many one-liners and snippets of dialogue about the situation that evolves. But it is important to point out that the dialogue likely would not have worked had it not been for the impeccable timing and delivery on the part of Michael Caine. Mr. Caine is clearly one of the best actors of all time and had his part been played by anyone else, the movie likely would have been a total flop in my book.

I am a sucker for great one-liners and this movie was full of them.

Some people might find the topic of this movie inappropriate, distasteful, or perverted, but I just don't see any justification for that. We're talking about consenting adults here - this is not "Pretty Baby". Fortunately this movie does not take itself as seriously as some viewers might.

The performances of Michael Caine, Valerie Harper, and Joseph Bologna were strong, with a very strong lead by Mr. Caine. Michelle Johnson was perhaps the weakest actor in the film, but there was something about her amateurish delivery that contributed to the film. Somehow it made her character more believable. If that was your plan all along, Ms. Johnson, my most sincere apologies. Although Demi Moore was a stronger actress, I felt like she was a bit of a wet dish rag throughout most of the movie. Yeah, she was supposed to be the smart, practical one, but it would have been nice to have seen more signs of life come from that important character.

We go to movies for a variety of reasons, but for me one of the primary reasons is to be entertained. This movie did just that. The dialogue is hilarious with great delivery by Michael Caine and others. I will admit that I was mesmerized by the striking beauty of Michelle Johnson. I saw that she got a Razzie for her performance, but I find that unfortunate. She might not have been an actor's actor, but I can't help but feel that she had some potential. I always wanted to see her in more serious movies (even with her clothes on). Today I'm flagging some of her more recent films as Must See on IMDb. I haven't seen her in anything mainstream since "Rio" and I'd like to see how she has progressed.

This is a favorite of mine and if you are looking for some funny dialogue about a provocative, but funny situation, you might enjoy it too.
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