DarkCity Reviews

Finding Forrester (2000)

Decent, but falls prey to a bad script and unoriginality

[6/10 · 18 March 2001]

"Finding Forrester" has a lot of problems, yet I still recommend it. It's pretty much inevitable for me to compare it with "Good Will Hunting", so I might as well begin now. Frankly, "Good Will Hunting" is a much much better film. One way "Good Will Hunting" succeeds where "Forrester" fails is in showing Will's genius. We saw Will solve complex mathematical equations, tell off a Harvard student, and humble the best psychiatrists in the country. On the other hand, we see almost nothing of the sort with Jamal Wallace but only learn of it. We learn that he has "high test scores", but never are given any scores to know what so impresses everyone. Nor do we see any other real examples of his writing or genius, besides a pretty lame scene I'll go into detail with later.

Another problem the film has is one that would inspire Sean Connery's character to immediately dismiss it as garbage. This is one of the most formulaic films I've ever seen. Everything you would expect to happen does, as we even have the privilege of seeing Jamal start a romantic relationship with a "perfect meet cute" Anna Paquin, have an encounter with the typical "ignorant white male", humiliate a ridiculously portrayed "villain" character, and have a gradual relationship with Sean Connery that is exactly reminescent of other student-teacher films. Another problem is that constant plot avenues are introduced but are never explored, like Jamal's rivalry with another African American basketball player, his old friends' reaction to his relationship with Forrester and place in the new school, and an ending that doesn't make as much sense as it should. Still, the acting is of quality, and the story the script has to tell is an intriguing one. Despite my grievances about the film, I enjoyed watching it, and felt for the characters.

Despite my misgivings, I am pleased to give this film my stamp of approval. Perhaps that is because I only payed fifty cents to see it, but nevertheless, it was a well spent two hours.

Rating: 7/10

Roger & Me (1989)

Adulterated by Moore's Self-Indulgence

[6/10 · 18 March 2001]

I rented Roger and Me with the highest of expectations. Seeing that it was ranked by Siskel and Ebert in the top 3 of all films during the year of 1989, I figured it must've been quite a potent and well-done documentary. Unfortunately, it just couldn't live up to expectations, due to some problems I have with what I saw of Michael Moore.

The scenes displaying the grandeur of Flint during Moore's childhood contrast very effectively with the shots of Flint that show the decadence of the city because of the massive layoff. It is almost difficult to watch, as the viewer sees just what pathetic lengths Flint will go to to try to elevate its position in the world and re-instore morale into its people. Attempts to make Flint a major tourist attraction flop miserably, and soon the city is forced to resort to exploiting a new prison's opening by offering couples a chance to "spend a night in jail" for only $100. Residents, meanwhile, are forced to do whatever they can to keep from getting evicted. One woman has a sign in front of her house offering to sell rabbits as "pets or meat", and unfortunately the actual skinning of a rabbit is shown along with the cramped and terrible situations the rabbits live in. The way Flint reacts to being named the "worst city in the nation" to live in by Money magazine is notably humorous, as residents burn magazines of the paper and use pathetic means of support to convince themselves it certainly isn't true. A lot of humor is present in such scenes, but it is the bittersweetness that is touching and powerful.

While truly the tragedy of the Flint situation is conveyed well through such ways, it is tainted by Michael Moore. His views regarding the situation in Flint can best be characterized as "sardonic". He appears to have little compassion for the situation, and this made me speculate that he is only making a documentary to exploit such a filmmable world he lives in. He constantly shows the "bad guys", whether it be uptight Athletic Club directors, elderly wealthy women, or Roger Smith itself. There is literally no point to this, other than to make these people scapegoats for a tragic situation. Moore even further tries to make himself seem like some sort of moral hero in front of these people, as he asks them pompously what they think about Flint's condition. I felt worst for Ms. Michigan. His treatment of her was quite cruel, as it was clear she didn't really know the depths of decadence Flint had sank to. He portrays her as being stupid and uncaring, yet she merely is the average citizen(I doubt she lived in Flint since she was Ms. Michigan and seemed unfamiliar with the city..if I didn't know about the GM situation back then, how was she?) Moore's voiceovers even further taint the documentary, as he wastes time talking about meaningless nonsense instead of showing more scenes about the conditions the people of Flint had to contend with. We're not allowed to think for ourselves, even though I'm sure we'd come up with a lot of the same conclusions.

While powerful and effective in showing Flint's situation, I just can't give this my full endorsement because of Moore's apparent selfishness. I hope I am wrong concerning my views about him, but I just didn't see any evidence to the contrary. My apologies, sir, if I am incorrect. The film otherwise is great, and it is stunning that Moore was able to record such telling interviews from both sides of the Flint tragedy.

Rating: 7/10, recommended

American Beauty (1999)

Enlightening Masterpiece

[9/10 · 19 February 2001]

American Beauty is the kind of film that will capture your attention and never relent, yet at the same time allowing you to discern what the message is for yourself. I experienced so many different emotions during the course of the film that I can say with 100% certainty that this movie won't inspire numbness, the inability to feel anything and not feel yourself changing as the film unfolds itself. Indeed, you'll be changed, but will the closing message really mean anything to you?

The story, actually, is a rather simple one. Lester Burnham(Kevin Spacey), your average American Joe, has been "dead" for a number of years. His wife Carolyn(Annette Benning) orders him around, his daughter Jane(Thora Birch) is full of teenage angst, management at the workplace wants to fire him, and he sees no purpose or meaning in life. To be blunt, he knows he doesn't matter in life and has an inability to do anything about it. This all begins to change when he meets Jane's attractive friend Angela(Mena Suvari), as he is so overwhelmed by her beauty that he can't maintain control over himself, and he feels old sensations he had been blind to for so long. She gives him a newfound mission and hence a new meaning for living life: He will win her heart and make love to her. This inspires a direct rebellion of his life itself, and he vows never to be the same again. Lester's metamorphosis during the rest of the film is very intriguing and fun to watch, as he finally is able to refute his selfish wife and become a "winner". He proceeds to enjoy the splendors of life and ends up changing everyone else's as a result. However, the message of the film does not come from Lester, but instead comes from new next door neighbor Ricky Fitz(Wes Bentley), a at-first-glance creepy 18-year old who is infamous for always carrying a video camera around with him. When the viewer learns why he is always carrying this video camera, the main lesson of the film is taught, and enlightenment begins. To say more about the plot of the film would be a crime, as it is best to experience it firsthand.

It was no surprise to me that American Beauty won 5 Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor. It's uncanny that this is a directorial debut, from theatre expert Sam Mendes, and I'm anxiously anticipating his next work. Every performance of the film is superb, with special recognition to Kevin Spacey and Thora Birch, the latter being one who I could previously never imagine in a film like this after "Hocus Pocus" and "Monkey Trouble". What really is endearing about this film, however, is the message. Life is truly beautiful, and as the film demonstrates it in subtle and non-subtle methods, you can feel the exact elation Lester Burnham feels as he is emancipated from his old boring life. This truly makes this a masterpiece, as it is not so much about what goes on during the film but what you feel as you watch. The idea of this film, while seemingly not too different than Ordinary People and The Ice Storm, is a LOT different. The Ice Storm was too cynical and existentialist, and Ordinary People was a bit in the same vein. All three films expose the hypocrisy of modern American society, but only American Beauty leaves hope, and how truthful and God-inspired it feels. This film is truly a masterpiece and one that every person should be privileged enough to see. I recommend it with all of my heart, and I encourage anyone reading this to view it with an open mind, as it might seem a little wacky and hence distractful of the message if you're not careful.

Rating: 10/10, a truly must-see film.

Donnie Brasco (1997)

A Meaningful Mobster Thriller

[8/10 · 18 February 2001]

"Donnie Brasco" is the true story of an FBI agent(Johnny Depp) whose job is to gradually infiltrate a lower, yet still quite dangerous, rung of the New York City mob in the 70s. Masquerading around as "Donnie Brasco, the Jeweler", he gets the attention of Lefty(Al Pacino), a veteran mobster who knows he'll never get ahead in the mob again, and subconsciously wants to mentor a mob foreigner to bring purpose back into his life. Lefty is enamored with Donnie, and isn't afraid to "vouch" for him to bring Donnie into his circle of the mob. Soon Donnie becomes like another son to Lefty, and gradually gets to know his friends, including the ambitious Sonny Black(Michael Madsden). Unfortunately his time on the job doesn't leave much for his wife Maggie(Ann Heche), who is tired of never having a husband around to support raising three children. Furthermore, as he spends more and more time with Lefty's gang, Donnie proportionally loses his old identity and actually becomes "Donnie Brasco". Saying more about the film would be time-consuming and wrong, since I only feel like I should give the basic meat of this very intriguing story and let anyone who hasn't seen it experience it for itself.

The acting in this film is of the highest caliber. Al Pacino, of course, gives an unbelievable performance as Lefty, able to elicit a lot of sympathy and empathy from the viewer despite the viewer's knowledge of his "26 hits". It's clear that if his Lefty wasn't in the mob, he'd be your very admirable old next door neighbor, telling you stories and capturing your attention. From what I have read of reviews, people seem to be downplaying Johnny Depp's acting abilities. I thought he did an amazing job, as the transformation from his real identity Joe to the cool Donnie Brasco is very visible and intriguing. We know that he finds a lot more truth and meaning in the hectic and real mob life than in the impersonal bureaucratic FBI. When he says to his wife late in the film "I can't breathe anymore", we know exactly what he means: Joe is almost faded away, and Donnie the Quintessential Gangster's lifestyle is his own. Also not to be written off is Micheal Madsden, who also did a tremendous job in Reservoir Dogs. Hey Micheal, why'd you waste your time with Free Willy and not take Quentin Tarantino up on his offer to play THE Vincent Vega in Pulp Fiction???

A lot of people have written that this film forces a 70s vibe, but I don't think so at all. Maybe I was too busy noticing Lefty's defeatist stare when he sees buddy Sonny shaking hands with "The Boss" he so wanted to please- scenes like that made the film for me, and they're sprinkled throughout to create a very well-done picture. It does have some flaws, however. The family scenes could have been a lot better done, and I have the feeling that a lot more about the mob could have been explained. Oh well, I can't even express how much value I got out of this film, as I got it for free from the library. Please take the time to watch it- it's an excellent glimpse of the life I think we all sometimes desire to live, and also an exploration of the great loving relationship of Lefty and Donnie.

Rating: Highly Recommended, 8.5/10

The Ice Storm (1997)

A Major Disappointment

[6/10 · 15 January 2001]

I rented "The Ice Storm" with very very high expectations. I had just seen "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", loved it, and wanted to see some more of Ang Lee's works. I had always had a lingering interest in the film after seeing Gene Siskel rank it #1 on his top 10 list for 1997. So I rented it, watched it, and am experiencing a feeling of disappointment no other film has ever matched.

To be honest, I didn't like this film at all. Yes, it was well-made; yes, it had a very talented cast who all seemed to pull off their roles competently; yes, Ang Lee did a fine directing job. However, something is definitely missing from this film. It doesn't seem like it was made for any reason other than to show a pretty accurate family caricature that serves to inspire sympathy and intrigue. I only felt pity for the characters, which is different from sympathy, as it seemed like they had no redeeming qualities I could identify with. The film in general is very depressing, and the salvation it suggests the members of the two families achieve at the end of the film feels contrived and without substance. It strives to be an "Ordinary People" or "American Beauty", but it just doesn't work. I mean, it's like "American Beauty" but without any of the excitement, heart, or inspiration- it is lifeless. Any message sent in the story only serves to further the storyline and explain why some things are happening, and there is nothing positive that can be taken from this film.

Perusing reviews, I see that a lot of people felt this film was excellent, of the highest quality. Yet, I also noticed that no reason was ever given in the reviews for why the reviewer thought the film was of such high merit. What really makes films great is the personal feelings they inspire, and the praise I saw was all objectively-based. There is no way this film can be enjoyed by any viewer while watching it. I think that people who would bother to see this film(pseudo-intellectuals like me) saw it, weren't sure what to think of it, and gave it a rating of 10 because Ang Lee directed it, it's not mainstream, and it's critical of the fragile family intrastructure.

I'll have to give this a rating of 6, despite my feelings about it. It gets as high as a 6 because the performances were good and there were some great camera shots. Plus it is important that films like this exist, despite my misgivings about it.

American Movie (1999)

Man Refuses to Accept Life of Mediocrity in a Depressing yet Hilarious Overview

[9/10 · 9 January 2001]

When we are young, we all pick out an ideal occupation for ourselves: artist, actor, writer, rocket scientist, etc.. While most of us grow out of our pipe dreams, the main character of American Movie, Mark, has yet to let go of his(and at a thirty-something age too): to become a wealthy acclaimed director. Despite the fact that Murphy's Law won't leave Mark alone and something always seems to go wrong, Mark is able to persevere from each deterring incident with an even greater drive to reach his goals. His desire to be a director so controls his character that he sees any person or thing in his life as something to exploit to reach the goal. While I noticed other IMDB commenters are lambasting Mark's selfishness, I think it's an almost justified sort-of selfishness because for Mark, not becoming a famous director is equivalent to death. He talks incessantly about leaving some kind of mark on the world, and he sees filmmaking as a way to do this.

Unfortunately any viewer of this movie picks up early on the fact that Mark has a near-zero chance of ever acheiving his dream. Is he aware of this? No, not in the slightest, and none of his family or friends want to let him in on the secret(in fact even some of them believe in him). Strangely enough though, the disappointing future the viewer feels is sure to occur for Mark doesn't impede the ability to find humor in the film. This is a very very funny documentary. Most of the laughs come from when Mark is filming scenes for "Coven". There's a scene where an actor has to have his head break a cupboard, and it's just not working. Another scene has Mark's very old uncle Bill saying a few lines to the camera; needless to say, after 20 takes of a lot of headscratching and line-stumbling Bill finally decides he's had enough. A lot of humor sadly comes from Mark himself. His screenwriting, which he seems to think is worthy of a Pulitzer, is laughingly bad: "It's alright, it's ok, there is something to live for; Jesus told me so."

"American Movie" is, contrary to what people might think, a documentary that anyone can enjoy(even though my sister, who watched some scenes, seemed to think it was downright bizarre). The fact that Chris Smith can successfully bring to the screen a film that inspires both sadness from Mark's depressing lifestyle to hilarity with scenes with Bill(who unfortunately passed away before the film was released) says quite a lot about him. I wonder how the dreamer Mark regards this documentary. Does he realize that it casts him in a bad light? Or that it sets up to show him as a fool in many scnes of the film? Or does he see it as something that will be shown prior to his own A&E Biography segment? It's an intriguing subject of wonder, and I hope the latter comes true for him some day.

I highly recommend this movie: 9/10.

American Movie (1999)

The Intriguing Story of Someone Who Refuses to Let Go of a Pipe Dream

[9/10 · 6 January 2001]

When we are young, we all pick out an ideal occupation for ourselves: artist, actor, writer, rocket scientist, etc.. While most of us grow out of our pipe dreams, the main character of American Movie, Mark, has yet to let go of his(and at a thirty-something age too): to become a wealthy acclaimed director. Despite the fact that Murphy's Law won't leave Mark alone and something always seems to go wrong, Mark is able to persevere during each deterring incident with an even greater drive to reach his goals. His desire to be a director so controls his character that he sees any person or thing in his life as something to exploit to reach the goal. While I noticed other IMDB commenters are lambasting Mark's selfishness, I think it's an almost justified sort-of selfishness because for Mark, not becoming a famous director is equivalent to death. He talks incessantly about leaving some kind of mark on the world, and he sees filmmaking as a way to do this.

Unfortunately any viewer of this movie picks up early on the fact that Mark has a near-zero chance of ever achieving his dream. Is he aware of this? No, not in the slightest, and none of his family or friends want to let him in on the secret(in fact even some of them believe in him). Strangely enough though, the disappointing future the viewer feels is sure to occur for Mark doesn't impede the ability to find humor in the film. This is a very very funny documentary. Most of the laughs come from when Mark is filming scenes for "Coven". There's a scene where an actor has to have his head break a cupboard, and it's just not working. Another scene has Mark's very old uncle Bill saying a few lines to the camera; needless to say, after 20 takes of a lot of headscratching and line-stumbling Bill finally decides he's had enough. A lot of humor sadly comes from Mark himself. His screenwriting, which he seems to think is worthy of a Pulitzer, is laughingly bad: "It's alright, it's ok, there is something to live for; Jesus told me so."

"American Movie" is, contrary to what people might think, a documentary that anyone can enjoy(even though my sister, who watched some scenes, seemed to think it was downright bizarre). The fact that Chris Smith can successfully bring to the screen a film that inspires both sadness from Mark's depressing lifestyle to hilarity with scenes with Bill(who unfortunately passed away before the film was released) says quite a lot about him. I wonder how the dreamer Mark regards this documentary. Does he realize that it casts him in a bad light? Or that it sets up to show him as a fool in many scenes of the film? Or does he see it as something that will be shown prior to his own A&E Biography segment? It's an intriguing subject of wonder, and I hope the latter comes true for him some day.

I highly recommend this movie: 9/10.

Scary Movie (2000)

Repulsive and Repetitive

[4/10 · 9 July 2000]

This is one of the worst movies I have ever seen. Like all of the other IMDB reviewers, I was suckered in by the funny commercial and now wish I had an hour and a half of my life back to live.

If you can't stomach sex jokes, please don't see this movie. A purist at heart, I felt disgusted about 85% of the time while watching. I would have left if my friend weren't with me. Iif you think Farrely Brothers movies are disgusting, then you'll faint while watching this. I have no idea how it escaped an NC-17 rating and wish it didn't. I applaud Mom and Pop Wayans for leaving in the middle of this piece of trash movie. I encourage any of you dumb enough to see it after this review to take my word for it and not do the same, cause you'll want to!

Not only is this movie disgusting, but also it is very poorly made. The same jokes are repeated OVER and OVER again and you'll get sick of them after a short while. The first 25 minutes are the first 25 minutes of Scream parodied(and only 1/3 of that is the Electra scene) and it gets old VERY quickly.

Only, and I do mean only, see this is if you can stomach disgusting sex jokes and visible male appendages throughout the entire movie or if you want to waste time and make fun of a terribly-made flop. This movie is not worth anything- they should have paid ME to see it. I want $5 back.

Scary Movie (2000)

Save Yourself and Don't See This Trash!

[4/10 · 7 July 2000]

This is one of the worst movies I have ever seen. Like all of the other IMDB reviewers, I was suckered in by the funny commercial and now wish I had an hour and a half of my life back to live.

If you can't stomach sex jokes, please don't see this movie. A purist at heart, I felt disgusted about 85% of the time while watching. I would have left if my friend weren't with me. And if you think Farrely Brothers movies are disgusting, then you'll faint while watching this. I have no idea how it escaped an NC-17 rating and wish it didn't. I applaud Mom and Pop Wayans for leaving in the middle of this piece of trash movie. I encourage any of you dumb enough to see it after this review to take my word for it and not do the same, cause you'll want to!

Not only is this movie disgusting, but also it is very poorly made. The same jokes are repeated OVER and OVER again and you'll get sick of them after a short while. The first 25 minutes are the first 25 minutes of Scream parodied(and only 1/3 of that is the Electra scene).

Only, and I do mean only, see this is if you can stomach disgusting sex jokes and visible male appendages throughout the entire movie or if you want to waste time. This movie is not worth anything- they should have paid ME to see it. I want $5 back.

The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)

Would have been great if a little shorter

[7/10 · 7 July 2000]

"The Talented Mr. Ripley" is about a mysterious character who falls in love with the life of a real prince-type character. To Tom Ripley, a shy enigma, prince Dickie Greenleaf has the looks, the girl, and the money that he so desperately craves. He's sick of being a real nobody, and would rather be a fake somebody. If he were Dickie, all of his problems and his entire past would be swept away and life would be perfect..

The plot of this film is very well-crafted and interesting. What would happen if someone were to assume another person's identity while they themself were known to many people still around? This film attempts to show us just that and succeeds in a storyline that is actually quite believable, no matter how shocking it gets.

The performances in this film are fantastic. It is obvious that all of the actors and actresses really spent time trying to become their characters.

This movie was worthy of the Oscar nominations, but it definitely isn't a GREAT film. The problem is that the film is just far too long at 2 hours and 20 minutes. The main turning point of the film is just halfway through, and before that the film starts to get very repetitive and almost boring. If this film could have been cut down to an hour and 50 minutes or so it would have been much more attention-deserving and worthy of a 9 or 10. But since it isn't, I have to give it a 7/10.

Dead Man on Campus (1998)

I REALLY want to hate this, but I just can't..

[5/10 · 13 June 2000]

I rented this movie with the intention of mocking it throughout the film. The opening credits didn't dissuade my attitude, but as soon as the first 20 minutes were over, the movie and hence the jokes really started to pick up. Everything prior to Josh getting his midterm grades is utter trash, but afterwards the movie is actually quite funny.

I have to admit I had a soft spot for Gousellear's character Cooper. The kind of humor that comes from his character is exactly the kind that will get me a cheap laugh. I laughed very hard at several points throughout the movie, especially when Cooper pretended to be Bill Gates and the whole Flushles thing.

While this review has been pretty favorable so far, this movie was not without problems. It never really establishes whether or not it thinks what the characters are doing is wrong. Once you think you have the answer(can't give away a hint), it throws a 180 on you. I also didn't like the Cliff character, which is strange considering every IMDB poster has loved him. I thought the other two roomates, Buckley more so, had better scenes. Another problem I had was with the pointless female subplot. All of the scenes with females were dumb and unfunny, as well as the extremely stereotypical Kyle character.

This really isn't a bad movie..I'm still in shock. I'm giving this a 5/10.

Godzilla (I) (1998)

I think I'd rather face Godzilla than be forced to see this again

[1/10 · 23 February 2000]

(sorry, this may be a repost from one of my different handles) Wow, I never in my life thought I would ever merit a movie with the "F" honor. But this one, this one deserves(too bad the grading scale doesn't go to Z).

The very simple-minded plot is this: A scientist(Matthew Broderick) is assigned to assist the military in locating an amazingly-sized and extremely dangerous mammal. Of course, the monster soon makes his way to The Big Apple and all heck breaks lose. If that weren't enough, it also has ridiculous subplots with an ex-girlfriend and some French secretive group(I was in the bathroom when they first met). Sound stupid? It gets worse.

This movie could have been semi-decent if the acting was. Instead we're treated to the worst mauling of a screenplay(that's not too great to begin with) that I have ever seen. Broderick did not say one line convincingly, and, on top of that, never said one line as it SHOULD HAVE been said. He doesn't get excited, scared, happy, just one emotionless goop. But, well, Matt Broderick deserves an Oscar compared to the horrific acting of his girlfriend. I kept on wondering if they wandered the streets looking for the first pretty girl they saw and then asking her to be in a movie. If you want some laughs, rent the movie, watch the scenes with her, and fast forward to the end when she says "I quit!" as wrong as she possibly could have made the line. Oh yeah, the acting of the quintessential geeky photographer and the best friend plain suck too. Overall, don't waste one cent of your money on this trash.

Ed Wood (1994)

Overrated

[6/10 · 21 February 2000]

I can't believe the reviews I'm reading on here. I'm seeing this film called "brilliant" and "touching" but personally, the best adjective I could use for it is "decent". Like the recent Bowfinger, another movie about filming bad movies, this one gets so redundant you feel like you're getting hit over the head many times. You keep on seeing the same scenes over and over and over again, and they lose their magic.

And enough about Martin Landau! If you read these reviews you would think he gave the best performance of the century. He certainly did a great job, but please, how hard is it to imitate Bela Lugosi's accent and make a character you feel sympathy for? That's pretty much all he did, but he did do it extraordinarily well, so I don't really object to his winning the Oscar. Plus you can never forget the reason he made you think he was the real Bela Lugosi was the makeup.. As far as the other performances go, I thought they were all great. Surprising coming from a review that has been so negative so far but I must give credit where credit is due.

Another thing I liked about this movie was the cinematography. Filming it in black-and-white was a great idea, and the film probably could have never worked without it. It's got a nice little unique look going for it.

I think the main reason I didn't like this film was the directing. The aforementioned redundancy was a big problem, and I felt like this film could have easily been 30 minutes shorter. Also, the film is presented in a manner that makes it get boring after awhile. I think it could have been a lot funnier and more informative if they showed WHY the movies were so bad. You never really got to see that, except when it was blatantly(and quite humorously) showed in the octopus scene, which elicited a laugh from me. This film has a bit of an identity crisis. It's not sure if it wants to be sympathetic to Wood, showing us the stupidity of his movies, letting us know what his friends were like, showing us how he actually got these movies made...it juggles through all and never really decides on one thing to focus on, making the film get muddled.

So I give this movie a 5/10 because it disappointed me. It could have been a lot better if it had another director, in my opinion. The editing wasn't very good either. Even though the script was redundant, there are a multitude of hilarious lines in it. That's a wrap!

Three Kings (1999)

The Best Film Not Nominated for a Single Academy Award Out There

[9/10 · 15 February 2000]

When I first heard of Three Kings, I absolutely despised it. Why? Well, I thought the commercials made it look like some hip kind of movie that would make a mockery of war and attract the commonfolk. Let's admit it, the commercials didn't at all accurately show what this film was really about in fear of not attracting a big audience. So there I was on my computer, despising the film and at Roger Ebert's website, when I saw a review for Three Kings with 4 stars. I thought it was some kind of fluke, but then a friend who saw it told me he thought it was one of the best films of the year. So my interest in the film was then huge and I went to see it a few weeks later over Fight Club, which I had wanted to see but my friends didn't.

This film was such a treat. I knew it was going to be unique after the first scene, but I wasn't sure if it was going to be the good kind of unique. The storyline has 4 soldiers fighting in Desert Storm right after the War has been declared over. The soldiers find a map in a surprising place(trust me, you wouldn't want me to give it away) and find that it leads to bulyan, the Kuwaiti form of gold. On their journey to get the gold and throughout, the soldiers find themselves changing gradually. I won't go any further into the summary.

The acting was good, with strong performances by Mark Wahlberg, Spike Jonze, George Clooney, Ice Cube, and 2 Arab actors whose names I am unfamiliar with. This is the first war movie I've seen that is successfully funny yet very dramatic. The end of this film is touching, and the film satiates your need to know about what happens afterwards by telling you exactly that.

I also thought there were no superfluous scenes in this film. Every scene feels important, and every scene will keep you interested. The film is shot in a really unique way, and it looks great. The only problem I had with this film is the title. Why couldn't it be titled Four Kings? Why in the world are they leaving Spike Jonze out? He definitely had as large a role as the other three leads....

About the comedy in this film, a lot of it may fly over your head. I never understood the haircut joke until I read about it on a website after I saw the film. This film is probably hit and miss comedy at its best, and I can't recall any misses! I am writing this a few hours after the Oscar announcements and am quite angry this film wasn't at all acknowledged? What is the Academy afraid of?

This review has been all over the place, but that's the way I feel about this movie. There's so much to say, and so little room to say it. I recommend this to any mature person over the age of 15. Trust me, don't let anyone younger watch this. I give this movie a 9/10, but on the IMDB, a 10/10 because it needs it to balance out the low number of votes. If any other movie I've seen this year has generated more positivity, I haven't seen it yet....(ok, ok, so I haven't seen American Beauty of Being John Malkovich yet, hehe)

Blue Streak (1999)

Slightly overrated

[14 February 2000]

After seeing this film reviewed on Ebert and the Movies, I was expecting a laughfest from the recently stale Martin Lawrence. Well, I didn't get what I wanted but wasn't exactly dissatisfied. This film kept my attention a lot more than the recent Bowfinger did and with a little more talent in its roster could have easily been better than Bowfinger, since it slightly turned out to be anyways. I thought the Lawrence-doing-weird-things like dancing theme was getting stale quickly, and hated the whole stupid pizza man part. The premise of this movie though, was enough to keep me glued to the TV while it was on. Sorry to compare this with Bowfinger again, but I also got more laughs from Blue Streak. I think this film is only good if you're willing to accept bad parts of it such as sorta an amateurish feeling you get watching it and a heck of a lot of cliches. 5.5/10

Toy Story 2 (1999)

Quite a treat

[14 February 2000]

I walked into this film with a bunch of little cousins expecting to see a good film that would probably be very predictable. I was right about the predictability, but this film was amazing. The computer animation was lifelike, the voices were great, I felt strongly for the characters, and I laughed many, many times. This movie probably elicited the most laughs I've ever had in a movie theater, however this could just have been because the theater only contained me and my cousins. I also felt glued to the screen and caught up in the story. Anyways, I strongly recommend this film to anyone. 10/10

Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997)

This movie is terrible...

[1/10 · 14 February 2000]

Making a sequel to a movie that was never even that great of a movie in the first place without the lead star isn't exactly a good idea. This movie is terrible. It isn't funny, it isn't suspenseful, I couldn't pay attention during it, and I kept on wishing the nightmare would end. I think this one started Sandra Bullock's horrible downfall.... The only movie worse than this that I've seen is Godzilla...even the slightly known Troll is better. Please, never subject yourself to this movie unless you want to be devoid of 2 hours of your life.

Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995)

This movie is downright terrible

[3/10 · 14 February 2000]

I was at Blockbuster with my friend when we spotted Dracula: Dead and Loving It. My friend told me it was hilarious so we ended up renting it. It has to rank among the worst movies I've ever seen in my life. I didn't legitimately laugh once, I was bored out of my mind, and I couldn't stop wondering how this was ever made into a film. Don't see this movie if you have half a brain!!!

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

Great film!!!!

[9/10 · 14 February 2000]

I love this film! The performances were great, with strong performances by Louise Fletcher, Jack Nicholson, and all of the inmates. I really liked how the sequence of events all led up to the startling conclusion. <<SPOILER WARNING>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>When I first became acquainted with this film by reading a 15-page summary of it on Mr. Hollywood or some other film site like that, I cried when I read about Randall's lobotomy. I was really troubled that someone with so much vigor and passion was turned into a passive vegetable by the establishment. Not only that, but the reactions of the patients in my mind as I read horrified me. As far as the Chief's murder of Randall is concerned, I am against euthanasia actively and it bothered me very much but I respect that it was put into the film and novel. The Chief saw it as something that had to be done before he made his escape. <<<<<<<<<<<<<END SPOILER WARNING>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Anyways, I really enjoyed this film and all the performances elicited strong emotions. It deserved all the Oscars it received.

Bowfinger (1999)

Overrated

[13 February 2000]

I don't know why everyone is raving about this film so much. I only laughed a couple of times, and I thought it got quite redundant in the middle of the film with the crew following Murphy, Graham sleeping with someone, and Martin cheering the crew on over and over and over again. Good performances, but not as good as everyone is making them out to be. Steve Martin played his old cliched role, Eddie Murphy was good but I thought his duality in The Nutty Professor showed his talent more, Jamie Kennedy played the same character he always plays, Heather Graham was decent, Christine Baranski was funny in a hapless role, Robert Downey, Junior did a good job. The only real laughs I got were from the premise of Chubby Rain, the film/movie quip, and the premiere of Chubby Rain. I have no idea why this film was so critically lauded..

American History X (1998)

Very Good Film

[9/10 · 12 February 2000]

One word comes to mind after seeing this film: potential. This film could have been even greater than it was, but probably thanks to production squabbles, it wasn't. The black-and-white sequences were superb and very well done. In comparison, the present time sequences are poor but still well done. Even though the acting in the film was excellent, a lot of things could have been done to make this film better. I think the prison sequence could have been even longer, and I would have preferred if we saw just how changed Derek really was. I also felt like I didn't really know Faruiza Balk's character very well, but this could be a good thing showing she was a one-dimensional idiot. I was really impressed with the way they made Edward Norton look in his skinhead prime, he actually looked menacing and scary. I also liked the directing style for some strange reason. Someone pointed out before it seemed amateurish, but I disagree. This was a good, thought-provoking film. It showed where racists get their beliefs and just how crazy something out of control can become. It showed the horrors of hate crimes in a way other movies have failed to do in fear of being too frightening. I gave this movie a 10/10, but I think it could have been even better if it had been a bit longer with a little more character development.

Billy Madison (1995)

Oh, c'mon, can't you people just relax?

[28 November 1999]

I have to admit that I absolutely hated the first 20 minutes or so of this movie. I was about to turn it off, but decided to give it another chance. I'm very glad I did! It seems everytime that I watch it, it gets funnier and funnier. The true humor of this film lies in the weird parts like Sloppy Joe's, The Clown, The Penguin, etc....parts so stupid that you can't help but laugh at their stupidity. It would be a shame if you looked down on this movie because it was "too stupid". That's the point!!! It's supposed to be stupid!

She's All That (1999)

Overall a Good Movie, But It Has Share of Problems

[6/10 · 14 July 1999]

One thing I found annoying about this film was the blatant plucked stereotypes. Everybody in the film was a stereotype! No one, NO ONE, in real High School life talks like the characters in this film do. You have to start getting worried that teenagers are going to start to think this is the way to act. Another annoying thing was Zack Siler's infallibility. There was really nothing that made him seem unlikable, nothing at all. He doesn't have a single flaw. Also, it seems to have this concept: Conformity: Good/ Uniqueness: Bad. But I'm just naming some minor flaws in an otherwise great movie. It had its share of groans, but the movie couldn't have been made without them. All the actors did a good job, especially Rachel Leigh Cooke.

Top Secret! (1984)

Good Movie Filled With Hard Laughs

[9/10 · 29 June 1999]

I first found out about this movie reading Roger Ebert's book of movie reviews. He gave it ***1/2/4, and I could see why. This movie is full of hard laughs, and the best thing about them is you have to look yourself to find them. MY favorite is when someone is standing at an open window and they see a bunch of cars going down the streets and mice appear out of nowhere and go through the miniature cars. Another great one involves Publisher Clearing House, but I won't ruin it. All in all, this movie is worthwhile and deserves more recognition. It's not as good as The Naked Gun, but you should see it anyway.

A Simple Plan (1998)

Great Movie, What Was Wrong with the Ending?

[9/10 · 28 June 1999]

I thought this movie was great for many reasons. First of all, the acting was first-class, except a few times by Bill Paxton, but he made up for them in other scenes. Bridget Fonda was good, but I never really felt like I knew her character. Whoever played Jacob's friend(Jeb?) put on a likable performance, and Billy Bob Thornton I don't need to tell you was great. Some things I found a bit unbelievable about the movie. I kept on thinking during the movie this would have made a great book, and turns out it was a great book. Sam Raimi does a good job of relating it to the big screen. Another thing I liked about the movie was the color of each scene. It seemed to represent what was going on and the viewer's mood. This is one of the best 20 movies I've probably ever seen, and I've seen A LOT. It's too bad it didn't obtain Fargo status, because I have to admit "A Simple Plan" is a lot better.