That's right...this movie is as campy and goofy as you can get and one almost wonders why the stars that were in it (at the time) decided that THIS was a film that they wanted to be in...but...to watch it again...it's almost like a precursor to a Seinfeld episode whereas the many plots all come together at the end to make a very funny and often overlooked film...come on...if Rocky Horror is regarded as a classic, why can't this film?...it has a plethora of midgets, Japanese tourists and spies...Chevy Chase in his prime...and is a takeoff of the Wizard of Oz?...how much more odd can you get...a definite rental that grows on you!
Reviews
3 Reviews
Ruthless People
(1986)
A precursor to Seinfeld?
10 February 2002
This was one of the best comedies of the 80's and perhaps all time...if you don't believe me, just give it another look. The plot twists are like something out of a Seinfeld episode (and this pre-dated that by at least 3 years) with twists and turns and laughs aplenty. If you are a comedy screenwriter looking for a good start on how to write a well balanced comedy, you could do a lot worse than to start here...
Planet of the Apes
(2001)
Another attempt at a remake of a great film that ultimately fails
31 July 2001
Usually they blame the director when a film goes awry...but I'm afraid that this time the blame must be put on the moviegoing audience. I actually can't believe the overwhelmingly positive response by fans and critics alike to this movie!
Okay...it looks great...but there are several major flaws...first, did anyone else notice how a few of the apes (Paul Giamatti's "Limbo" in particular) too closely resembled The Grinch?...second, notwithstanding the great acting by Tim Roth, everyone else seemed stiff as a board...third, and most importantly, and without revealing the ending, did anyone else notice how preposterous it was for that ending to be possible? There is NO possible way that the events at the end of the film could have followed anything that came before it. Instead of a twist ending that meant something, we are left with a sense of confusion that seems to have been tagged on to make jaws drop...until common sense prevails and you realize that they couldn't figure out how to end it in a realistic manner.
I guess that the average moviegoer will walk away semisatisfied at what amounts to little more than style prevailing over substance...something we have too long settled for...but as always, most people will forget about it as soon as the next overblown hyped summer blockbuster comes along!
Okay...it looks great...but there are several major flaws...first, did anyone else notice how a few of the apes (Paul Giamatti's "Limbo" in particular) too closely resembled The Grinch?...second, notwithstanding the great acting by Tim Roth, everyone else seemed stiff as a board...third, and most importantly, and without revealing the ending, did anyone else notice how preposterous it was for that ending to be possible? There is NO possible way that the events at the end of the film could have followed anything that came before it. Instead of a twist ending that meant something, we are left with a sense of confusion that seems to have been tagged on to make jaws drop...until common sense prevails and you realize that they couldn't figure out how to end it in a realistic manner.
I guess that the average moviegoer will walk away semisatisfied at what amounts to little more than style prevailing over substance...something we have too long settled for...but as always, most people will forget about it as soon as the next overblown hyped summer blockbuster comes along!
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