Jim-947 Reviews

Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

This is an inspiring film.

[10/10 · 26 December 2008]

A young man, who grew up in a slum, is on one of those television shows where you answer questions to win a lot of money. After each win he has the option of quitting with what he has one or passing the money up for an opportunity to win more. He is a phenomenal success, although he does not seem to care whether he wins or loses.

Through flashbacks the viewer learns about his growing up in a slum and of the suffering and degradation entailed in that. Some really terrible things happen to the characters in this tale.

There is a love story. This movie has characters you come to care about. It is not like the soulless, puking garbage Hollywood keeps shoveling at us. It is a work of art. See it if you get the opportunity.

Romeo and Juliet (1968)

This is a wonderful movie.

[10/10 · 12 March 2008]

Olivia Hussey was beautiful and utterly believable as the teenage love interest. Michael York was chilling as Tybalt. The sword fight scene between Michael York and John McEnery as Mercutio was wonderfully comic. They seemed like two good old boys razzing each other. It was believable.

I feel I had forgotten what love was like. I must admit this film was so beautiful I could not keep my eyes dry.

Today it seems like it is all about boob jobs, penis enlargement pills and Viagra. We've lost sight of what's important. The Elizabethan's knew something about love people today too often overlook. Shakespeare instructs us. We should pay attention.

Grindhouse (2007)

This movie is garbage

[1/10 · 27 July 2007]

This movie is garbage. When I was a youngster back in the 50's I used to go see the type of movies to which this film is supposed to be an homage on Saturday mornings. It cost 25 cents to see a double feature and a cartoon. The movies were silly but I was a kid and I enjoyed them. They never approached the degree of cruelty, brutality and vulgarity found in this piece of garbage.

Early in the movie is a scene in which a man is castrated for dishonesty. The men performing the castration use a special tool evidently designed for that purpose. Some of those in the audience thought that was funny but some did not. Later in the film a man is being beaten by a group of women and one of them stomps on his face with the heel of her shoe. The characters in this movie use a lot of extremely vulgar language, much more than one would encounter in life. The young people who see this movie receive the message that this manner of speech is appropriate.

Overall, this movie is a hateful, disgusting piece of refuse. I cannot help but feel that those responsible for this exemplar of excrement hate America and Americans. I'm glad I waited for it to come to the dollar cinema to see it.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)

Brad and Angelina make it entertaining.

[6/10 · 15 September 2005]

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie portray two professional assassins who are married to each other. Neither knows the other is an assassin and they each work for different agencies. Exactly what agencies they work for is never made clear but they seem to be affiliated with the United States Government. Their respective agencies, perceiving a conflict of interest in having two married assassins in rival agencies, assign them to murder each other.

In spite of the bizarre subject matter, this movie is constructed as a zany comedy somewhat in the mold of the old 'I Love Lucy' television show. However, the charm and likableness of Brad and Angelina make it more enjoyable than 'I Love Lucy.'

The reviews of this movie which I have read failed to mention the film's subtext, which in essence is: 'It's okay for the government to assassinate people because the victims of political assassination are the worst sort of people and deserve to be killed and these killings don't really affect ordinary people.'

I remember where I was when John F. Kennedy was murdered and I remember how it made me feel. The official story was that the President was killed by a lone assassin. Similarly when his brother who was killed a few years later. Likewise when Martin Luther King was murdered the same year. Whoever was ultimately responsible, the victims of politically motivated assassinations are not necessarily the worst sort of people. I feel that certain individuals who have a lot of influence with the movie industry are attempting to make political assassinations, at least political assassinations which may be sponsored by the U.S. Government, more palatable to the American people and thus easier to carry out. Aside from that the movie is fairly entertaining and a little better than average.

In the Bedroom (2001)

Bad things happen to good people.

[10/10 · 14 January 2002]

There's a lot of violence in movies these days. What they do is set up someone who is so evil that when the hero shoots him, or blows him up, or karate chops him it's immensely satisfying, and a lot of fun because the "bad guy" is getting what he deserves and you feel good about it. This movie is a more accurate depiction of reality. It shows the psychological devastation brought about by a single violent act, and the ambiguity inherent in any violent solution.

Thir13en Ghosts (2001)

Gory special effects with minimal story.

[1/10 · 9 December 2001]

My one line summary pretty much says it. If you've seen any of the previews for this film, you've already seen the best part of it. Don't waste your money on a ticket. Wait until it comes out on television and watch it then, if you have nothing better to do.

Shallow Hal (2001)

Dumb, in a way, but kind of beautiful, too.

[8/10 · 16 November 2001]

Hal, a young man who judges women only by their looks, and dates only physically beautiful women, meets a famous self improvement guru, who does a technique on Hal that causes him to see other people ONLY for what they are like inside. Hal begins approaching women who, to him, are now beautiful but whom his best friend finds overwhelmingly unattractive. He ultimately falls in love with a woman, portrayed by Gwyneth Paltrow, who is morbidly obese but whom he sees as being thin and beautiful. This leads to some rather confusing situations. One of the most entertaining parts of the movie is watching Gwyneth Paltrow act like she believes she is physically unattractive. She is very convincing and touching as a woman who believes that no man could ever be interested in her. Another of the best parts concerns Hal's visits to a children's ward of a local hospital. On his first visit he is under the sway of the spell which causes him to see people only for what they are like inside. He is utterly confused as to why these children are in a hospital. They appear perfectly healthy to him. Later, after the spell has been broken, he visits the hospital again and learns why the children are there. All in all, the movie was much better than I expected.

Extremedays (2001)

Lame.

[1/10 · 30 September 2001]

It had one joke that was only slightly funny. Much of the movie is filled by people doing extreme type sports. This is just filler and is intended to convey the idea that the characters are having a wonderful time. I was so glad when the movie was finally over.