dwbball50 Reviews

A Walk to Remember (2002)

If only it followed the book...

[2/10 · 22 February 2002]

I read the book A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks before I want to see the movie. I am unfortunately disappointed with the movie because of its lack of direction in accordance with the book. The movie left out a couple of key points that were in the book. I thought Hollywood changed A Walk to Remember in order to fit the "Hollywood" status that movies have become today. Is Hollywood to afraid to put the Bible in a movie that should have it in it? Was Jaime's faith not important enough to really leave it out as they did. They missed the mark on the movie dealing with the real meaning behind faith and salvation. I also think they misinterpreted the character of Jaime for most of the movie.

If you have not read the book yet and go see the movie, you will probably really like it. It is very entertaining and worth the viewing. If you really want the whole story behind the characters, read the book because it is much more emotional, romantic, and developing than the movie. I would just have to conclude with what I have emphasized earlier: This is a great story that Hollywood missed the mark on and really ruined it all.

The Contender (2000)

A horrible attempt at justifying corruption

[1/10 · 20 January 2002]

The contender has got to be one of the worst attempts at portraying politics in their real sense. The characters are unbelievable and the President is a bad mouthin idiot. Though I do have to say that it sums up what democrats truly are. You can take that statement the way you want. On the contrary, this movie makes a weak attempt at supporting liberal politics and is a waist of time to watch for both Republicans and Democrats. If you are a Republican, you will most likely burn this movie at the stake. Don't even see it.

Uprising (2001 TV Movie)

A masterpiece of sorrow and shame.

[10/10 · 6 November 2001]

A masterpiece of sorrow and shame. No this does not mean it lacked the qualities of a exceptional movie but rather it means that it made me feel sorrow for the Jews during World War II. This made for TV "movie" is beyond any another of its kind in the making today. Uprising has no limits in its ideas and messages. It does not hold back the truth but rather tells the story of a group of Jews in the ghetto, using a naturalistic style. The plot is intriguing from the beginning and never fails to keep you sliding up instead of down in your lazy-boy. Moreover, the message is what needs to really be looked at in this film.

So, what makes this film have such an impact? The actors and the characters they played are the answer. Leelee Sobieski is simply incredible and on the contrary to many of David Schwimmer's TV shows or movies, he plays the part of a serious, brave, and invincible Jew, who is looked at as a leader among his people. Many new faces are seen in this movie and they all do a fantastic job.

The entertainment value is beyond comparison with any other made for TV movie. This was not a cheap movie to make and the actions scenes are not little exploding apples on an indoor movie set. Buildings are blown to pieces, Jews and Germans are slaughtered throughout the movie and tortured. You will not walk away from this movie without learning more about World War II and the Holocaust. Uprising is implicit in its message and entertaining to the very last second. If you are a history buff, an action fan, or someone who just simply likes Leelee Sobieski or David Schwimmer, I highly recommend Uprising for you. When it comes out on DVD on December 18, 2001, I would for sure get it, and watch it over and over again.

I really do hate to say that any movie comes close to Saving Private Ryan, but Uprising does, and ironically, it is a made for TV movie which makes it even that much better. Take the time to rent this or buy the DVD when you can, it is well worth the purchase.

The War Zone (1999)

A disturbing film, period.

[8/10 · 21 August 2001]

Tim Roth's, The War Zone is a highly disturbing film that makes you look at society today and how corrupt it really is. I had read about this movie before I watched it, so I kind of knew what to expect. However, this movie went far beyond my what I had expected.

The movie starts with the birth of a baby girl into the family which is made up of the two parents, a girl, a boy, and then the baby. As the movie moves on, it becomes more disturbing. Oddly enough, the family is slightly weird considering everyone seems to walk around the house naked and nobody cares. I don't think that is what happens in a normal household. At the climax of the film, the girl (Jessie) is raped and molested by her father, and her brother catches it with his own eyes and on tape. Yes, this is a graphic scene and I don't recommend you watch this unless you can handle it.

Overall, the movie is quite a scary site to see because of how true it is in society. Don't watch this unless you really know what you are getting into. It is a said and disturbing movie to watch.

Moulin Rouge! (2001)

The Acting is great but the movie drags on forever!

[8/10 · 16 August 2001]

Moulin Rouge is quite and intriguing new style of film making that caught my eye from the start of the movie. Nearly a thousand different frames fly by your eyes in the beginning of the movie moving from one picture to the next. If you are not alert while watching this movie, you will be visually dazed. The story line is nothing out of the ordinary. Two lovers battle over the same girl and you can pretty much predict the ending except with a little twist.

Many people walked out of the theater crying but the movie didn't seem to hit me that much. The visual effects are interesting but the movie seems to bounce around way to much. I found myself rubbing my eyes trying to focus on what was going on but it was hard. The first half of Moulin Rouge is the best part of the movie in my opinion. It is gracefully funny and entertaining. The second half moves along extremely slow for over an hour going back and forth about how much each person loves the girl. It made me sick and wanting to run out of the theater. I thought the ending was never going to come.

The acting was superb! Nicole Kidman as Satine does a fantastic acting job throughout the film. I wouldn't be shocked to see her nominated and winning a best actress award when the oscars come around. Ewan McGregor also does a great job acting. Though a singing voice is patched in over his because after this movie is a musical.

Overall, I was entertained for the first half of the movie but then the love story took over and I started to slide down my chair. The movie moves really fast and at times is quite tedious. If you like love stories and like movies where you cry (girls), you will like this movie.

Vertical Limit (2000)

An entertaining movie but totally Hollywood

[22 January 2001]

I saw vertical limit today and I am very disappointed in it. After seeing the previews I knew that it wouldn't be something that I would like. I do have to say that I love climbing movies and I do a lot of climbing myself. I do have quite a lot of knowledge in High Altitude climbing, though I have never been there.

The movie was too unreal. I like movies that have at least some hope of reality but this went beyond that. Let me lay out for you everything that is to unreal about the movie.

1.) Base camp parties with beer and over 100 people never happen. 2.) Helicopters cannot fly as high as they did in the movie. 3.) After 30-45 minutes in a crevasse you freeze to death and therefore your dead. Unlike the couple days in the movie. 4.) No bottled oxygen for any of the climbers the entire movie. Only a few people in the world can climb at that altitude without oxygen. 5.) No sherpas the entire movie to haul gear. It just all appeared. 6.) Jumping off cliffs and dangling from ice axes is Hollywood. 7.) People can't live at high altitudes unlike one man in the movie. 8.) Real climbers where entire jump suits with about 5 other layers of clothing. These climbers, or should I say actors in the movie had about one layer on that was thin with no insulation. 9.) You can see your breath because it is so cold in the mountains. Not once did we see anyone's breath, even in the crevasse.

Well, now that I am done complaining about the movie, I do have to say that it was entertaining but predictable. I basically predicted every major part of the movie. If you like movies that are real and have REAL action, then you won't like this. But, if you are sucked in my Hollywood and like anything entertaining, then you will like Vertical Limit. If you want to see a good climbing movie involving K2, watch the movie called "K2". It is old but still good.

So to rap this up, Vertical Limit was truly a disappointment to me. I can't believe how badly they portrayed High Altitude climbing and how bad of a disgrace it is to the real High Altitude climbers. Don't go to this movie and send Hollywood a message that unreal climbing crap like this, is not good.