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janet1109
Reviews
Discoveries... America (2006)
Really Dull -- Too-Long Vignettes about Obscure Attractions in Each State
This DVD was not at all what I was expecting. The show spends 5-8 minutes on Mississippi River steamboats and then 5-8 minutes on fresh water pearls. There was a 5-8 minute segment on wood block printing in Nashville. These are not the top attractions of a huge state like Tennessee. I'd prefer to see segments on visiting Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga, with points of interest that you would drive by on the way from one to the other. There could be a mention of Graceland in Memphis, the Parthenon in Nashville, the universities, and Gatlinburg and the Great Smoky Mountains. This DVD does not deliver what it purports to contain.
The Farewell (2019)
Too Much Dialog in Chinese with English Subtitles
I watched this on a Southwest Airlines plane, and there was too much dialog presented by actors speaking Chinese, requiring me to read the captions. To make that even more difficult, the captioning was in white font and it was often displayed over white objects such as a plate or tablecloth. I could only read about 40% of the words in each sentence, so I only had the vaguest idea of what was being said. Also, if I looked away for a moment for any reason, I missed those sentences entirely. This is probably a great movie for people who speak Mandarin Chinese, but the rest of us are better off skipping it.
Contagion (2011)
Global Medical Detective Thriller
The first third of this movie was very disturbing, as the movie correctly predicted the situation that we currently find ourselves in -- empty airport terminals and nothing on the store shelves. However, it is a great story and very enlightening about how such a situation could develop. It's really a mystery/detective story, not science fiction.
Green Book (2018)
Every Scene is Predictable and Dialog is All Wrong
Are our films so bad now that this piece of cr-p is considered one of the best movies of 2018? The film is rife with stereotypes of every kind. The scenes are so predictable. I knew what was going to happen next in every scene. And the dialog is written in 2018 vernacular (e.g., no one said "travelling while black" in 1962). This movie was so boring that I turned it off after 90 minutes. Don't waste your time.
Azorian: The Raising of the K-129 (2010)
Great for Engineering Geeks, Sub Fans, and Cold War Aficionados
I loved this story on all levels, as an engineering achievement, as a fan of submarine spy antics, and as a general US-USSR Cold War saga. The engineering feat of building a ship to lift a sub in that depth of water, alone, is unbelievable.
The Departed (2006)
First hour is quite violent, but plot pays-off in second half
I was quite turned off by the close-contact violence in the first half of the film. In fact, at one point I considered walking out and waiting for my friend in the lobby. She was not bothered by the fistfights and other human cruelty, while I had to cover my eyes and hope the sounds weren't too disturbing! Having said that, as the plot developed in the middle third I began to enjoy the complexities of the plot. I would have preferred an "edited for content" version with most of the beatings cut out. It was difficult to keep the relationships and "who knows what" straight, and I was afraid at times that I was missing something, but all-in-all I kept up with the plot without any major missteps. Early in the film it was often difficult to keep Damon and DeCaprio straight, and I had to say, "Oh, that's Matt", or "Oh, now that's Leo." I'm not saying it wasn't possible to tell them apart, but thinking of the characters as the actor's names didn't really do much to help me become absorbed into the world of the Boston Irish mafia. Also, Jack Nicholson was always "Jack" to me in this film, never completely becoming Costello.
Chicago (2002)
Chicago for kids - Warning: Limited Spoilers
Although the movie was a little risqué for pre-teens, my daughter, her friend, and I enjoyed the movie. The first half was rather serious and dark - all that talk of jail and hangings, plus a gunshot at close range - but the second half was fun. I especially enjoyed Richard Gere as Billy Flynn. He really ate up the role, playing Billy with a twinkle in his eye, as though he was really having fun playing a sleazy lawyer, singing and dancing.
My daughter has been singing "All That Jazz" since we came home, and I know she enjoyed the dance numbers and the humor. I was surprised at the level of sexual content, but actually I was more disturbed by the shooting and hanging scenes and the number where each woman on Death Row describes how she did her man in. (At least there was some humor built into that scene.)
Recommended in accordance with the PG-13 rating.
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002)
Better than I expected, but not great
The film is better than I expected it would be. I was not particularly impressed by the previews, with Ellen Burstyn praying out loud to Mary in a circle of fireworks sparklers. I read the books about 4 years ago, but they were not my favorite books, so I wasn't really looking forward to the movie version. I expected the movie to totally ignore the child abuse subplots of the books, but they were featured in a relatively minor way.
Ellen Burstyn is too old to be Sidda's mother today (Sandra Bullock is 37 and Burstyn was portrayed as a young post-WWII mother). I suppose the cars were supposed to clue us in to the time setting (maybe mid-80's?), but there were no other references to that time. An eighties hairstyle for Bullock would have helped make the time setting more consistent.
Scooby-Doo (2002)
Kids liked it; I didn't.
The kids (9 & 10) liked the movie, but what do they know? The only things I enjoyed were the voice and characterization of Scooby (right on), and to a lesser extent, the other actors in the foursome. Velma certainly is the most interesting character. Fred was funny just because he's such an egomaniac. Daphne wasn't particularly interesting.
I actually started to doze off during one of the chase-type scenes in the middle of the movie. Not a good sign!
The Omega Man (1971)
Still creepy after all these years!
I first saw this on TV as a kid and I remember being very scared by those hooded zombies with the white eyes. The movie still scares me! Something about the isolation of thinking you're the last, lonely survivor, then having to escape from those zombies. The funny thing is that the director still tried to make Charlton Heston look sexy - he runs around without a shirt for no good reason, then he's posed very carefully on the rack where he's about to be burned.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
One long chase scene, dark and tiresome
Growl, growl, stab, stab, yawn, yawn.
That just about sums it up. Oh, and it won't feel like three hours, it will feel like five hours.
This film will only appeal to fans of the books. Fine, go see it if you want, but I'll find something else to do. Couldn't hear the dialogue, couldn't care about what I did hear.
If this is the best movie of the year, this must be a terrible year for movies.
Captain Corelli's Mandolin (2001)
A slow first hour, a confusing (but at least quicker-paced) second hour, full of cliche' scenes and dialogue.
Problems: Nicholas Cage's sometimes on, sometimes off Italian accent. He wasn't very believable as an Italian captain.
Penelope Cruz's single expression. Gets a bit dull after a while. She also isn't very believable in her role as a young woman.
Cliche' scenes. Too numerous to mention. One standout: German officer wants to shoot soldier, but shakes and just can't make himself do it.
Too bad the writer and director didn't make better choices. With better writing, editing, and directing, the story could have made a much better film.
Cats & Dogs (2001)
Better than SpyKids
I enjoyed Cats & Dogs much more than SpyKids. The talking dogs and cats were much more realistic than those flying kids in SpyKids.
Cute, fun, certainly a kid film, but enjoyable for the parent accompanying the children.
La vita è bella (1997)
The funniest part? The concentration camp!
Life is Beautiful is a wonderful, funny film. It's been three years since I saw it, yet many scenes are instantly brought to mind.
After seeing the film I told several friends that the beginning was OK, but the funniest part is when they get to the concentration camp. Can you imagine that? We laughed so hard that we cried.
Spy Kids (2001)
A disappointment
My children liked the movie, but I can't say that I liked it at all. Kind of a stupid "kid's James Bond" movie. I wish there were more spying going on and not so much flying. The movie seemed rather short, also (about 90 minutes?).
Too "far out" to enjoy. It's a cute plot line - parents are spies but kids don't know it. Too bad the execution of the idea was flawed.
Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)
Very Enjoyable. Great Movie Fun.
I just loved this movie. Much better than other recent romantic comedies such as "Notting Hill", "My Best Friend's Wedding", "You've Got Mail", etc.
I went see "Bridget Jones' Diary" twice already, and I enjoyed it even more the second time around.
See this one "at the movies". Don't wait for the video.
Scary Movie (2000)
Just plain disgusting. Not entertaining. Not clever.
"Scary Movie" is, by far, the worst movie I have ever seen. There were so many disgusting scenes that were just not funny. While "Something About Mary" was not my favorite movie, at least "Mary" had some redeeming qualities. I hid in the theater after watching "Scary Movie" until most patrons had left because I didn't want anyone to see that I had just seen that trash. I did see someone I knew in the theater, noticed her laughing, and now I think a lot less of her.
I had the overwhelming feeling that I needed a shower after watching "Scary Movie". It was just so disgusting.
This is gross-out humor at its worst. Trying so hard to go "over the top" that no thought is put into any other aspect of the movie.