Reviews
Pacific Heights (1990)
A Bad Lifetime Movie
You've read the other comments and the plot synopsis....
I can't believe that this movie gets any credible response! Holes and lapses of logic aside, the suspense level is entirely manipulated and even then it doesn't exactly elicit goosebumps. I hated the couple and could have cared less about their problem.
By the way, WHO was the other guy in the apartment? Was it Keaton in disguise or just another mysterious character to pique(cough) my interest.
Keaton was OK...
The movie was pure drivel
Butterflies (1978)
An acquired taste
Looking back over the past 28 years (since my first exposure to the show), all i can say is: Once you get it-it will stay with you forever. I remember my initial reaction being: 1) annoyingly overacted, 2)under produced 3) unlikeable characters
Well, two years later I watched some episodes again and didn't find it nearly as annoying. A year later I was able to catch the entire series from the beginning and quickly became engrossed in it's bittersweet tale of human fault and perspectives on happiness. Yes, the show has a style that is not for everybody, and I'm sure the dated production value would be hard to deal with now. But, I still think about the show at least once a month with a vague teary eyed longing for what seemed like simpler times...
BTW I am a married man...(for all who think this is a show for females)
White Oleander (2002)
LIFETIME MOVIE
AH....AH.....AH....CLICHE!!!! Sorry about the sneeze.....
There were one or two moments when the direction and script were so stilted I wanted to turn it off----Over all, not the worst movie I've ever seen, but it's only saving grace was it's ability to hire solid professionals to act out this drivel....I'm sure Lifetime has run two or three versions of this genre of shallow banality
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947)
Simply great, a movie that can bring a man to tears....
I saw this movie for the first time when I was sixteen, now almost thirty years have passed and I still cry every time I think about the film. . My favorite image is the deteriorating pier with her daughters name carved into it...what a beautiful and sad way to convey the passing of time.I recently watched it again and the lump in my throat has not passed as of yet.So sad, So beautiful!
Mumford (1999)
Highly recommended
What can I say that hasn't been stated already! "Great little movie for the times you don't want to think yourself to death"! Will I recommend it? Yes! Will I watch it again? Probably not for a while, the plot vehicle drives the movie too much for multiple viewings.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)
Why is anti social behavior considered clever?
Ok! Two people with no (obvious) redeeming qualities abuse every drug known to man for the sake of a good time. I have no problem with that-just don't waste my time with the details. If there are supposed to be metaphors peppered throughout the film, they went over my head. I almost think the film would have been easier to stomach if the special effects had been kept to a minimum.Between the anti-social behavior and trippy production, was a vast wasteland of cliche laden observations on a time period too far gone to care about.
Fallen (1998)
A REALLY GOOD X FILES EPISODE
I really can't think of any bad thing to say concerning the movie other than: "It reminded me of an episode of the X-Files" (when the show was good).For once Donald Sutherland didn't annoy me do death, and the scary parts were actually scary! There were no great lapses of logic and they even managed to keep the religious mumbo jumbo to a minimum. At the last five minutes of the film I was ready to pounce on the writers for overlooking the fact that the spirit needed a living being, not a human being as a carrier--but to my surprise they actually remembered their own story line! A 9/10 for the genre
Wonder Boys (2000)
WONDER BORE
This was one of those movies I wanted to love! Twenty five years ago, I would have been in that class. Now at the age of 44 I understand alot more about why people are famous or successful. I don't see the romanticism about being a self indulgent intellectual, when everything about your life stinks. Scumbags come in all shapes and sizes-some even have talent.
The characters in this film are completely one dimensional, not to mention cliche as hell. Brooding artists are fine for atmosphere, but the reality of great art is hardwork, not self indulgent pity. I don't understand all the comparisons to Animal House(my generations classic slob movie)-the Donald Sutherland character? The anti authority stance? The undisciplined life style?
I would rather my teacher understand his own artistic process before I pay to have him bore me with his inability to grow up!
Two Family House (2000)
A touch of pathos
The most wonderful thing about nostalgia, is the pathos. I didn't watch this film with the belief that "This was the way things were"--rather, I enjoyed the story of Everyman: The wide eyed dreamer with little chance of success. A man whose comfort zone included failure-he was happy with: "I could have been..."
I like misty-eyed forays into Post War America- my childhood was directly shaped by this era. I realize that people were only so different, but the "way of life" was drastically different- Maybe thats what makes nostalgia so attractive: The loss of youth.
At one time small stories on film were common-nowadays we only get to see them on the indy film award circuit. Unfortunately that in itself has come to imply "Great Film"...How about "good film". Would people then watch it to enjoy, instead of honor?
Black and White (1999)
NOT TRUE ENOUGH
The biggest problem with this film is simply that the white characters are portrayed with more couth than their "Real Life Counterparts". Look around at WHO(meaning white youth) embrace the Hip Hop culture 1)undereducated,rhetoric spouting revolutionary wannabees 2) lazy minded,material driven, "instant gratification junkies" 3) simple minded sheep who have such identity problems that they assimilate into a culture which basically despises their existence...AND THOSE ARE THEIR GOOD POINTS
As far as the film goes, I watched it all the way through, hoping something would happen.Finally something did: the film ended and I got to watch something else.
Le violon rouge (1998)
Trying for the rub?
For the first hour and twenty minutes, I felt as if I was watching a movie that felt the need to edit in(or tack on) a box office draw(Mr. Jackson)-I guess the last twenty minutes proved me wrong--unfortunately the ending not only ruined the movie, it all but threw away an opportunity to tie up loose threads. Who were all the people interested in acquiring the violin? Finally, Samuel Jackson is a fine actor, but didn't anybody notice his digression(from time to time) into "ghettospeak":something I have a hard time believing a character such as his would be inclined to do.
Chuck & Buck (2000)
It's morning and I'm still pondering the kiss...
As usual with any of my critiques:I'll leave the 1000 word reviews to others. Some movies are not for everyone, this is a prime example. If I were a film maker, I would make this movie and relish in the fact that alot of people won't like it. You can pick apart some of the logic, but a certain suspension of belief is necessary for any movie to work.
I didn't really like the bedroom sex scene ONLY because I have a hard time believing that CHARLIE would kiss Buck...I understand the sexual gratification part and believe that could happen...I think the kiss was for shock value. Also, the wife was too oblivious to Bucks obvious social misfitism. People like her and Charlie are much too shallow to put up with people like Buck. All that aside-SEE THIS MOVIE: YOU CAN TELL PEOPLE ABOUT IT FOR WEEKS
Ghost World (2001)
The Choir Invisible
I don't believe that this movie needs another thousand word review, so I will be succinct. Perfect it's not, neither are we. Sometimes we're happy, yet somewhere throughout the world somebody is crying... Like death,change is inevitable. Is the old man on the corner waiting to die?Is The empty bus taking him away from the pain of a failed dream? Does Enid really run away? Or does she join the Choir Invisible?