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Reviews
From the Earth to the Moon (1998)
Some segments were uneven, but overall Excellent
Excellent mini-series, with some episodes clearly being superior to others. I felt that the first 7 episodes were far better than the rest, with the best episode focusing on the ingenuity of creating the LM, and the out-side of the box thinking involved in creating this one of a kind vehicle. Most of the episodes had an enjoyably light tone that allowed you to marvel at the amazing journeys and all that lead up to them, but could get serious on difficult topics such as the fire in Apollo 1 and the stress imposed on the wives of the astronauts. I also enjoyed how the focus was on the less well known aspects of the Apollo program, such as the decisions that went into which astronaut would be the first on the moon (essentially decided by the shape of the backpacks and the positions of the Armstrong and Aldrin in the LM, the amount of time the astronauts spent with the design teams showing that they were much more than mere pilots and the geology lessons they all undertook to be able to bring back the best scientific evidence.
Cold Mountain (2003)
Pretty Movie, but BORING
Great acting and very well shot, but I was frequently bored and have that as my lasting impression. I enjoyed the supporting characters and the depth they brought to the picture, particularly Philip Seymore Hoffman, Natalie Portman and Kathy Baker. I never bought into the great love between the Kidman and Law characters--love at first site (especially intense/non-physical love) is hard to convey and altho they are fine actors, and I truly enjoyed the growth/transformation of the Kidman character throughout the movie, I didn't buy the premise. While I enjoyed the "Odyssey" nature of the story, a few of the side characters were too hard to believe, particularly the orgy scene. Like I said, beautifully shot and well acted, but boring.
Night Shift (1982)
Sometimes Dumb, But Always Funny
Although the premise is interesting, this movie doesn't always carry it through well. That being said, this movie features some of the funniest lines I have ever heard in a movie, particularly from Michael Keaton, who made one of the GREATEST entrances ever in what was his first film.
Silverado (1985)
Great Start makes up for weak finish
LOVED this movie until they got to Silverado, at which point it tailed off. Great mix of action and subtle humor (particularly John Cleese), but it lost its touch once they group arrived in Silverado, and Jeff Goldblum came on the scene.
Arthur (1981)
Some of the funniest lines ever..
The story is weak and Liza Minelli is totally wrong for the part, but the Arthur's lines are some of the funniest ever put in a film!!! The interplay between Moore and Gielgud is very good and their dialogue is generally strong, but Moore is even better on his own. One of those rare movies where the funny lines totally overcome an otherwise weak product.
Rear Window (1954)
Great job in setting the mood
I still marvel at Hitchcock's ability to set the mood for the movie. I actually started to sweat as the temperature rose in LB Jeffries apartment and I could feel the sexual tension between Lisa and Jeff everytime they saw each other, which is a tribute to both the actors and the director. I saw this film in a vintage old theater and maybe that helped set the mood, but I have never seen any movie that so completely set and carried thru the moods and tones of the actor's and the situation.
The Right Stuff (1983)
Keeps the Right tone almost all the way
This film does a great job of showing this band of heros and potential heros in an honest and forthright way, without unnecessarily glamorizing them. The tone is great, but slips into humor/parody during the section on the actual Mercury 7 astronauts. The first half of the film emphasizes Chuck Yeager and the other test pilots and accurately depicts the dangers they faced in a believable way. The section on the Mercury 7 is not as strong, yet is still outstanding. It is very faithful to the tone of the Tom Wolfe book, which is a good thing in this case since it gives such a great flavor to the story in general and the dialog in particular.