psychprofessor Reviews

House of Sand and Fog (2003)

Hard to take but worth the effort

[9/10 · 31 December 2004]

I knew this movie was a "downer" and knew the basic outline of the story from reviews I had read. Still, I was unprepared for the shocking ending. This is one of those movies that I'm glad I saw because it was a well-done, well-acted, beautifully filmed movie. Having said that, I will add that I had to watch a "feel good" movie afterwards so that I could go to sleep when I went to bed.

"House of Sand and Fog" is powerful. There are no bad characters in the movie, so you can't really put the blame for the turn of the events on any particular character. The movie is disturbing precisely because you come to like all the characters, and the events seem both plausible and almost inevitable given the personalities involved. I didn't care much for Ben Kingsley in "Ghandi," an overpraised movie in my opinion (I mean, how can you award an Oscar in costume design to a movie in which everyone is wearing white diapers?), but he definitely deserves accolades for this performance.

This is a "must see," but I'm not sure you'll like it.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

groundhog day deja vu?

[10/10 · 5 December 2004]

My wife asked this early in the movie. She's not a Jim Carrey fan, or a fan of nonlinear movies, so she left early on to do something else. At the beginning of the film, there were four of us watching it: My son and his wife, my wife and I. By the end of the movie, it was just my son and me.

I was trained initially as a biopsychologist, so the basic premise of this movie really appealed to me. Is it possible to erase a person's memories of some person or events? If so, how would it be done? By the way, the name of the memory-erasing outfit in the movie is Lacuna, Inc., or something of the sort. Lacuna is a hole, like a hole in your hearing, or a hole in your memory.

I thought the acting was great in the movie, particularly Carrey and Winslett, both actors I like to watch.

All in all, I found the movie haunting and wouldn't mind watching it again, something I rarely do with movies. After all, there are so many I haven't seen that I don't want to waste what time I have left in life revisiting movies I've already seen--unless it's "The Usual Suspects," or "Brazil," or "12 Monkeys," or . . . . What the hell, it's obvious there are lots of movies I would want to see again, and again, and . . . .

I also really liked "Adaptation," which I gather is by the same writer. If you like movies that'll make you think, check this one out.

American Wedding (2003)

Where to begin, that's the question.

[1/10 · 17 October 2004]

Was this really the worst movie I've ever seen? Well, darned close to it. I really don't know where to begin in criticizing this mess.

First of all, I haven't seen anything funny yet. I taped this from HBO and have been watching it in 30-minute segments while I do the treadmill. At least I haven't been wasting my time totally while watching it.

I learned from reading the reviews that this is the third movie in a trilogy of movies of bad taste. Now I'm not immediately turned off by bad taste. I really liked "There's Something About Mary" and "Caddy Shack," for example, both of which contained many tasteless gags, some of which were repeated in "American Wedding."

All I can say is that if this one's at all similar to its predecessors, I'll avoid the earlier ones like the plague. Actually, the plague would be funnier than "American Wedding."

Did I say I didn't like this movie?

Collateral (2004)

The Taxi Ride From Hell

[9/10 · 21 August 2004]

Let me start this by saying that I've pretty much always liked movies with Tom Cruise. Beginning with "Risky Business," I've found this guy fascinating to watch.

This was true in spades in "Collateral," even though he had shed his pretty boy image for a gray, grizzled bad guy. To me, the pacing of this movie was fantastic and some of the scenes have to be seen to be believed. I'm thinking here of the action-packed scene in the nightclub full of people. You've got to give the character of Vincent one thing: He was tenacious and committed to giving his employer full value for his dollar.

Jamie Foxx as the cabbie was fun to watch, and the character, Max, was definitely enterprising. I'm thinking here of when he has to impersonate Vincent.

This is a must-see movie, in my opinion.

Pieces of April (2003)

A Small Joy

[10/10 · 5 July 2004]

I was absolutely aghast to see that the votes for this movie earned it only a 7.3/10. All I can say is that my wife and I absolutely loved the movie. The acting is superb; the writing wonderful; everything done in the movie seems heartfelt. We can see from her appearance and the chaos in which she lives that April is a young person with a checkered past, and the extent of this becomes clear in the interactions of the family driving to NY to share Thanksgiving dinner with her. Bobby, her African American boyfriend, appears much too good for April, who eventually proves her true mettle by overcoming the disaster that looms from the nonfunctioning oven in her apartment. How will April be able to cook the turkey without an oven? Her effort involves several of the tenants in her building, some of whom join her in the final scene.

If you don't cry with joy (with Joy) at the last scene, I fear you have no soul left. Rent it today.

Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003)

Found it disappointing

[6/10 · 4 July 2004]

Occasionally I see a movie that successfully captures the book, but this wasn't one of them. Now I realize that movies based on popular novels don't have the time luxury needed to include all the nuances an author has written in, but this one left out some things I considered crucial to the story and telescoped other events to such an extent that the meaning and motivation of the characters was compromised. As just one example of this, the main character, Griet, develops a relationship with a young butcher over a lengthy period of time. Eventually she allows the young man some liberties with her body, but it comes after a lengthy courtship. In the movie, it almost appears that she lets the guy "go all the way" on about their second encounter.

Also, in the novel, my impression of Griet was that she was intelligent, resourceful, incredibly self-possessed, and somewhat feisty. In the movie, she was portrayed (IMO) as much more passive and more as someone who just reacted to events rather than being more actively involved.

And where was Griet's family in the movie? Why was her father blind? Besides herself, who was the other figure in the tile her father gave her?

I won't say the movie was awful; it wasn't. I will say I was quite disappointed in the effort to translate a really interesting novel to the screen.

In America (2002)

Absolute Gem

[10/10 · 2 July 2004]

Man, this movie had me from the opening scene, in which a family consisting of a father, mother, and two daughters is trying to sneak into the US from Canada. We learn in the scene that the family once had another child, a boy who is now deceased.

I've seen lots of movies with child actors, and they're often pretty miserable--the movies and the child actors. But the two girls in this movie were fantastic. I suspect the direction has a lot to do with this.

Anyway, the family moves into a building in NY that ought to have been condemned. There are people with drug problems in the building and one apartment is occupied by a large black man who yells and destroys his paintings. We eventually learn why he's filled with rage, and in one of the most magical scenes in a magical movie, the father confronts the black guy after he's had a meal with them. I won't say more about this, but if you're dry eyed after seeing this movie, there's something wrong with you (IMHO).

I found some of the ending predictable but moving anyway. The acting is so wonderful, the direction so great, that I could forgive any flaws in the story. See the movie; you'll be glad you did.

Bruce Almighty (2003)

Not Godawful

[6/10 · 6 June 2004]

I had been looking forward to seeing this movie, determined not to be influenced by the two stars it was given in TV Guide. After seeing the movie, I decided that that was about right. The movie was funny in spots but kind of dragged in others. Also, it was pretty predictable.

The always attractive Jennifer Anniston seemed underused, and I think the scene in which the anchor woman tries to seduce Bruce could have been funnier. She could have been the devil, for example, rather than just a beautiful woman with the hots for a coworker. My advice would be to watch this one on HBO but not to pay money to rent a DVD; you're likely to be disappointed.

Mean Girls (2004)

Not so mean after all

[8/10 · 25 May 2004]

My wife and I went to see this tonight and liked it. One of the best things the movie had going for it was the star, whose name is Cady but pronounced Katie. Actually, she reminded us somewhat of our daughter-in-law, whose name really is Katie. Cady's experiences as a new student at a large high school really follow an arc: First, she's clueless and falls in with some real losers. Next, she courted and won over by some real "mean girls." And finally, she becomes the queen of the mean girls only to have her kingdom come crashing down. Of course, the queen is crowned at the end, and all live happily ever after.

My sketch is highly simplistic, and there's lots to like about this movie. Although some of it is way over the top, the star carries the day. I highly recommend this if you're looking for something light with plenty of humor and nothing really bad along the way.

Frailty (2001)

I don't understand the title.

[9/10 · 16 May 2004]

This is a really creepy movie that's well acted, written, and directed. I didn't realize Bill Paxton directed the movie until I saw the credits on this site. I will say that I did anticipate one of the various twists, but the others I didn't see coming.

This is one my son wanted me to see because of one of the central questions: Is "Father" Meiks really crazy or really receiving his orders from God? Because he really does apparently have the power to expose the "demons," we're almost forced to conclude the latter. Well done but not one I would want to watch again. About the only low part I can think of had to do with the child actors who weren't particularly convincing, in my opinion.

Deadwood (2004–2006)

absolutely love it

[10 May 2004]

I thought "Deadwood" was something I wouldn't like all that much b/c of all the profanity--the "f" word nonstop. However, I heard a conversation with David Milch in which he said that's the way it really was based on the historical record, so I decided to give it a try. Boy, am I glad I did. Now my Sunday evening lineup extends from "Six Feet Under" through "Deadwood." Of course, the first show is in repeats, so I've seen those. "The Sopranos" is great, as usual, although Tony has gotten even more evil than before, if possible. And now I have "Deadwood," the most fascinating look at the old West I've seen since Eastwood's "The Unforgiven." And it goes on and on! I hated to see Wild Bill get it b/c I loved Carradine's portrayal. And Seth Bullock, now that's a character I like. And the Doc. And Calamity Jane. And the preacher. And on and on, each character fully realized and fascinating. Look at my title, and you'll see what I think of HBO's latest success. 10 stars for sure.

The Pianist (2002)

Intense but worth it

[9/10 · 28 February 2004]

I thought this movie was extremely well done, well acted, paced well, etc. The randomness of some of the actions of the Germans was not surprising if you've seen lots of movies about the Holocaust. Still, when a woman is shot for asking "Where are we being taken?" . . . . The main character was infinitely sympathetic, incredibly lucky, and fortunate that he was well known in Warsaw. I particularly liked the scenes with the sympathetic German officer, which put a human face on the "enemy." This was the kind of movie that's hard to take, but one that rewards the effort. My wife concluded that she was glad that Adrian Brody won the Oscar for Best Actor.

Bowling for Columbine (2002)

Expectations unmet

[6/10 · 25 February 2004]

I was fully prepared to like this film, having heard good things about it from various sources. However, I found it somewhat tedious. I certainly agree with much of what Michael Moore was trying to get across. For example, I'm definitely opposed to the easy way guns are obtained in this country. Also, I think some of the NRA people, particularly ones like Charlton Heston, are dangerous. That said, I thought it was unfair of Moore to take advantage of Heston who, I seem to recall, has Alzheimer's disease. Also, I wasn't impressed by his actions at K-Mart headquarters. I did think the comparison of the US with Canada was interesting, and I was amazed at all the guns and hunters in the country. If it weren't so cold, I might consider moving there. Bottom line: lots of good points but lots of tedium for me. Wish I could be more sanguine about the movie, because Moore's heart is definitely in the right place.

Picture Perfect (1997)

Really dull

[4/10 · 22 February 2004]

Take nice-looking characters and direct them in super slo-mo, and you have "Picture Perfect." Some of the scenes--e.g., the one in the restaurant to meet Kate's fiancé--might have been funny, but the leaden direction turned them deadly dull. Skip this one and look for something else.

Daredevil (2003)

Daredevil had a "cutting" edge that I liked

[7 February 2004]

This was the rare movie about which I had no preconceived biases, as I had read only the review in TV Guide, and that gave it 3 stars. I would have to say I liked it a lot. I thought it was edgy, dark, action packed, and a great ride. This movie is not for everyone, that's for sure, but it beat Spiderman all to "heck," at least for me.

Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! (2004)

short but seemed long

[4/10 · 1 February 2004]

I knew this was a lightweight movie, but I wasn't prepared for just how lightweight it really was. My wife and I went to see "Calendar Girls," and unfortunately it wasn't playing at the late movie so we saw this instead. Pretty dull, in my opinion. The people were nice looking and played their parts with great sincerity, but it was phony as a $3 bill, imho. See it at your own risk.

Big Fish (2003)

Bad Casting

[7/10 · 11 January 2004]

Albert Finney is a great actor, but he ain't from the South, no way, no how. Five Southern kids in the woods, with four of them white and the other black; it may be politically correct, but it's not correct for the time and place. And a black physician treating an elderly white guy, see problem above. Don't get me wrong, I actually liked the movie and found it quite moving at the end, but I think there were some major gaffes in it. Believe it or not, I actually found Nicole Kidman and Jude Law (in Cold Mountain) more believable as Southerners than Albert Finney.

America's Sweethearts (2001)

Did this go straight to video? I never heard of it.

[6/10 · 9 January 2004]

Actually, I found this funnier than I had expected given the reviews. Of course, I always like John Cusack and Billy Crystal. Still, it was intermittently funny, and nowadays that's about as much as you can hope for. If you don't have high expectations, you won't be disappointed.

Cold Mountain (2003)

A Long Journey Home

[9/10 · 1 January 2004]

I liked this movie a lot and am amazed at the relatively large number of people who gave Cold Mountain a low number. Perhaps these are folks who have read the book and were disappointed in the movie's treatment of the story, but I haven't read the book so can't comment on that. This was a side of the Civil War that was relatively unknown to me--the desperate situation back on the home front, particularly involving self-righteous individuals searching for deserters. I found the movie incredibly moving, the war scenes horrific, and the love story unbelievably touching.

Bottom line: Any movie that moves me to tears once earns a high rating in my book. A two-hanky movie moves up a notch, and a three-hanky movie, such as Cold Mountain, is a true winner.

Mortal Thoughts (1991)

Like Watching Paint Dry

[5/10 · 1 January 2004]

I can't say the movie was awful, just that it was awfully slow. It seemed to have been filmed in slo-mo, if you know what I mean. The acting was decent, and there was a twist at the end, but by the time I got there, I was just glad for it to be over.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

Well done, but . . . .

[8/10 · 25 December 2003]

I've read the books, and now I've seen the movies. Like the previous ones, this movie was an enormous accomplishment, with sweep and grandeur and pageantry and fantastically creative monsters. Unfortunately, they should have left about an hour of it on the cutting-room floor. I'm sure it'll win a bevy of Oscars and other awards, but for my money a movie such as "Mystic River" is "better."

Something's Gotta Give (2003)

Not terrible, but not great either

[6/10 · 17 December 2003]

My wife and I found this film amusing in places, and it certainly wasn't unbearable to sit through, by any means. However, it had some pretty major flaws, in my opinion. For one thing, there are millions of people who wouldn't find the depictions of heart attacks and panic attacks (masquerading as heart attacks)all that amusing. Of course, the younger people in the theater found all that hilarious. It obviously depends on your perspective.

My wife thought the actors (particularly Nicholson and Keaton) were mugging into the camera from time to time. Personally, I think Nicholson should go back and study his performance in "About Schmidt" to see the proper way to play a part.

We both thought Keaton looked way too old to play a 56-year old, and I was amazed to then learn that that's her age! Boy, has she aged badly.

The pacing was quite uneven, with most of the humor coming in the first half of the movie. After that, the movie became very predictable. I found myself wishing we had seen "Bad Santa" instead.

Paths of Glory (1957)

One of the all-time best antiwar movies

[10/10 · 15 November 2003]

If you can watch this movie all the way through to the final scene in a bar in which a German girl (played by Kubrick's wife!) sings a song and all the grizzled veterans in the room cry--and not cry yourself--then something's wrong with you. This is one heck of a powerful film and makes a better statement against the senselessness of war than many films with vastly bigger budgets. It blew me away the first time I saw it.

The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)

Worst Movie of Our Lives

[1/10 · 13 November 2003]

My wife and I went to see this at a special showing at the university where I was a professor. Dana Andrews, before being diagnosed with Alzheimer's, came to give a little talk before the showing. All I can say is the movie stank big time. It's the kind of movie about which people say, "They don't make them like that anymore," to which I say, "Thank God." We found it terminally slow, unbelievable, and poorly acted. Need I say more?

Mystic River (2003)

Eastwood at his best

[10/10 · 11 November 2003]

The cast was uniformly good--or was it the direction? This was a movie that I can't think of a single wasted scene. Brilliant. Fantastic. Jimmy (Sean Penn) absolutely blew me away in the scene when he first learned of his daughter's murder. It's hard to believe that was acting. Dave was also wonderfully done. This is a movie that everyone should see if only to see how it should be done. I'll give it 11 stars out of 10.