benhealeyjr Reviews

Goya's Ghosts (2006)

good acting saves an otherwise lackluster costume drama

[7/10 · 20 February 2008]

Milos Forman has made some amazing biopics (Amadeus, Larry Flynt) but in recent years, he doesn't seem to have the same flair. Man on the Moon was kind of sloppy and not as funny as its subject, and Goya's Ghosts is basically a typical costume drama, with only occasional surprises. Worth seeing for Natalie Portman (as beautiful as ever) and Javier Bardem (more screen time than No Country For Old Men, but not nearly as memorable). Also interesting is the unusual casting of Randy Quaid, who has turned up in some unexpected roles in a couple of quality indie movies lately. The direction is solid, but certainly nowhere near the greatness of Milos's best.

Raging Bull (1980)

Masterfully acted and directed, but a tiny bit overrated.

[9/10 · 16 March 2005]

Before I get attacked, let me just explain why I feel RAGING BULL may be a little, tiny, slight bit overrated. We're talking about a film that numerous critics have named the best of the 1980s. Now the 80s were a pretty weak time for film, and RAGING BULL is a beautiful motion picture, but the very best? It's up there with FULL METAL JACKET, MILLER'S CROSSING, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, THE SHINING, FERRIS BUELLER, DAS BOOT, etc, as a great 80s movie, but I've never been convinced that this film lives up to the hype. I dare say that Scorsese's own TAXI DRIVER and GOODFELLAS are even more impressive. But I'm harping too much on reputation and expectation. DeNiro, Pesci, and Moriarity are outstanding, and Scorsese's direction is exhilarating. Furthermore, the cinematography is gorgeous, the music is unforgettable, and the boxing scenes are staged perfectly. Try to go in without expectation, and you'll be impressed.

Spawn (1997)

Without ever having read the comic book, I know that this movie does it no justice.

[1/10 · 1 February 2005]

I know very little about the source of this dull, ugly film, but I know enough to understand that this adaptation did the comic origins no justice whatsoever. There story concerns some dude going to hell and being sent back to earth as a CGI superhero with a fat obnoxious clown as his sidewalk. I was never really sure if Spawn was supposed to be good or evil, and what exactly he was fighting for. If it sounds funny or cool, believe me- it's nothing but a mess. The effects are lousy, the story is incoherent, the action is dull, and the gags are incredibly unfunny. You'll end up wishing that Spawn had just stayed in hell.

Grace and the Storm (2004)

AMAZING GRACE!

[10/10 · 25 February 2004]

This film is an amazing example of what you can do with a great story and a small budget! From the look of the film, I would say GRACE AND THE STORM was shot entirely on location in New York City, and the cast (although very competent and talented) is mostly made up of unknowns. But don't let that deter you from seeing this beautiful, incredibly suspenseful picture.

At first I thought this would be another low-budget SOPRANOS rip-off. I can go the rest of my life without seeing another second-rate Scorsese make his own low-budget version of the "last big score" film. But GRACE AND THE STORM is really nothing like that, in fact it's probably on par with some of the best SOPRANOS episodes. Think some of the stranger episodes from the 4th season, where Tony was having the weird dream sequences, and you're almost there. Once the Grace deal is in motion, you won't want to miss a single word. Trust me, there's a huge payoff coming. It was nice seeing Dean Cameron, he does a fantastic variation on the old stoner characters he played in the 80s. My score: 9/10!