smedina1950 Reviews

Stalin (1992 TV Movie)

This film is a gem.

[10/10 · 1 June 2005]

Robert Duvall is a marvelous actor and he delivers an extraordinary performance as Stalin, one of the most bloody dictators of the 20th century. Stalin killed 50 million of people, twice as Hitler, and it has called my attention the fact that we have many movies depicting the cruelty of the Nazis (which I think is good because the victims deserve that tribute and I identify with their suffering), and just a few films depicting the cruelty of the Communists. After living 35 years in the United States, watching this movie brought back all the sad memories of my childhood and adolescence under the Communist dictatorship of Fidel Castro. This realistic movie really touched my heart. This film is a gem.

The Bourne Supremacy (2004)

I prefer the original

[7/10 · 13 March 2005]

Matt Damon is a great actor and I love all his movies. That's why I sincerely thought I was going to enjoy the sequel as much as I enjoyed the original. I really love The Bourne Identity and have watched it numerous times. Just a few minutes ago I finished to watch The Bourne Supremacy and wasn't too happy about it. The movie was too fast paced for me. I agree with a previous comment that a great director doesn't need to shake the camera to create scenes of chaos, as they can be done with stationary cameras without leaving the audience dizzy. Well, in my opinion this movie can be watched but it's a lesser film than the original.

Lucky Day (2002 TV Movie)

I was expecting a great movie

[5/10 · 13 March 2005]

I'm a fan of Mary Higgins Clark. She is a fantastic mystery novelist and I have all her books. I was expecting a great movie but was deceived. With such an excellent plot the director had all the elements to create a marvelous piece of art but the direction was pretty poor. Even the acting was just okay. Amanda Donahue is a first class actress but she seems to be out of place. The conversation held by the characters didn't sound true to me. I recommend Pretend you don't see her,another Mary Higgins Clark novel, which is of a better quality. The fact that this is made for television is not an excuse for not having made a good movie. Many of my favorite movies have been made for television and they are flawless. Example: Raid on Entebbe, which by the way, I want to buy and has not been made for sale.

¡Anita, No Te Rajes! (2004–2005)

a great soap opera

[20 January 2005]

At first, I wasn't interested in this soap opera but after watching the extraordinary performances by Martha Picanes, as Amanda, and Isabel Moreno, as Cachita, I couldn't resist the temptation to watch it everyday. Martha Picanes didn't surprise me at all. She has been a well renowned actress for many years and her prestige is more than deserved. However, it's the first time I see Isabel Moreno and I'm quite impressed. She is superb, one of the best actresses I have ever seen. The rest of the cast is good and some of the lines are memorable. One of them is when Cachita (Isabel Moreno) says that life is learning and we learn to live without our dear ones who passed away, our youth that has disappeared, our friends, our strength. Well, I recommend this soap opera. You won't regret it.

Varian's War: The Forgotten Hero (2001 TV Movie)

A boring movie

[4/10 · 11 January 2005]

This movie is based on real life events and after seeing Varian's War I feel respect and admiration for this man who saved the life of some of the greatest artists of his time. However, the movie is slow and pretty boring. During all the movie it seems that this noble man wants to rescue people who don't want to be rescued and keep complaining of having to leave France, without realizing that someone is sacrificing to give them the opportunity to save their lives. The way the plot is developed is hard to keep the viewer interested in the movie. I was tempted to turn off my TV on several occasions. This movie is good for students who want to learn about the atrocities of the Nazis but not for entertainment.

Secrets of the Bermuda Triangle (1996 TV Movie)

An excellent movie

[10/10 · 30 November 2004]

This is one of the most extraordinary movies I have ever seen.

The poor rating only shows that not too many people have had the opportunity to enjoy the Bermuda Triangle. The acting is excellent, as well as the direction, the photography, etc. Many other movies have been based on this topic but, in my honest opinion, this is the best. I'm wondering why this movie is so difficult, almost impossible, to obtain. I have tried amazon.com and critics choice video and neither one of them has it at this moment. It happens that many mediocre movies are available in both VHS and DVD and ironically movies like this are completely ignored. I strongly recommend the Bermuda Triangle if you ever have the opportunity to see it.

Prisionera (2004– )

Excellent soap opera

[10/10 · 20 July 2004]

I'm not a fan of soap operas. In fact, I only watch programs as The Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. However, after knowing that Zully Montero and Griselda Nogueras were part of Prisionera's cast, I decided to watch it. After several months of enjoying this soap opera, all I can say is that not only Montero and Nogueras, but the rest of the actors and actresses do a marvelous job and they all deserve a big applause. I have observed that Telemundo is offering an interesting alternative to Univision's programming and that is always refreshing. Also, the fact that this soap opera has close captioning represents another advantage as it reaches a wider audience. If Montero and Nogueras happen to visit IMDb.com, please receive my respect and admiration. They, together with Hada Bejar who unfortunately is not in Prisionera, are my favorite actresses of all times.