squid22003 Reviews

Poolhall Junkies (2002)

Side Pocket

[6/10 · 6 March 2006]

The film Poolhall Junkies centers on pool shark Johnny (Mars Callahan), who breaks free from Joe (Chazz Palminteri), his mentor and one of the dirtiest hustlers around. He makes the break upon finding out that Joe hid his being invited to shoot with the pros from him, and from here things become violent and Joe breaks Johnny's hand. Joe uses pool shark Brad (Rick Schroder) to bring Johnny's younger brother Danny (Michael Rosenbaum) into the picture, as he hustles Danny and proceeds to beat him up and to threaten his life for the money he owes him. In the chaos, Danny tries to knock off a pawnshop and is arrested and imprisoned. It is then up to Johnny to play Brad for the cash to get his brother out of jail.

Director Mars Callahan successfully made this a film about achieving greatness. Throughout the film, we know Johnny has possibly missed his chance to be great. A chance many get once in a lifetime. But throughout the film, we see that Johnny is a great person, sticks to his morals (although they are a bit hazy), is a true friend, and always has some goodness at heart. At one point, Johnny swears off of the game, but returns when the stakes involve getting his girlfriend Tara (Alison Eastwood) her dream job in the law firm she happens to be interning at. In doing this, he meets and befriends her Uncle Mike (Christopher Walken), who backs him and gives him the money he needs to possibly win his final game.

The pivotal choice in music for this film is very original. It went very well with the key moments it was placed in. At one point in the final pool game, the two competitors pass by one another, and right at that point there is a howl in the music that has been playing throughout the game. This makes the meeting that much more exciting. This film was excellently pieced together, and probably both under credited and under viewed.

Forrest Gump (1994)

"Run, Forrest, Run"

[8/10 · 27 February 2006]

The film follows the life of low-IQ Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks), as he falls in love with Jenny (Robin Wright), makes two friends while in the army in Lieutenant Dan and Bubba (Gary Sinise and Mykelti Williamson), attends college, fights in Vietnam, and seemingly by happenstance meets up with Elvis Presley, John F Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, and Governor George Wallace. Forrest goes on to become a very wealthy and extremely successful businessman. Though the scenery changes, there is one thing that remains the same through the entire movie: Forrest will always fight for his Jenny and try to save her from whatever trouble she is currently in.

In this comedy/drama, Forrest keeps his good sense about him, using his mother's sayings and advice as cornerstones of his ethics. When asked if he is stupid, Forrest will always reply with: "Momma always says stupid is as stupid does." Although his IQ is only 75, which we are told is five points below the public school systems' definition of "normal," he makes very intelligent decisions throughout the film. Director Robert Zemeckis gives viewers a glimpse at the most important events of the 1950s through the 1980s through Gump's eyes, where we must take things as he sees them. Gump's simple talent of running quickly takes him to many different places and makes him an icon to many American people.

Zemeckis does an excellent job with the special effects. Although the video clips are not seamless, they do a great job of putting Gump into the history which viewers already know. Forrest is at the door of the schoolhouse when Governor George Wallace tries to stop desegregation, and actually gives a young black woman a book that she has dropped. The viewer can actually see Gump meet and greet three American presidents, one of which he shows a bullet wound to his "butt-ocks." Although Gump is too good a man to dabble in drugs and rock and roll, we still visualize what is going on in the counterculture, where Jenny is at home at the rallies and through the disco era. And, because Forrest and Jenny are complete opposites, we get to see every aspect of culture from the 1950s through the 1980s. No matter what viewers are looking for in a movie, "Forrest Gump" promises a good show.