The Princess Bride holds up 35 years later as fresh as the day it was released, with an insanely talented cast, hysterical script, and impeccable direction. This is a film that everyone must see at least once...or there will be a dozen cultural touchstones that you will never understand.
Reviews
17 Reviews
The Bourne Ultimatum
(2007)
All action, no plot...but a great summer thriller
30 July 2007
As those who have read the books and seen the prior films already know, there is zero relation between the the plots in the two genres. This Bourne is no exception, but here it is taken to the extreme. There is no plot whatsoever! Instead, we get two hours of really, really excellent chase sequences. While the trendy, shaky, hand-held, fast-cut camera work gets to be a bit much after a while, the non-stop action makes up for it. This is one of those 'suspend disbelief', 'indestructible superhero', 'the CIA is all-powerful' films, but it's a delicious summer confection nonetheless. It has nowhere near the nuance or thoughtfulness quotient of something like Scorcese's The Departed, but it's nevertheless a real crowd pleaser. I saw this at a small private screening, and *everyone*, young and old, conservative and liberal, action-junkie or drama- snob, came away liking it.
Bond Girls Are Forever
(2002 TV Movie)
Surprisingly well done and interesting look at the 'Bond Girls'
15 January 2006
With a title like this one, you'd expect the usual, fluffy, ET-type of superficial clip flick. To my surprise, however, this retrospective/interview documentary, hosted (quite well) by former Bond girl Maryam D'Abo, turns out to be highly watchable, and not just for all the requisite clips of attractive women in bikinis. D'Abo, who co-wrote the script as well as hosted the interviews, does an excellent job of 'bonding' (ouch!) with her fellow eye-candy compatriots, and it really is fun (and interesting) to see the evolution of the role over time.
Since the film was made some 40 years after Honor Blackman as Pussy Galore rolled in the hay with Sean Connery, and that image is firmly fixed in our cultural consciousness, it is somewhat disconcerting to see her now, white-haired and pushing 80 (but still regal). On the other hand, most of the more recent vintage actresses seem to have aged surprisingly well, and (at least to my mind) come across even sexier today than they did in their films. This is not the least because they are allowed to speak their minds without a script. Surprise, surprise, instead of just being decorative, many of them come across as being thoughtful, gracious and eloquent.
The interviews with D'Abo were filmed casually, usually in public settings such as restaurants, bars or parks, but with extremely high production values. And since the film was made with the support of the franchise owners, there are more than enough clips from the original films to satisfy even hard core fans.
While this was shot in 2002, AMC is running it in rotation now with the Bond films themselves, so I'd suggest that you set your Tivo to record it for you so that you can watch it at your leisure.
Since the film was made some 40 years after Honor Blackman as Pussy Galore rolled in the hay with Sean Connery, and that image is firmly fixed in our cultural consciousness, it is somewhat disconcerting to see her now, white-haired and pushing 80 (but still regal). On the other hand, most of the more recent vintage actresses seem to have aged surprisingly well, and (at least to my mind) come across even sexier today than they did in their films. This is not the least because they are allowed to speak their minds without a script. Surprise, surprise, instead of just being decorative, many of them come across as being thoughtful, gracious and eloquent.
The interviews with D'Abo were filmed casually, usually in public settings such as restaurants, bars or parks, but with extremely high production values. And since the film was made with the support of the franchise owners, there are more than enough clips from the original films to satisfy even hard core fans.
While this was shot in 2002, AMC is running it in rotation now with the Bond films themselves, so I'd suggest that you set your Tivo to record it for you so that you can watch it at your leisure.
Sahara
(2005)
Average action flick, completely miscast
9 April 2005
I'm beginning to think that Clive Cussler may end up like Alistair MacLean: a wildly successful author of pretty formulaic action thrillers who never had a good film made of them, despite a number of tries. In Sahara, Cussler's original plot is eviscerated, and the casting, while picking decent actors, does a major disservice to the series.
For anyone who's read the books, Mathew McConnaughey looks nothing like Dirk Pitt, Steve Zahn even less like Al Giordino (short, hairy, dark, powerfully built Italian??), and Rainn Wilson acts not a whit like Rudi Gunn. Even Bill Macy, always a good actor, while sporting Sandecker's beard, is at least ten years too young for the role, and about six inches too tall.
Bottom line is that it's a standard weekend action flick but bears little relation to the characterizations and backstory of the novels (sigh).
For anyone who's read the books, Mathew McConnaughey looks nothing like Dirk Pitt, Steve Zahn even less like Al Giordino (short, hairy, dark, powerfully built Italian??), and Rainn Wilson acts not a whit like Rudi Gunn. Even Bill Macy, always a good actor, while sporting Sandecker's beard, is at least ten years too young for the role, and about six inches too tall.
Bottom line is that it's a standard weekend action flick but bears little relation to the characterizations and backstory of the novels (sigh).
Paycheck
(2003)
Minority Report meets Bourne Identity
26 December 2003
The subject line says it all: this is a pure cross between Minority Report (also from a PKD story) and The Bourne Identity (starring Affleck's buddy Damon), with the usual John Woo car chases and explosions from MI2 thrown in for good measure. As semi-futuristic thrillers go, this isn't bad, and will probably provide an enjoyable evening at the movies for you. To put things in perspective, it isn't as good or quite as thought-provoking as Minority Report, but it is better and a smidgen more coherent than Bourne (which bore absolutely no relation to its source material).
I'd recommend this film to families with teenagers; the PG-13 rating is right on target and the violence, while spectacular, isn't the nauseating blood and gore that seems de rigeur in R-rated stuff these days.
8 out of 10.
I'd recommend this film to families with teenagers; the PG-13 rating is right on target and the violence, while spectacular, isn't the nauseating blood and gore that seems de rigeur in R-rated stuff these days.
8 out of 10.
Lotto Land
(1995)
What a delightful, heartwarming film!
30 July 2003
I just stumbled across this little gem, despite having actually been in the Park Slope area where it was filmed during that period. Although made as a low budget independent, Lotto Land really has a soul, and Rubino serves up a solid story with real character development and believable performances. Casting, with mostly little-known actors, is dead-on, with even the smallest roles nailing it.
Despite the gritty neighborhood, drug dealing and R-rated content, this is [dare I say it] ultimately a feel-good film that pays off. The film had a limited run in art houses, and I caught it on video, but apparently it's now available on DVD, which you should definitely get in order to do justice to the great soundtrack from the Holmes Brothers.
Despite the gritty neighborhood, drug dealing and R-rated content, this is [dare I say it] ultimately a feel-good film that pays off. The film had a limited run in art houses, and I caught it on video, but apparently it's now available on DVD, which you should definitely get in order to do justice to the great soundtrack from the Holmes Brothers.
The Bourne Identity
(2002)
Failed non-adaptation of quite a good book
22 February 2003
Anyone who thinks that this film has anything to do with the book of the same name is in for a great big surprise. The sum total of the similarities are the name of the leading character and the fact that he is found in the sea with amnesia and the skills of an assassin. That's it. The plot, motivation, female lead and relationships have been rewritten from scratch...and unfortunately the movie is much the worse for it.
Ludlum's original novel (which had a relatively faithful but poorly made TV movie done if it many years ago) is one of his best works (and indeed spawned two sequels, albeit of decreasing quality). This film throws the entire central point [and a thought-provoking, creative one at that] of the book out the window, and replaces it with a story so predictable and suspenseless that you sit on the edge of your seat waiting vainly for a surprise twist that never materializes.
Damon and Potente may be good actors, and conceivably Damon (although not his female co-star) could have been appropriately cast in a faithful rendition of the source, but this movie simply misfires on all cylinders. I saw it on DVD, which contains a thoroughly horrid "making of" video, including brief interviews with the cast. The bizarre thing is that they all sound like they're making some deep, profound, breakthrough, cross-genre film, when the result is a not-very-good, less-than-run-of-the-mill, spy thriller.
Oh well, if you want to see the sort of thing that the combination of the Ludlum name and this film's trailer promised, check out Damon's buddy's recent work: Ben Affleck in Sum of All Fears. It's not great cinema either, but it's certainly a better thriller with at least the thread of a believable plot. I really don't see how I can give this more than 5 out of 10.
Ludlum's original novel (which had a relatively faithful but poorly made TV movie done if it many years ago) is one of his best works (and indeed spawned two sequels, albeit of decreasing quality). This film throws the entire central point [and a thought-provoking, creative one at that] of the book out the window, and replaces it with a story so predictable and suspenseless that you sit on the edge of your seat waiting vainly for a surprise twist that never materializes.
Damon and Potente may be good actors, and conceivably Damon (although not his female co-star) could have been appropriately cast in a faithful rendition of the source, but this movie simply misfires on all cylinders. I saw it on DVD, which contains a thoroughly horrid "making of" video, including brief interviews with the cast. The bizarre thing is that they all sound like they're making some deep, profound, breakthrough, cross-genre film, when the result is a not-very-good, less-than-run-of-the-mill, spy thriller.
Oh well, if you want to see the sort of thing that the combination of the Ludlum name and this film's trailer promised, check out Damon's buddy's recent work: Ben Affleck in Sum of All Fears. It's not great cinema either, but it's certainly a better thriller with at least the thread of a believable plot. I really don't see how I can give this more than 5 out of 10.
Gangs of New York
(2002)
Excellent, violent, gorgeous historical drama
18 January 2003
This is a really, really good movie...and perhaps even a great one. For the life of me I can't understand why so many people here are trashing it, but I can certainly see why over a thousand voters have rated it a 10 out of 10. As has been repeatedly noted, Daniel Day-Lewis steals the film in one of the most bravura performances of the decade. Diaz is excellent and shows a capability for real dramatic acting that is a treat. DiCaprio is at least good, perhaps even very good. The best of a solid supporting cast is Jim Broadbent as Boss Tweed. In over two and a half hours the pace never drops, and you are actually not conscious of the length. There's quite a bit of blood, gore and violence which might be a problem for the squeamish, and the historical accuracy leaves a bit to be desired (the gang costumes are actually somewhat reminiscent of the great 70's film The Warriors), but all in all, this is wonderful, classic Scorcese, and definitely worth seeing.
Drumline
(2002)
Entertaining formula film in a neat new setting
11 January 2003
I must admit to being surprised by the extreme feelings about this film reflected in the other comments here. To my mind, this is neither the worst movie ever made, nor is it Casablanca. Instead, it is a highly predictable formula film in a setting-with-a-twist, that of the halftime bands in the HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) environment. The drumming is quite good, and will likely be an eye-opener to the majority of people who are not familiar with drum corps, HBCUs or band in general. It is not, however, the best-of-the-best that one could have hoped for (see Blast!, or the annual real-life competitions for those). The acting is solid, with Orlando Jones being a real standout. Newcomer Nick Canon exudes a fair bit of charm, and is appropriately cast.
All in all, this film will be revered by past and present band-members, HBCU grads, percussion fans, and middle class urban audiences. Its point will be completely missed by blue-collar conservatives, inner-city gangstas, and people who have no idea of (nor interest in) HBCUs, drum corps and modern Black cinema. If you fall into the former category, by all means go and see it before it leaves the theaters (those drumlines are great on the big screen). If the latter, you should probably save your money. As a percussionist myself, I give it an 8 out of 10 n].
All in all, this film will be revered by past and present band-members, HBCU grads, percussion fans, and middle class urban audiences. Its point will be completely missed by blue-collar conservatives, inner-city gangstas, and people who have no idea of (nor interest in) HBCUs, drum corps and modern Black cinema. If you fall into the former category, by all means go and see it before it leaves the theaters (those drumlines are great on the big screen). If the latter, you should probably save your money. As a percussionist myself, I give it an 8 out of 10 n].
Hysterically funny French spy farce!
31 August 2002
This film was one of the most successful crossover French films of the 70's, and for very good reason. It is a delightful spoof of the spy genre, with a hapless musician unknowingly caught in the middle of a war between two factions of the French secret service. The plotting is extremely funny, the directing tight, the music (played by Zamphir on the pan pipe!) unforgettable, and above all the ensemble acting by a stellar cast will have you watching this again and again. Pierre Richard, playing the title character, brings an unusual elegance and sense of class to what would otherwise be a Woody Allen-esque role (it was played by Tom Hanks in the American re-make). Mireille Darc is the femme fatale, and there were quite few teenage boys in the 70's who never got over the image of her in a jaw-dropping backless dress. The rest of the group, from the cool head of the Secret Service, to the efficient but misguided spies, to the bumbling best friend and his wife, all leave indelible memories. Thirty years after having seen this film for the first time, I can remember everything with crystal clarity, and my own kids have found it just as delightful. Go ahead and rent this one for truly fun evening, you will love it!
One of the funniest films...ever!
28 August 2002
This is one of the funniest, bust-a-gut laughing, most hysterical films ever made. It came out in France in 1973, and did so well that it was put into release (with subtitles) in the US, where it more than held its own. This is slapstick farce at its very best, triumphantly showcasing Luis De Funes, who was as big a comedy star in France as was Jerry Lewis. It is unfortunate that this is one of the only films of his that made it to America. The premise is the typical switched identities / coincidental mixups / innocent man being chased plots of the genre, but what makes this one sublime is the unbelievably rubber face and spot-on timing of De Funes, backed up by a good supporting cast, decent script and excellent direction. I first saw this in my teens when it originally came out, and my entire family all agreed that it was the funniest film we'd ever seen. I recently saw it again with my own children, and it has absolutely held up over thirty years. If you like comedy (particularly of the fish-out-of-water and/or slapstick variety) do your best to track this one down. It's worth it!
PS: As a little treat, look closely at the actor who plays Rabbi Jacob. Look familiar? It was Marcel Dalio, who played the croupier in Casablanca!
PS: As a little treat, look closely at the actor who plays Rabbi Jacob. Look familiar? It was Marcel Dalio, who played the croupier in Casablanca!
Minority Report
(2002)
Really excellent, the best of the summer so far!
9 July 2002
I'm somewhat bewildered by a few of the negative comments I've read about Minority Report. This is a superb film! To be sure, it's not Citizen Kane or Casablanca, but it stands head and shoulders above most everything else made this year. It goes without saying that Spielberg is a consummate director, and Tom Cruise is clearly a much better actor than he is often given credit for. But in Minority report it is the entire [large] cast, the spectacular production design and cinematography, and the great screenplay from a wonderful Philip K. Dick story that all come together in a perfect cinematic stew.
Things to look out for include Max von Sydow's stellar performance (as usual), and all the small touches that show Spielberg at the top of his form. His vision of what a real future will look like 50 years out is probably as close (or closer) to reality than most anything else I've seen or read. If you like SF, or Spielberg or Cruise, you will likely love this movie.
There are some passing sexual references, a fair bit of violence, and some *really* gross stuff involving eyeballs, so I would say that kids under 10 or 11 are probably a bit young for this (also the plot may go somewhat over their heads.) But if you like thoughtful action films, you'll definitely love this one. 9 or 10 out of 10.
Things to look out for include Max von Sydow's stellar performance (as usual), and all the small touches that show Spielberg at the top of his form. His vision of what a real future will look like 50 years out is probably as close (or closer) to reality than most anything else I've seen or read. If you like SF, or Spielberg or Cruise, you will likely love this movie.
There are some passing sexual references, a fair bit of violence, and some *really* gross stuff involving eyeballs, so I would say that kids under 10 or 11 are probably a bit young for this (also the plot may go somewhat over their heads.) But if you like thoughtful action films, you'll definitely love this one. 9 or 10 out of 10.
Big Trouble
(2002)
Pure Dave Barry!
20 April 2002
As you'll see from the comments, people either love this or hate it (with many more being of the former persuasion.) The simple test to see whether or not you'll like the film is "do you read Dave Barry?" If you do, you have probably read the novel, and loved it. And if you liked the book, you'll definitely want to see the film. The movie sticks pretty closely to the novel, and does an excellent job at simplifying it and translating it to the screen. The ensemble cast is really perfect, with multiple great performances from the likes of Janeane Garofalo, Dennis Farina, Tim Allen, Renee Russo, and others. Barry Sonnenfeld did better job than I would have thought possible in taking the highly convoluted plot from the book and making it eminently followable onscreen.
While this is not destined to be a class like Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, or even There's Something About Mary, it is nevertheless a VERY funny film that the whole family will enjoy...if your family is the kind that likes slapstick humor and the Florida farce of Barry, Leonard and the rest of the Miami funnymen. And I defy anyone to ever forget the very last scene!
While this is not destined to be a class like Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, or even There's Something About Mary, it is nevertheless a VERY funny film that the whole family will enjoy...if your family is the kind that likes slapstick humor and the Florida farce of Barry, Leonard and the rest of the Miami funnymen. And I defy anyone to ever forget the very last scene!
Deadly Outbreak
(1995 Video)
Suspension of disbelief to the max
5 April 2002
Aside from Ron Silver's usual wonderful, icy cool performance as the villain, the best thing about this Lethal Weapon knock-off is seeing how many action cliches you can spot. Deadly Outbreak is low-budget actioneer of the type that would star Segal, Willis or Van Damme if they had had any kind of a budget, but instead settles for a bunch of unknowns running through the most inane series of situations you can imagine (whenever someone isn't kicking someone else in the groin, or killing another hostage). Indeed, if you didn't know better, you'd think this was a Scary Movie-type of send-up of the genre. The Israeli setting gives the feeling that the producers got a subsidy from the government in order to attract some filmmaking business to Tel Aviv.
Probably the best thing you can say for this production is that for what must have been an extremely low budget, they managed to blow up an *extremely* large number of vehicles, planes, factories and what-not. All that said, however, the actors are not completely unattractive, and my teenage daughter says that I shouldn't be too hard on the movie. It still doesn't rate higher than a 3, though. Sorry!
Probably the best thing you can say for this production is that for what must have been an extremely low budget, they managed to blow up an *extremely* large number of vehicles, planes, factories and what-not. All that said, however, the actors are not completely unattractive, and my teenage daughter says that I shouldn't be too hard on the movie. It still doesn't rate higher than a 3, though. Sorry!
Hogan's Heroes
(1965–1971)
A great series, with a stellar supporting cast!
2 April 2002
As many others have noted, Hogan's Heroes is one of the great, classic TV comedy series. The scripts were funny and well-plotted, the theme music unforgettable, and the core cast perfectly suited to their roles. Looking at it today in reruns on TV Land and in syndication, I am struck by the unforgettable performances of the cameos and guest stars, many of whom went on to make bigger splashes in other series.
Just think about who passed through the gates of the Stalag: Leonid Kinskey (Sasha from Casablanca), William Christopher (Father Mulcahey from M*A*S*H), Gavin MacLeod (from MTM and the Love Boat), Dick Wilson (Mr. Whipple of Charmin fame), Harold Gould (Feather & Father, The Sting, et al); James B. Sikking (Hill Street Blues), and scores of other ubiquitous B-list stars like Roger C. Carmel, Michael Constantine, Malachi Throne, Milton Selzer and Bernard Fox (did you catch Col. Crittenden in the blockbuster Titanic??)
And those sexy Allies and Partisans with whom Hogan used to make out! Claudine Longet, Barbara Babcock, Marg Dusay, and my personal favorite, Nita Talbot as the quintessential sexy White Russian. Ahh, those were the days!
Just think about who passed through the gates of the Stalag: Leonid Kinskey (Sasha from Casablanca), William Christopher (Father Mulcahey from M*A*S*H), Gavin MacLeod (from MTM and the Love Boat), Dick Wilson (Mr. Whipple of Charmin fame), Harold Gould (Feather & Father, The Sting, et al); James B. Sikking (Hill Street Blues), and scores of other ubiquitous B-list stars like Roger C. Carmel, Michael Constantine, Malachi Throne, Milton Selzer and Bernard Fox (did you catch Col. Crittenden in the blockbuster Titanic??)
And those sexy Allies and Partisans with whom Hogan used to make out! Claudine Longet, Barbara Babcock, Marg Dusay, and my personal favorite, Nita Talbot as the quintessential sexy White Russian. Ahh, those were the days!
Spy Kids
(2001)
Nice idea, not so great implementation
22 September 2001
Spy Kids takes a neat idea and unfortunately turns it into a pretty mediocre film. The concept, of kids finding out their parents are spies, and then rescuing them with high tech gadgetry, is great. In this case, however, the execution leaves a lot to be desired. The problem isn't with the cast, which is pretty good all around, but with the direction and plotting. In the Bond films, or the Mission Impossible series, or even True Lies (of which this is something like a children's version), there is at least a surface attempt to keep things within some bounds of what-might-pass-for-reality. But here, you have what one previous reviewer appropriately described as Bond-meets-Willy Wonka-meets-Tim Burton. And that just doesn't work.
The child actors (especially Alexa Vega) are quite good, Banderas turns in a solid performance, and Carla Gugino is great. But what could have been every kid's dream (finding out your parents are spies and playing with their cool toys) turns into an unfulfilling mishmash of computer-generated fantasy (which usually looks cheesy), ridiculous plotting, and some really disturbing stuff for kids.
The moral is good, the Latino casting is good, the concept is good, and there are probably eight or ten GREAT little one-liners or sight gags scattered throughout, but all in all I really can't give this more than a five.
Whether or not I'll come back for the sequel depends a lot on what I hear by word of mouth. If Roberto can do a kid-friendly version of True Lies, I'll definitely see it. But if he goes back to morphing Teletubbies and Burtonesque weirdness, I'll have to pass.
The child actors (especially Alexa Vega) are quite good, Banderas turns in a solid performance, and Carla Gugino is great. But what could have been every kid's dream (finding out your parents are spies and playing with their cool toys) turns into an unfulfilling mishmash of computer-generated fantasy (which usually looks cheesy), ridiculous plotting, and some really disturbing stuff for kids.
The moral is good, the Latino casting is good, the concept is good, and there are probably eight or ten GREAT little one-liners or sight gags scattered throughout, but all in all I really can't give this more than a five.
Whether or not I'll come back for the sequel depends a lot on what I hear by word of mouth. If Roberto can do a kid-friendly version of True Lies, I'll definitely see it. But if he goes back to morphing Teletubbies and Burtonesque weirdness, I'll have to pass.
The Princess Diaries
(2001)
Charming, pleasantly-surprising, ugly-duckling comedy
18 August 2001
Although the movie's poster by itself (let alone the trailer) pretty much tells the whole story, The Princess Diaries is a delightfully well-done retelling of the ugly-duckling/girl-transformation story. Garry Marshall has a deft hand with comedy, and this sweet-but-not-cloying, G-rated film covers enough bases so that it really IS one that the whole family will enjoy. Julie Andrews is, well, Julie Andrews. What a classy dame! She delivers everything you would expect, and more. Hector Elizondo is his usual solid self, teen singer Mandy Moore does a funny turn as the nasty queen of the "in" crowd, and there are strong supporting performances from Heather Matarazzo and others. But the surprise is probably Anne Hathaway, in only her second or third film, whose performance as the duckling-turned-swan is completely on the money. She is convincing as a klutzy, ill-at-ease teenager, and morphs smoothly into an Audrey Hepburn clone who is really quite stunning. Everyone in our family, from teenage girls to middle-aged Daddy, enjoyed this one.
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