Movie Categories:
COM - Comedy - Everybody likes a laugh.
DRA - Drama - The girls like these.
ACT - Action/Adventure/Thriller/Suspense - The boys love these.
INT - Intellectual/Difficult/Long - You will be watching these alone.
UNT - Untamed - Sex/Horror - You pervert!
CHI – Children’s
Five Star Movies
2001 – A Space Odyssey (1968) – 5/5. Stanley Kubrick’s dark, surreal film that explores the concepts of space exploration and artificial intelligence. There are two kinds of movie-watchers. The litmus test is this movie. – INT/DRA
All Quiet On the Western Front (1930) – 5/5 – A previously banned movie for its anti-war message, this film portrays the disparity between the idealism and the reality of World War I. Truly excellent – DRA
All the Kings Men (1949) - 5/5 - A political drama which follows the career of Willie Stark, a backwoods politician. The protagonist is his "axe-man," one of those politicians' helpers who make a career following around a person with whom they may develop moral differences. - DRA
About a Boy (2002) – 5/5 – Hugh Grant stars as one of the two boys in this tale of personal growth. I think this is a 5/5 because the humor is subtle and realistic, the characters are so well developed, and the message (however uncomfortably) hits home for
Airplane (1980) – 5/5 – Very funny comedy, a joke a minute. The greatest of the parody disaster movies of the 70's. - COM
Amelie (2001) – 5/5 – Gorgeous filming on location in
American Beauty (1999) - 5/5 - My grandmother hated this film. So I didn't see it for a while. When I finally did, I found out why she hated it. This tragic film haunted me. It takes a cold look, if fictitious, at life in suburbia, and dismantles it in an inspiring way. - UNT
Annie Hall (1977) – 5/5 – I finally understand what makes Woody Allen great. By far the funniest and most unquestionably intellectual and interesting comedies about life and love I have ever seen - COM
The
Apocalypse Now (1979) – 5/5 – So close to being perfect. A surreal and disturbing movie based on Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, directed by Francis Ford Copolla (of Godfather trilogy fame). Classic scenes – the cavalry takes over the beach, scenes of the cheapness of life, the bridge at the end of the Vietnam, the voice in the background screaming, “FU GI,” then silence. There are a few cuts that don’t fit, “One look at you, and I know there’s going to be heat.” Why didn’t they just fly the boat further upstream to avoid the beach? They built up to such a grand climax, that the actual scene surrounding the Colonel was fairly weak. There were no GI’s he had brainwashed, only natives. It didn’t get very far in his head, and the camera guy didn’t add much. On the other hand, there are so many unforgettable scenes, and classic images. The greatest scenes are when the cavalry attacks the Viet Cong outpost so they can surf on the beach that the Viet Cong controls. “I love the smell of Napalm in the morning, it smells like . . . victory.” – ACT
Apollo 13 (1995) – 5/5 – An exciting and unforgettable re-creation of the doomed journey of Apollo 13. Star studded, it’s an excellent drama. - DRA
Babbette's Feast (1987) - 5/5 - Foreign with subtitles. A warm, moving tale of two daughters of a puritanical Lutheran prophet in Scandinavia, the men who enter their lives, and Babbette a victim of French revolution, who they take in to be their cook and maid. - DRA
Back to the Future (1985) – 5/5 – A fast, fresh and fun twist on the time machine genre. – ACT/COM
A Beautiful Mind (2001) – 5/5 – The adventures a mathematical wizard into a reality only he could think himself out of. Moviemaking at its best. – DRA
The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) – 5/5 - This is the original classic drama. Three veterans come home to a country seemingly oblivious to the hardships of war and concerned by the influx of ex-soldiers into the workforce. This film explores the transition to civilian life, dealing with injury and dismemberment, and reunion with family. The stories of the three veterans are interwoven and simply magical on screen. - DRA
Black Hawk Down (2002) – 5/5 – The most action I’ve ever seen in a movie. It tires you out. And it’s as real as anything. It’s modern urban warfare meets the crazy American soldiers’ pledge to never leave behind a wounded, or even a dead. Most our soldiers seem to have died that way in this movie. - ACT
Blow (2001) - 5/5 - i.e. the return of Pee-Wee Herman. This documents the life and times of a major drug trader in the 1970s. It is absorbing, and characters are developed very well. It's violent and portrays drug usage, but for some reason I wasn't turned off at all. It's not pro-drug nor anti-drug, it just seems to show that certain forms of contraband are very attractive to smuggle. Johnny Depp is great, and doesn't make a very likeable character (likely because the true person on which the story is based was not a likeable person). It's just plain fun to see the incredible turns of events. My favorite scene: the money room. – DRA
Born on the Fourth of July (1989) – 5/5 – Extremely well done movie examining many psychological aspects of the Vietnam War. Very emotionally draining. - DRA
Braveheart (1995) – 5/5 – An action movie which is epic and memorable. It’s not perfect because it rambles a bit, but it is beautiful, and raw at the same time. The war scenes take moviemaking to a new level of graphic reality on a large scale. A tale of heroism and honor and, of course, freedom. – ACT/DRA
Brick (2005) – 5/5 – An overacted film noir, which is melodramatic, cliché and anachronistic. The great thing is that you take that, shake it in a mixer, and set it in a
The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) - 5/5 - This is an unforgettable tale of POWs forced to build a bridge and an interesting twist between pride in one's work, and continuation of the war effort. Alec Guinness (Obi-Wan Kanobe) stars. The music is just as unforgettable as the intense plot. Listen for the Colonel Bogey March, as performed by Mitch Miller's Orchestra. - ACT
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) – 5/5 – Enchanting comic character study about two outlaws. Butch does something that western heroes don’t do; he runs. It is a western but not really typical of an American western. Directed by George Roy Hill, this movie cinched the immortality of Paul Newman and Robert Redford for me. The three reunite for another hands-down success in The Sting. – ACT/COM
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) - 5/5 - Paul Newman and Elizabeth Taylor and Burl Ives. Masterful rendition of Tennessee Williams' play. Full of symbolism, irony, and passion. Explores the greater emotions and motives of family life. Great line: "I have courage enough to die; do you have courage enough to live?" I found myself riveted. Burl Ives was even better than I remembered. A true movie classic. - DRA
Chicago (2002) – 5/5 – This one was a real surprise for me. I’ve seen the stage play twice, and twice I didn’t like it. I thought it was barely understandable, and not very interesting. The movie tightens the plot with visuals that tell the stream-of-consciousness story. I must say it was well done and musically and visually excellent. - DRA
A Christmas Story (1984) – 5/5 – Lavish and fun. An
Citizen Kane (1941) - 5/5 - Orson Wells greatest achievement. The mystery of "Rosebud." This movie is based on the life of William Randolph Hearst, and Howard Hughes. It is social criticism, bringing humanity to the icons of capitalism, and making their sins all the more evident and understandable. Many critics consider it the greatest movie ever made. - Category INT
Cool Hand Luke (1967) – 5/5 – Very impressive film about a southern prison. Watch for the Christian symbolism. – DRA
Crash (2006) – 5/5 – A web of fictional entangled lives in Los Angles is weaved. The movie is a social commentary about race relations. - DRA
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) - 5/5 - A Hong-Kong style martial arts movie with modern
Dances with Wolves (1990) - 5/5 - Simple and beautiful. Kevin Costner's directing debut and supreme achievement. A tale of a civil war soldier who lives as a Sioux. - DRA
Dead Man Walking (1998) – 5/5 – A murderer has received the death penalty. This movie examines life after the death penalty. - DRA
Dead Poet’s Society (1989) – 5/5 – Probably the best coming of age story I have ever read. It reminds me of a novel I read in school. - DRA
The Deer Hunter (1978) - 5/5 - Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, Christopher Walken. Intensely involving film tracing the lives of three American friends and the community that they love. The three go to
Dog Day Afternoon (1975) – 5/5 – A botched holdup in
Dumb and Dumber (1994) - 5/5 – One of the funniest movies ever made. For those who like Jim Carrey's slapstick humor. Note the camera angles and dialogue when Carrey convinces Loyd to go with him to
Enter the Dragon (1973) – 5/5 – The last full length Bruce Lee movie. Bruce Lee and director Robert Clouse bring us the finest example of a Kung Fu movie. There is not much plot, but the action scenes are unbelievably good. It’s a crown jewel of the genre. – ACT
Escape from
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986) – 5/5 – The entertaining adventures of a popular high school student out to enjoy the streets of
A Few Good Men (1992) – 5/5 – Military Justice on parade. Nicholson, Cruise, Demi Moore. All excellent in this riveting drama – DRA
The Firm (1993) – 5/5 – Excellent big screen adaptation of a legal thriller by John Grisham. – DRA
Footloose (1984) – 5/5. In this drama, an uptight
Forrest Gump (1994) – 5/5 – The world will never be the same since Forrest Gump lived in it. A marvelous movie, that belongs in the pantheons of
Frida (2002) – 5/5 – An excellent telling of the life story of a very interesting modern artist. Alfred Molina is great as Diego. – DRA/UNT
The Fugitive (1993) – 5/5 – An unforgettable film that develops at an unforgettable pace. This movie is based on the TV serial not unlike the modern “24.” – ACT/DRA
Ghostbusters (1984) – 5/5 – Peter Venkman and his fellow Ghostbusters take on the forces of Zuul. Hilarious classic. – COM
The Godfather (1972) – 5/5 – The movie deserves its notoriety. A military hero and “civilian” son of a mob boss involves himself in a killing to save the life of his father. He falls increasingly into the family business. His father wanted him to be truly powerful, like a Senator, but settles for a protégé. The life cycle of a Sicilian family organized crime ring is illustrated. The 40’s visuals are excellent, and the pace, timing, and feel of the movie are just right. There is a haunting scene juxtaposing the ceremonial Catholic symbolism of the blood of the Christ to the almost ritual cyclic bloodletting of gang violence.
Gods must be Crazy, The (1984) – 5/5 – An intriguing and comic film about the interaction between Kalahari bushmen and civilization. - COM
Gone with the Wind (1939) - 5/5 – This movie will get old. It features an incredible portrayal of the “Old South,” during a time that will forever be gone with the wind. Excellent performances and some incredibly well said lines. Just a perfect movie. - DRA
Good Will Hunting (1997) – 5/5 – An inspiring drama about a genius stuck in a janitorial job. – DRA
Goodfellas (1990) – 5/5 – This is a movie that is inspired by The Godfather, and that inspires The Sopranos. It’s a fine portrayal of the American Mafia. It chronicles the life of an Irish-Italian man who joined the mob in his youth and ended up in the Witness Protection Program. It isn’t for the faint of heart. – DRA/ACT
Groundhog Day (1993) - 5/5 – This hilarious film with an ingenious plot features Bill Murray’s deadpan comedy. - COM
Hoosiers (1986) – 5/5 – One of the greatest sports movies ever. A small-town basketball team has an amazing year – DRA
Il Postino (1995) - 5/5 - A beautiful movie depicting simple folk who come in contact with a stimulating intellectual. The simple become transform themselves into deep, poetic people. The cinematography is incredible, and the honest acting is infallible. - DRA
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) - 5/5 - Any film with a family doctor as the protagonist is destined to be great. This thriller is simple, and effectively creepy. The plot unfolds at a perfect pace, and the scenes are memorable, especially in the parlor with Jack Belicec (King Donovan). Poor Dr. Bennell (Kevin McCarthy) tries to solve a disturbing mystery and eventually to save himself. My only complaint is the casting of dreamy Dana Wynter as a farm-town girl. She’s just back from
Jaws (1975) – 5/5 – A small coastal town is terrorized by a seemingly intelligent and aggressive shark. Dreyfuss is classic in his role as reluctant hero. An old crusty sailor, Quint, is brought to life by Robert Shaw. The scene in the boat where Quint is drunk and tells his shark story is one of my favorite ever segments of film. – DRA/ACT
Karate Kid (1984) – 5/5 – An 80’s classic coming of age film. Daniel LaRusso faces culture shock, bullies, and preppies while adjusting to a new home. He finds support in an old Japanese man, who teaches him karate. – ACT/DRA
Killing Fields, The (1984) – 5/5 – Haunting, horrible, and almost unbelievable re-creation of the hell that was
The Last King of
Little Miss Sunshine (2006) – 5/5 – Smart, funny, and dramatic. This is the real-life version of National Lampoon's Vacation. - COM
Long Walk Home, The (1991) - 5/5 - 1990 Sissy Spacek & Whoopie Goldberg - Wonderful story of the struggle against racial prejudice & sexism. - DRA
Longest Day, The (1962) – 5/5 – 1962. A celebration of the heroes of D-Day, June 6, 1944. A star-studded historic action movie. Excellent and a must-see. – ACT/DRA
Lord of the Rings Trilogy - The Fellowship (2001), The
The Mark of Zorro (1940) - 5/5 - Tyrone Powers - 20th C. Fox- Black and White. A great swashbuckling movie. Compare to the recent The Scarlet Pimpernel - ACT
Mary Poppins (1964) – 5/5 – Just a perfect Disney movie. The actors Dick Van Dyke and Julie Andrews are wonderful, and have perfect chemistry together in this fantasy which is engrossing and entertaining for children and adults alike – COM
Match Point (2005) – 5/5 – Very entertaining psychological thriller, with smart and witty dialogue courtesy of Woody Allen. It has a Hitchcock-like quality. It has been noted that it is a little anachronistic, like it should be set in the 40's or 50's but is set in modern day, and the characters don't act like modern-day people would. Other than that I found it very satisfying. - DRA
The Matrix (1999) - 5/5 – I have decided that I like this movie more and more. It has been upgraded from a 4/5 to a 5/5. But lets make one thing clear. One should NOT watch any of the other matrix movies, or the whole thing in your mind will be ruined, and you will be very disappointed. Yes, the movie is adolescent, and has a “trenchcoat mafia” fascination with guns, but there is also a truly great story of a no one becoming a someone. Exciting fight scenes and new special effects. The meaning of the matrix led to wonderful debates, before its sequels came out. - ACT
Meet the Parents (2000) – 5/5 – Hilarious account of young Mr. Focker’s introduction to Her parents. – COM
Mr. Smith Goes to
Mulholland Drive (2001) – 5/5 – A hypnotic film spins around a crash on Mulholland drive, and a beautiful woman’s amnesic episode. – UNT
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) – 5/5 – A wildly funny masterpiece from the English comedy troupe Monty Python, delving into all things medieval. - COM
My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) – 5/5 – Very well done “sleeper” hit about a Greek woman who meets a . . . heaven forbid . . . non-Greek. - COM
My Dog Skip (2000) - 5/5 - A story of Willie Morris, an intellectual, introspective boy and his dog Skip. This is the most touching boy and dog coming of age story I have seen. I was absorbed emotionally into the movie the entire time. - DRA
National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983) – 5/5 – I love this comedy about a family vacation.
Night of the Hunter (1955) - 5/5 - The prowling of a disturbed man, a preacher on the outside and the devil inside -- " . . . come to you in sheep’s clothing but on the inside . . . they are wolves." Starts with an unusual scene. The film is from the perspective of children, with a Sunday-school score, and an innocent look at the evils in the world. This film is unforgettable and eerie, though not offensive. - INT
Nixon (1995) - 5/5 - A powerful, though maybe fictional, look at the president of the
No Man’s Land (2001) – 5/5 – Excellent portrayal of the Bosnian war and NATO’s Role. So artistic and humanistic, I was blown away. – ACT/DRA
North by Northwest (1959) – 5/5 – Alford Hitchcock really hits the nail on the head on this movie about an executive that becomes entangled in a spy story. This movie is begging for an update, since the story is really good, but certainly told with the innocence of movie-making in the 1950's. I wish I were Cary Grant! That guy is so cool. - DRA
Not Without My Daughter (1991) – 5/5 – Unforgettable true story of a Christian woman who unwittingly ended up in
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) – 5/5 – Scary, entertaining, and inspiring. An inmate at an asylum rebels against authoritarianism. – DRA
Patriot Games (1992) – 5/5 – A Tom Clancy thriller, this movie is the best of the lot. Harrison Ford plays the role of super-CIA agent Jack Ryan. He comes across as an ordinary man who rises to an extraordinary situation. His interpretation of the character makes us all feel like powerful Americans. Better than Alec Baldwin and (Oh, God) much better than Ben Affleck. - ACT
Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure (1985) – 5/5 – Pee-Wee is ridiculously funny, memorable, and even cute. His physical humor is comparable to Jim Carrey or Steve Martin - COM
Planet of the Apes (1968) - 5/5 - A classic sci-fi in the 60s tradition. Don't go into this movie expecting the revolutionary visual arts of George Lucas, or our current (also quaint) view of space travel. But despite the somewhat dated appearance and limited efficacy of costuming there is a powerful story. I think that this would be probably a better book than movie, but I haven't read the book and I can't say. Four spacemen (one beautiful future Eve) are sent hundreds of light years into space to crash into a planet they know not where. All logged data are destroyed and they are left to their own devices to discover where they are and how to get home. A powerful warning so timely in the 1960s as to be a timeless landmark of the geopolitical, ethical, and religious attitudes of those times. Note they kill off the token Negro right away. - ACT
Platoon (1986) – 5/5 –
Poltergeist (1982) – 5/5 – Wonderful frightening thriller about a possessed house. Unfortunately, new house owners don’t check the history of the land on which they have developed. - UNT
The Princess Bride (1987) – 5/5 – A classic, even in its own time. This is a “cracked” fairy tale, presented as such, and has unforgettable dialogue and truly unique characters. – COM
The Producers (1968) – 5/5 – Very funny comedy, in a Mel Brooks style. Gene Wilder is top of his game. I agree with Christopher Null’s Review: "It's childlike in its silliness, adult in its message of how utterly idiotic starting WWII was, and downright brilliant besides." – COM
Pulp Fiction (1994) – 5/5 – Haunting storyline, the mood and feel of the movie are pure pulp [those gory, sexy comic books of the 1950s]. There is a retro feel to the movie, but it takes place in modernity. Samuel Jackson is just perfect in his role. A Quentin Tarantino movie, some scenes are explicit and will burn into your mind, so be careful. – ACT/UNT
Raiders of the Lost
A Raisin in the Sun (1961) – 5/5 –
Ray (2004) 5/5. Ray is a life story and tribute to one of
A River Runs Through It (1992) – 5/5 – Don’t miss this drama. Though slightly too slow paced, this movie is visually and emotionally powerful. Brad Pitt is featured “mugging” his way through the movie, without much acting, and his face just looking around, since it is beautiful, doesn’t distract too much from the movie. The allegorical qualities are wonderful. The film seems to demonstrate that it is not the events of life, but the pattern a person falls into to handles the crises of life, which determines the outcome. – DRA
Romancing the Stone (1984) – 5/5 – Action-packed, sexy and funny. I loved it. – ACT
Roxanne (1987) – 5/5 – Steve Martin and his physical humor stars in this remake of the Cyrano de Bergera story. Yes, his nose is long, but even he can make a joke about it. He is fearless of bullies and fearful of rejection at the same time, and fiercely in love. - COM
Saving Private Ryan (1998) – 5/5 – Wonderful war movie, no detail was left out, including the meat grinder that was D-Day. A tribute to our forefathers who died liberating
Scarface (1983) – 5/5 – Al Pacino stars as a mobster who has a meteoric rise to the top. The same characteristics that propel him to the top are his ultimate downfall. Very violent and extremely foul language. – ACT/UNT
Schindler’s List (1993) – 5/5 – Extremely well done drama based on an incredible book about a war profiteer who struggled to save the Polish jews conscripted to work in his factory. – DRA/UNT
The Shawshank Redemption (1994) – 5/5
Shrek (2001) – 5/5 – This computerized animation is hilariously full of subtle content. A very nice moral is wound into a modern fairy tale. A top quality movie. – COM/DRA
The Silence of the Lambs (1991) – 5/5 – Haunting and horrible, this film is an exploration into the mind of an antisocial serial killer who is quite sophisticated. Just please do not think that this rating in any way encourages the viewing of the follow-up,
The Sixth Sense (1999) - 5/5 - A Spooky drama done to perfection. Bruce Willis acts for real in this movie. No tough-guy attitude at all. I absolutely loved this film, because I see dead people. Category - DRA
Sling Blade (1997) – 5/5 – A mentally retarded man has to be reintroduced to life after serving time for a crime. – DRA
Sound of Music (1965) – 5/5 – There is rarely a movie as enchanting as this one. Musical and entertaining, it is a perfect movie adaptation of the stage play. – DRA
Spiderman 2 (2004) – 5/5 – Comic book action hero movies are rarely made to the satisfaction of those familiar with the hero. Spiderman 1 was good, but not great. Spiderman 2 fixed all that was wrong with Spiderman 1, and improved on it in almost every way. Spectacular visual effects are combined with excellent character development. Peter Parker has personal struggles like all of us, and this time his story is not prescribed. – ACT
Spies Like Us (1985) – 5/5 – Rivals National Lampoon’s Vacation for greatest role of
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter . . . and Spring (2004) 5/5. A breathtakingly beautiful landscape is the setting for an allegory of the seasons in the life of a Monk. The story and plot are quiet, naturalistic, and cyclic like the seasons. - DRA
Stalag 17 (1953) - 5/5 - It didn’t take long after World War 2 to create this unforgettable film about an airmen’s prisoner of war camp in Germany. It doesn’t show the kind of brutality which probably occurred, but it highlights the indomitable spirit many of the men were able to keep. It is extremely well balanced between a comedy and a serious study of war. In fact, it is both. The acting is excellent, and the story just as good. It’s no wonder that it spawned an extremely successful TV series, Hogan’s Heroes. – DRA/COM
Stand by Me (1986) - 5/5 - Stand by Me is a landmark movie, and affected me forever. – DRA
Star Wars: Episode IV: A
Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) 5/5. Empire is the best episode of the Star Wars series. Luke and Han and the entire rebellion have run away to a frozen planet in hiding from the Empire. Unforgettable scenes pass by while the empire gets revenge for the successes of the rebellion in Episode IV.
The Sting (1973) - 5/5 - If the music doesn’t get you, the incredible performances of Paul Newman and Robert Redford will. Directed by George Roy Hill, who also directed the two great actors in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid – COM/DRA
Stripes (1981) – 5/5 – A classic Bill Murray with Harold Ramis (like Ghostbusters). These guys are just perfect together, and leave you hoping that people like this don’t join the Army.
Taps (1981) - 5/5 - I liked this movie far more than most critics. It is, like all great war movies, about the futility of war. It is a study of the teenage mind, of the mind of an officer in his declining years contrasted against the same in the formative years. It is also a study on the disparaging of a soldier’s values, and the stupidity of politicians. It isn’t realistic, and one coughs at the stubbornness of the National Guard and the lack of oversight of young cadets. Nonetheless, it is an engrossing, though predictable, film which is held together tightly by excellent dramatic performances all around. – DRA
Three Amigos (1986) 5/5 - Three Amigos is a hilarious comedy by two veteran comedians and a wonderful newcomer. - COM
Titanic (1997) 5/5 - Set in a wonderful time capsule, this blockbuster was a must-see in the theatre, and is a must-see again. Probably Leonardo de Caprio's crowning achievement, I was absorbed by his perfectly-cast character. Social injustices are explored in an entertaining way. It is a thrilling, tragic love story that touches the Victorian sensibilities in all. - DRA
Toy Story (1995) & Toy Story 2 (1999) 5/5. This thoroughly enjoyable film employs the same state-of-the-art computer animation that propelled the first in the series into instant popularity. The story is even more polished, the dialogue is comedic and sharp, and the casting of voices is infallible. Good character development remains the key to a fantastic movie. - COM
Training Day (2000) 5/5. A chilling fiction about the LA Police Department, this film explores the potential for corruption. Denzel Washington’s performance makes it a 5/5. It’s hard to watch and not for the faint of heart. – ACT
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) 5/5. This is a sure classic, which transports you into a world that was, and will never be again. As soon as you see him, you recognize the skill of Walter Huston, the father of the director. You will learn about prospecting for gold like never before. In this excellent story with an excellent cast, it becomes obvious why Gold Hat would need no stinking badges. – DRA/ACT
Twelve Angry Men (1957) 5/5. Twelve Angry Men is a total classic, in every sense of the word. This is the original courtroom drama. What is wonderful about this movie is that it all happens in the deliberation room, not in the courtroom. The story unfolds in a perfectly entertaining and absorbing way, and the viewers’ opinion swings like a pendulum. I loved it. - DRA
The Usual Suspects (1995) 5/5. Funny, thrilling and dramatic and suspenseful as a film can be all four at the same time. The labyrinthine plot makes you want to see it again. – DRA/ACT
War Games (1983) – 5/5 – A young hacker finds himself within the AI core of the US Army supercomputer. It is more human than he thinks, and it still has a lot to learn. - DRA
We Were Soldiers (2002) – 5/5 – The definitive
What Lies Beneath (2000) - 5/5 – A very well done thriller.
What’s Up, Doc? – 5/5 – Young and old alike find Barbra Streisand at the top of the comedy game in this entertaining film - COM
When Harry Met Sally (1989) – 5/5 – Romantic comedy about a thirty-something couple. They meet in several times and circumstances, and eventually commiserate over lost loves. The character development is excellent. They develop an ever more mature attitude about love. – COM
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) – 5/5 – Not quite as good as the books that inspired the movie, nonetheless this movie is unlike anything before or since. There is a magical and goofy feel to the movie. Wilder is excellent and as eccentric as the character he plays. I was upset as a child by Wonka’s lack of concern that children are apparently dying right and left. – COM/CHI
The Wizard of Oz (1939) – 5/5 – One of the memorable films of the 20th Century, destined to live as long as movies do – Kevin newday98074 - DRA
Four Star Movies
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8-Mile (2002) – 4/5 – Eminem’s “semi-autobiographical” film made by real filmmakers is very interesting with a solid plot and excellent soundtrack. Almost makes you like him, if that’s possible. – DRA
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954). This is the Jules Verne’s novel brought to life. First, I’ll tell about the novel, then the movie. It was amazing to me that the world’s first science fiction writer could envision in 1871 what eventually came to being in nuclear submarines and nuclear bombs. A conscientious objector from society who had created great technological progress, seemingly on his own, sails around in a submarine destroying human’s gun ships and living off the sea. This is Nemo. Nemo seems to be a cult leader, but unfortunately neither Verne nor Richard Fleicher have more than a superficial understanding of cult mentality, which is probably normal for their times. So in the movie, Nemo’s followers unquestionably follow him, and the movie shows them treating him like a captain, but in truth they behave like cult followers. This is where the reality and depth of the film could have been improved, because it is really a character study of Nemo. The story is of some would-be stowaways who travel 20,000 leagues in this submarine with Nemo and observe and analyze him. As it is, the film relies too heavily on the antics of Kirk Douglas’s character, Ned, and his trained seal to keep us watching. There are some exciting scenes, like the encounter with the African natives. From a modern perspective, the visuals were probably excellent for the time, but things like giant squids moving backwards, falling off the continental shelf into the deepest trenches ½ mile from shore and other oddities are slightly bothersome. Overall, it is entertaining and interesting, especially to observe what great things have been prophesied by Jules Verne, who is by all means a more potent prophet than Nostradamus. Unfortunately, the average viewer remembers only that Nemo fights a sea monster: a giant squid. The film is distracted from what is truly the greatness of the tale: that with his cult and his technology and his murder, Nemo is truly the monster under the sea.
Adam's Rib (1949) - 4/5 - Classic battle of the sexes. Filmed before mandatory feminist review of all films was put in place. - COM/DRA
Aguirre, The Wrath of God (1972/1977) – 4/5 – Werner Hergoz directs an excellent foreign film exploring the motivations and methods of the conquistadors of
Alien (1979) – 4/5 – A science fiction classic. Sigourney Weaver is a stalwart crew member who is aboard a transport ship that comes in contact with an alien life form. A conflict arises. The timing is slow and suspenseful. - ACT
American History X – 4/5 –A family legacy of racism collides with the law and brings tragedy to this
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999) – 4/5 – The best so far from the Mike Myers’ Austin Powers series. A very funny spoof of James Bond, but also improvements in comic content from the first. – COM
The Aviator (2005) – 4/5 – A revealing, exciting, and empathetic biographical story of Howard Hughes. I found that my previous understanding of his life was shallow. He lived larger-than-life in an exciting time, and his story is really worth watching. The portrayal is very good. – DRA
Batman Begins (2005) – 4/5 – I think the best of the Batman series, and likely to remain so. There is a fairly interesting and psychologically complex plot. The movie delves into a deep character development and completes a picture of the young batman. This having now been done, the remainder of the movies will again be silly bad-guy fights. – ACT
Beetlejuice (1988) – 4/5 – A classic otherworldly comedy in the Tim Burton tradition. The story is lousy but the visuals are great. – COM
Ben Hur (1959) - 4/5 - An Epoch story of a Jewish Prince and his struggle with
Better Off Dead (1985) – 4/5 – An odd comedy about an unusual young man who has built his life around his popular girlfriend only to have her break up with him. The chain of events in his spiral of hopelessness is a funny tour of the comic side of teenage life. - COM
Big (1988) – 4/5 – A 12 year old finds himself in an adult’s body. Yes it’s an overdone genre, but this one is quite funny. - COM
The Birdcage (1996) – 4/5 – This remake of La Cage Aux Folles (1978) had me rolling with laughter. If you have seen the original, this is only slightly better (if you are American) because of the updated cultural content and what I thought was a wonderful performance by Robin Williams, and an outstanding performance by
Body Heat (1981) - 4/5 - A sexy crime movie. Hot, but not stifling, this movie features the earliest of Kathleen Turner, nude no less. A forties type eighties movie that ends with an explosion. An excellent plot keeps your interest. - ACT/UNT
Bon Voyage (2003) – 4/5 – An amusing farce set in
The Bourne Identity (2002) – 4/5 – Very entertaining twist on an overdone plot. A spy wakes up and can’t remember who he is. He discovers he possesses all sorts of combat skills, and has to use his rediscovered abilities to determine where he fits in the twisted world of espionage. – ACT
Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) – 4/5 – Audrey Hepburn continues her character roles in this highly entertaining, sometimes comic movie. It was much better than I expected. Jed Clampett comes back to seek Lula Mae. – DRA
Bullitt (1968) – 4/5 – The quintessential Steve McQueen. Bullitt is calm, cool, and self-composed even in the face of danger. His character is foiled against that of a politician and lawyer. “You work your side of the street, and I’ll work mine.” The best car chase (through San Fransisco no less) I have ever seen involves a pimped-out GTO and Bullitt’s mustang.
La Cage aux Folles (1978) – 4/5 - This is excellent and a must-see for movie buffs. The dubbed english is great on the DVD. The American version (The Birdcage, 1996), is even BETTER for the usual modern American audiences, not deviating much from this story, with the comedy, antics, and visuals intact. - INT
Captain Corelli’s Mandolin (2001) – 4/5 – Amazing adaptation of a novel commemorating the Italian soldiers in the Greek islands in WWII. A wonderful love story is woven around a tragic circumstance, and humanity is starkly contrasted against inhumanity. A wise Greek doctor narrates. I was not expecting a great movie,. I was drawn in and I realized that this was a real masterpiece. This story and the wonderful directing and acting made me truly Feel! - DRA/ACT
Cars (2006) – 4/5 – Fabulous, cutting edge computer animation with a great storyline. Cars is a fun, engaging movie for a family. – CHI
Cast Away (2000) - 4/5 – This was a highly publicized movie, which colors one's perceptions from the beginning. The story of a busy FedEx man stranded on an island. Now, first of all, the whole FedEx brand name thing is completely out of hand. Did they fund this movie? Second, it seems to drag on; I could tell my family was getting restless watching this movie. On the other hand, there are some incredible scenes and concepts. The airplane crash, especially once the airplane is in the water, is absolutely amazing and scary. It was fun to be with the Castaway when he learned to survive. It made me appreciate the technical advances of modern society, and society's interdependence. I had new insights into the value of modern medicine and dentistry, as well as appreciating the rich natural resources we have at our disposal. I really liked it, but it could have used another major overhaul to make it just right. The volleyball god/friend is awesome. I have a friend who married a volleyball once.
Cider House Rules (1999) – 4/5 – The arguments for, and against, legalized abortion are masterfully argued with the visually and emotionally vibrant backdrop of an orphanage. A young man who is categorically against abortion needs to explore the world, and have the life experiences. These help him learn that the most moral stances are ones that recognize ethical decisions to not have right and wrong answers. No one gets it, so I must explain that the rules are a symbol of the laws governing physician licensing and laws surrounding abortion, both of which are compromised as much as the cider house rules are. Probably the abuse happens on the roof. “Do you know what your business is?” – DRA
City Lights (1931) – 4/5 – Very entertaining and funny Charlie Chaplain. The first one I have seen, it is said to be of the best. Don’t miss this.
City Slickers (1991) – 4/5 – Billy Crystal. Quirky comedy about learning to survive on a cattle drive. Curly is great. – COM
Clash of the Titans (1981) – 4/5 – One of the great movies of my childhood, this movie will forever have an important place in history. It was created just at the dawn of special effects, and unfortunately this light did not shine on director Desmond Davis. Character development is wonderful and magical. Medusa is very memorable, and overall the movie is unforgettable. Because of the nature of the movie, it is appealing to those of us who were children at the time. It isn’t as interesting for adults. – ACT
Clear and Present Danger (1994) – 4/5 –
Clockwork
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) - 4/5 - A suspenseful science fiction landmark. Many will argue that this is an enduring classic and should be 5/5. But the second and third time one sees this movie, it seems to move too slowly. Note the wonderful scene where
Colors (1988) – 4/5 – One of the classic works about the street gangs and their interaction with police. A subplot of rookie cop versus experienced cop is well done. Well acted, and visually interesitn, it’s an important movie to see. It spawned such movies as Training Day, and others of an entire genre. Robert Duvall and Shawn Penn are excellent. – ACT/UNT
Crocodile
Day of the Jackal (1973) – 4/5 – A finely crafted movie about the meticulous planning for an assassination of Charles DeGaulle. The scenes are a tour of
The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) – 4/5 – Seems so ahead of its time, as an old film, it eerily moves fast enough to keep your attention. The characters are caricatures, and the film sits like a morality play; politicians, the military, and the media behave in kind of a reflex, thoughtless way. A child with insight gives us the most authentic take to an encounter with an Alien. What is great about this film is, one can tell, it is made during a time when people actually considered alien visitations as being likely. - DRA
Die Hard (1988) - 4/5 - Bruce Willis at his best (for his other great movie - see Sixth Sense). Action, suspense. Willis's character loves to swear, but is sly and smart when he is locked in a building with hostages and hostage takers. It's not surprising that so many people confuse this with Lethal Weapon (see review of lethal weapon). - ACT
Dirty Harry (1971) – 4/5 – The Pulp Fiction of the 1960s apparently. It seems like the definitive Clint Eastwood movie. A San Fransisco detective, Harry has his own get-the-job-done attitude toward crime. It is a landmark, like The French Connection, in gritty urban cop dramas. Well done – ACT/UNT
Digging to
Dirty Dancing (1987) - 4/5 - A Rebellion story where the bad boys and the good boys are really both bad. Backdrop of very talented dancing and a look into the vacation spots of past rich people. - DRA/ACT
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) – 4/5 – Two con artists work the same city in a classic comedy. Steve Martin always entertains with his very physical comedy. “I love me here!” - COM
District B13 (2004) – 4/5 – French action thriller featuring amazing feats of skillful free running, taking a political issue to task with style. - ACT
The Doctor (1991) – 4/5 – A physician becomes ill and learns to see the hospital from the perspective of the patient. This movie had much impact on me. Mostly because I can relate to him unfortunately. - DRA
Dogs of War (1981) – 4/5 – Almost excellent war story. A very interesting study on the complicated lives and allegiances of the American mercenary-soldier. The viewer is disappointed by the actual action, because the buildup is so excellent. The greatness of the film is in the character development, which is unbeatable. - ACT
Donna Flor and her Two Husbands (1976) - 4/5 - This Brazilian film is about a woman who marries an abusive but passionate man, It is very well done and artistic. – DRA
Driving Miss Daisy (1989) – 4/5 – A memorable film about the power-struggle relationship between a rich & powerful woman and her chauffeur. - DRA
Doctor Zhivago (1965) - 4/5 - A drama of epic proportions. Very well performed portrayal of a poet in
Easy Rider (1969) – 4/5 – A MUST see. Captain
Elephant Man (1980) – 4/5 – A compelling biography and illustration of the existence of a deformed man, but incomplete. It focuses on the wrong relationships and never feels satisfying. See Roger Ebert's review - DRA
The Emperor’s Club (2002) – 4/5 – A prep-school drama about a classical history teacher. Though the genre has been overdone, this is a very nice story about the impact he has on the life of his students, and how his students impact him. A wholehearted movie. - DRA
Empire of the Sun (1987) – 4/5 – Follows the experiences of a young English boy in
The Endless Summer (1966) - 4/5 - An immensely entertaining introduction to the world of surfing for non surfers. An important landmark in surfing and surfing movie genre for surfers. All around worth every minute! I think I met Corky in
Finding Nemo (2003) – 4/5 – Pixar and Disney score another hit with a tale of a little handicapped fish who gets lost, and the father who has to travel a scary ocean to find him. – CHI
Finding Neverland (2004) – 4/5 – Excellent movie about the real-life situations surrounding the authorship of the story Peter Pan. Based on a true story, this film is emotionally powerful. It reminded me about the power of imagination, which, as adults we tend to forget. - DRA
Frailty (2002) – 4/5 – Horror, family style. This is a haunting, excellent movie. Two poor little boys are the victims of a father who has lost his mind and has become a serial killer. – UNT/DRA
Father of the Bride (1991) – 4/5 – A hilarious updated remake, Steve Martin’s life is turned upside down by his daughter’s upcoming marriage – COM
La Femme Nikita (1990) – 4/5 – The original story of the secret agent taken from among the convicted criminals. This is a theme much worse done in XXX. Nikita is convincing and haunting. French. Subtitles. – ACT
French Connection (1971) – 4/5 – This is a landmark film in evolution of the urban police drama. Directed by William Friedkin. Friedkin explores the amorality of the modern vice cop, and gives a non-judgmental view of how the police enforce the ban on the proliferating drug problem. Notice that Dirty Harry came out the same year. Dirty Harry is kind of unrealistic, contrasted by the commonality of the crimes perpetrated in this movie. Basically, Gene Hackman’s character, Popeye, has great NYC cop instincts. He tails a group involved in international heroin smuggling. The magnitude of the crime is not as dramatic as Dirty Harry, nor is it as glorified a role, but Hackman does a great job. The real star of this film are the pimped-out 1971 cars, which I loved to watch. I could only say, “look at those boats!” - ACT
Frequency (2000) - 4/5 - A suspenseful yet poignant story about time interfaces and how a son connects with his dead father 30 years in the past through a ham radio and a freak of nature (some auroras and stuff) and is able to change the course of his life. Sounded formulaic per the trailers, but ended up being very entertaining and thoughtful. Besides the time travel/father son plot, there is also a "catch the serial killer" subplot. Will appeal to many viewers. Good "Father's Day" fare. And Dennis Quaid's NY accent wasn't too bad (better than Kevin Costner's pathetic attempts at a British accent...cross reference to "Robin Hood") - Anonymous Bruin - I must say that I agree with Anonymous Bruin. I saw it with my father, and we loved it together. - Ryan - DRA
Frida (2002) – 4/5 – An artistic film about an artist plagued by chronic back pain and love for an unworthy man. - DRA
From Here to Eternity (1953) - 4/5 - A classic movie of pre W.W.II
Gabbeh (1996) - 4/5 - Foreign - Very artistic movie where a carpet enchanted with the spirit of the weaver retells its story. The story seems slow at first, and is quite unusual to our American tastes. But we fall in love with the dramatic cinematography and poetic story line. Full of all of the suspense of an action thriller with a pastoral love theme. - INT
Get Shorty (1995) - 4/5 - Entertaining story, well acted, funny. Mob violence meets
Gladiator (2000) - 4/5 This is a wonderful reproduction of classical
The Graduate (1967) – 4/5 – An older married woman seduces a younger man, who later falls for her daughter. The human drama unfolds and is a Classic American Film. – COM/DRA
Grease (1978) – 4/5 – Classic Musical. – COM/DRA
The Green Berets (1968) – 4/5 – One of the first
Harold and Maude (1971) - 4/5 - An unlikely friendship between a troubled teenager and a woman who has seen all too many troubles. Harold's suicidal antics make a tense subject matter hilarious at times. Notice Maude's tattoo (it's key to understanding the story) - DRA/COM
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (#1 - 2001) – 4/5 – An excellent children’s story with fabulous characters combined with 2002 state-of-the-art movie making and special effects. I really liked it! - DRA
Heat (1995) – 4/5 – Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro (two actors that many of us confuse with each other) star as organized crime ringleader, and lead of a police organized crime task force. The two come face to face, and recognize the similarities in their lives. It’s action packed, violent and exciting. - ACT
History of the World, Part 1 (1981) – 4/5 – Mel Brooks’ adult comedy lampoons the Stone Age, the Roman Empire, the Spanish Inquisition, and the French Revolution. If you like Mel Brooks don’t miss this one. If you don’t like Mel Brooks, then leave it. If you don’t know Mel Brooks, then watch this one. - COM
House Boat (1958) - 4/5 - 1958 - Carey Grant and Sophia Lauren
A classic family movie. Lauren delivers a wonderful performance as an Italian upper-class woman who finds herself the maid of a broken family. The rest is
Betty: 3/5 - This tale of a newly widowed father (played by Cary Grant) making the best of his three newly acquired children while maintaining his high profile Washington D.C. job is often funny, sometimes unsettling and occasionally heart warming. It's old movie style, music, song, dress and often simple/clean inter-human dynamics is refreshing for the movie buff. Sophia Lauren dazzles with
Howard's End (1992) - 4/5 - A visually beautiful movie, remembering English high society. See how the sins of mankind don't discriminate between the rich and the poor, the educated and the ignorant. But he who is rich and educated may have a greater responsibility for own his sin. The rich icon here seems uninterested. This is a tale of hope, hopelessness, tragedy, and forgiveness. - DRA
Hunt for Red October (1990) – 4/5 – A memorable thriller about a Soviet Submarine captain who leads his sub too close to American shores. Jack Ryan, Tom Clancy’s CIA super-analyst, helps guide the
Ikiru (1952) – 4/5 – The story of a bureaucrat who changes his life radically when he finds out he doesn’t have long to live. It is a criticism of inefficient bureaucracy, but also a criticism of the indifference with which we live our lives. It is Japanese 1950’s culturally, so it is set in a
Insomnia (2002) – 4/5 – Excellent and suspenseful drama about an investigator grappling with his integrity. – DRA
Jerry Maguire (1996) - 4/5 - Jerry learns to live and love in this greatest of date movies. DRA
The Kid Stays in the Picture (2002) – 4/5 – A fascinating autobiography of the film producer Robert Evans. He ran
The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) – 4/5 – A very engaging and interesting take on the Christ story. This explores the deepest reaches of the theology of the Passion with a fictional alternate possibility. - DRA
La Bamba (1987) – 4/5 – A drama depicting the life of Ritchie Valens, who died prematurely after performing “La Bamba.” – DRA
Legends of the Fall (1994) – 4/5 – Epic film of a
Lethal Weapon (1987) 4/5. Lethal Weapon is a great action flick about a suicidal cop who finds meaning in an exciting series of shoot-outs. - ACT
Lolita (1962) 4/5. Lolita is a metaphor for the way
M (1931) 4/5. You have to see M with forgiving eyes. The technique of dubbing sound was obviously very new and was not well done here. Otherwise, M is amazingly good for a film for 1931. This is for more of the movie-buff audience. Although the manhunt is very interesting, and the chase scene relatively exciting, it is the complexity of the treatment of the pedophile murderer that is way ahead of its time. - DRA
The Maltese Falcon (1941) – 4/5 – An entertaining detective story from the early 1940’s. The acting is fair. Bogart is famous for this film, but his
A Man Called Horse (1970) 4/5. Richard Harris - A dissatisfied Englishman in the Nineteenth Century finds himself a workhorse in American Indian society. This is a fascinating work of re-creation without obvious snobbery or prejudice. It’s definitely worth a look. Some scenes haunt you for days. - ACT/DRA
Man on the Moon (1999) 4/5. Man on the Moon is a very entertaining and funny biography of Andy Kaufman, performed by Jim Carrey. There is a great lounge singer scene. - COM
The Man Who Knew Too Little (1997) – 3/5 – Bill Murray, not at his best, but a fun movie. One of my mom’s favorites. - COM
The Mask (1994) - 4/5 - This is the movie that showcases the incredible physical comedy of Jim Carrey. The plot is pretty good, and the special effects are good too. – COM
McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971) – 4/5 – A character study of a frontier entrepreneur and his relationship with a professional madam. It explores the essence of a relationship, and the barriers to one. It explores the entire gamut of the town life of miners, and seems like a landmark in terms of a different take on the old west in filmmaking. The greatest scene is when McCabe takes a soliloquy and speaks his heart to Mrs. Miller in her absence. – DRA/ACT
Men in Black (1997) – 4/5 – Great summer movie fun, this is a fun family movie. It is funny, exciting, and a visual achievement. It is original and quirky. – COM/ACT
Metropolis (1926) - 4/5 - A very memorable criticism of social inequality in a modernist/realist/futuristic society. - INT
Monsters, Inc. (2001) – 4/5 – An original children’s movie. Like most Disney/Pixar ventures, this one is smart and fun enough for the adults to enjoy. – COM/CHI
Minority Report (2002) – 4/5 – Is our legal system fair enough? Should we use new tools that are more technology-based? How should we treat “suspected terrorists” in our legal system. This futuristic action movie actually addresses these issues. Good timing. – ACT
The
My name is Joe (1999) - 4/5 - A believable relationships story about dealing with real life issues and people with problems. - DRA/INT
Mystic River (2003) – 4/5 – A dark, twisted drama that has its basis in a traumatic childhood event, and follows the three former childhood friends as they deal with the events of a tragic night. The filming and storyline are very involving, and it is well acted. There is excellent character development. Only problem is at the end, the story falls apart a bit. The storyline is almost very convincing, but it doesn’t quite make it, and therefore doesn’t qualify for 5/5, although a very good film - DRA
Never Cry Wolf (1983) - 4/5. A researcher is transformed by his study of wolf behavior. A great line: an Inuit shows a toothless smile and says, "That's what happens when a meat-eater becomes a sugar-eater." - DRA/ACT
The Never-ending Story (1984) – 4/5 – A boy, tormented by bullies, escapes into a fantasy world with a peculiar book. A surprise success from a German director - CHI
A Night at the Opera (1935) – 4/5 – My first Marx Brothers movie. They mock the social establishment while not mocking the opera per se. A corny love story is woven in, but without compromising the quality of the movie. A story about a deleted scene in the beginning is very interesting - COM
Nurse Betty (2000) - 4/5 - Have the two bad guy comic relief actors ever acted so well? I was surprised by the innocence vs. experience theme of the movie. Graphic at first, and humor with a hard edge, but so well done. Have you ever heard of dissociative fugue? This movie is about that. - ACT/DRA
Oh Brother, Where art Thou? (2000) - 4/5 - Very visually interesting and absorbing to watch the adventures of three escaped inmates in the South. Very creative. - COM
Patton (1970) - 4/5 - A very good movie with an excellent monologue in the beginning. The story of a primmadonna warrior who misunderstands as much as he is misunderstood, but is arguably the best. A demonstration of how living in the structure of the society and obeying is more important than being excellent at what you do - especially poignant since what he does best he does by bending others to his will. - DRA
Philidelphia (1993) – 4/5 – An important and poignant story about AIDS and the way it changes life. - DRA
Pi: Faith in Chaos (1998) - 4/5 - a surreal movie - somewhat provocative and cerebral - dark - R rating - INT
Pirates of the
Pride and Prejudice (2005) – 4/5 – Excellently abridged version of the story of the same name. Acting is excellent, and the point of the whole thing is not lost because the story moves so quickly. - DRA
Psycho (1960) – 4/5 – The classic Alfred Hitchcock thriller. A demanding and impatient woman lives upstairs in a slow motel - DRA
Rain Man (1988) – 4/5 – A man meets his brother who is a grown idiot-savante – DRA
Rear Window (1954) – 4/5 – An Alfred Hitchcock classic. Jimmy Steward is laid up in his apartment, and witnesses strange things afoot as he becomes a shut-in snoop. - DRA
The Red Violin (1999) - 4/5 - This could have been a truly perfect movie. I can't put my finger on what was wrong with it. Maybe the selection of the protagonist. But it has the trails of greatness. The story of a violin created by a master in the throes of mourning. The violin is followed through the tumultuous world until the present day. - DRA
Road to Perdition (2002) – 4/5 – Another Tom Hanks success. The personal side of a mobster in the 1940s. Not perfect, but well done. –ACT/DRA
Rush Hour (1998) – 4/5 – Very funny film. One of Jacky Chan’s first roles on the American big screen. Chan and Tucker are the best Asian & Black combination since Tiger Woods. – ACT/COM
Seabiscuit (2003) – 4/5 – Very nice adaptation of a novel to the movie screen. I was clapping in the theatre. – DRA
Searchers, The (1956) – 4/5 – Considered one of the greatest John Wayne movies of all time, this movie is both beyond its time, and moored in it. The limitiation is the ethnocentric “Texican” attitude is pervasive and inextricable as part of the plot. The Indians are simply bloodthirsty and bad. The whites are civil and seem to be defending themselves only. John Wayne is actually extremely good, the tough veteran who has to fight just as he is getting over the war. His character, Ethan, is mysterious, dark, and prejudiced, and
Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993) – 4/5 – A young boy finds he has a talent for chess that that changes his childhood. Joe Mantegna is very believable as his father. - DRA
Signs (2002) – 4/5 – Very good thriller. I’m so very impressed with this new director. – ACT
Sixteen Candles (1984) – 4/5 – Molly Ringwald - An 80’s classic. Don’t miss this chick-flick with an animal house party twist. – COM
Sleepless in
South Park Winter Wonderland (2001) – 4/5 – IF you like South Park you will laugh out loud at the classic “Circle of Poo” song, boy band Fingerbang, Jesus’ millennium show for 1999, and Romper Stomper, Cartman’s unlikely friend in the big house. Parker, Stone, and Hayes have an in-your-face shock ‘em comedy style that is responsive to the shifting winds of popular culture. These episodes are all available in the season boxed sets. – COM
South Park Bigger, Longer, and Uncut (1999) – 4/5 – This is the most offensive and shocking South Park I’ve seen. If the title doesn’t give you a hint, you should know that this movie is EXTREMELY offensive. http://www.capalert.com/capreports/southpark.htm/ On the other hand, it is really funny, in a sick way, and the whole movie is set to a bitingly ironic storyline. The musical parodies of Broadway are the main reason to see this movie. As always, from Trey Parker, the music is absolutely excellent, the lyrics are clever and they actually qualify this cartoon as a musical in my opinion. – COM/UNT
Speed (1994) – 4/5 – Very good tense high speed action movie. The pace is like a Steven Segal, but the storyline and acting are much better. It’s Sandra Bullock’s breakthrough role, and even Keanu Reeves looks like he’s having fun.
Spider Man (2002) – 4/5 – Unassuming Peter Parker’s Transformation into Spidey. Very good. - ACT
Spinal Tap, This is (1984) - 4/5 - What a hilarious documentary of a Rock Band! You don't want to miss this one, if you grew up around Glam Rock ( or Heavy Metal ) you will love this movie. The world of rock and roll through the eyes of an aging couple of rockers who have had their five minutes of attention in popular culture. P.S. The band isn't real. - COM
Spy Game (2001) – 4/5 – CIA operative goes rogue, and his old superior comes to his rescue. Engrossing, well done, great action, and entertaining. - ACT
A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) - 4/5 - Movie adaptation of a Broadway play. A very moving and disturbing movie with excellent acting and dialogue. Shows of the shadowy side of human nature and human frailty. - DRA
Superman II (1980) – 4/5 – The legend of Superman will never be the same. On the one hand, the movie is freed from the Superman tradition. Mario Puzo, the screenwriter, leaves the Superman formula behind. This leads to unusual and unexpected situations, which is refreshing. Also, the special effects bring the legend to life in a new dimension. But the movie is dark, cruel, and violent, and this casts a shadow on the enjoyment. – ACT
Supersize Me (2004) – 4/5 – Morgan Spurlock’s timely and honest reality-documentary about fast food in
Terminator 2 (1991) – 4/5 – This gets a better review than Terminator the original, and not just because the heroine has lost the early 80s haircut and now looks buffed out and hot. Special effects are improved, and the movie somehow seems tighter. Action scenes are aplenty. - ACT
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)- 4/5 - A poor boy living in the meat packing district of New York during the times of great family money finds an "in" to the world of the lazy and rich. He has useful talents that he uses to continue in that world. Definitely not for children. - Rob: 5/5 - Nice scenery. Creepy characters but an interesting concept overall. - DRA
Team
There’s Something about Mary (1998) – 4/5 – Ben Stiller nails the laughs in this comedy about finding the perfect girlfriend. This came out in an era of American moviemaking which focused on toilet comedy. It turned me off to the movie, but when I finally saw it, the comedy was worth looking past the gross humor. – COM
Top Gun (1986) – 4/5 – Very memorable with excellent character development, an exciting setting, and eye-popping action sequences. The dialogue is somewhat lacking. – ACT/DRA
Train of Life [Train de Vie] (1999) – 4/5 – Very thought provoking foreign [French] film about the escape of a village of Jews in France in Hitler’s time. – DRA/INT
Trainspotting (1996) – 4/5 – A tragic and comic film about a group of Junkies in
Tron (1982) – 4/5 – I don’t think history will appreciate what a great movie is Tron. It isn’t perfect, as Leonard Maltin points out, “the story runs out of steam.” The special effects are a leap forward for the time, and probably can’t be appreciated by more modern audiences. The concepts of artificial intelligence and “singularity” theory are pioneering for the time. The movie captures the great era of arcade video games. – DRA/ACT
True Grit (1969) – 4/5 – John Wayne helps a young girl track down her father's killer. The character is not just played by John Wayne, it is the honed character that this character actor had perfected. The story and movie are good, but the institution of the "John Wayne Western" is what is palpable in this film. – ACT/DRA
Twins (1988) – 4/5 – Comedy about brothers separated at birth. - COM
Undercover Brother (2002) – 4/5 – LMAO – (Laughed my Ass Off) – COM
Unforgiven (1992) – 4/5 – Star studded western about a retired villain of the old west who decides to sign on to a vigilante assassination attempt. It’s fairly violent, but very memorable. The trek through
Waking Ned Devine (1998) – 4/5 – A pleasant comedy set in beautiful
Wall Street (1987) - 4/5 - Michael Douglas, Charlie Sheen, Martin Sheen, Daryl Hannah, Sean Young - A vivid snapshot of Wall Street insiders, contrasting the brokers with the big sharks. Take the ride with a young broker up the rungs of the ladder of Wall Street wealth. The moralizing is slightly overdone, but poignant. - DRA
Whale Rider (2003) – 4/5 – A fresh, different movie about a crisis in a Maori tribe. Excellent and heart-wrenching. Almost perfect except the story is a little too simplistic. - DRA
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane (1962) – 4/5 – Finally I got to know Betty Davis’s eyes. A masterful suspense drama. – DRA
Willow (1988) – 4/5 – The diminutive
Windtalkers (2002) – 4/5 – Emotionally charged war film about the great contribution of the Navajo to the struggle of WWII. – ACT
Witness (1985) – 4/5 – Harrison Ford poses as an Amish to protect a witness. – ACT/DRA
Young Frankenstein (1974) – 4/5 – Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder join up for laughs in this next-generation of Frankenstein comedy. It’s got longevity, as a friend told me. - COM
Three Star Movies
8 ½ (1963) – 3/5 – Fellini. The movie is a dreamscape, with flashbacks galore, and deep symbolism which is mostly lost on the viewer. The movie is unintelligible until about halfway through, when the pieces start to come together. If you want to experience a critically acclaimed “masterpiece” untainted by a synopsis, then stop reading here. This is a very difficult to watch movie, and I am lucky to have made it halfway through without shutting it off. In the end, though it mostly made sense. If you are interested in a synopsis that will give you heart, it follows. An Italian director is haunted by his life, and his many lovers but inability to truly love. He can’t decide between a blockbuster Science Fiction production or a piece about the psychology of his own life. He is constantly pressured by his actors, producers, and staff to get on with the movie. His wife and friends are insulted that he would try a foray into a personally revealing movie, (which is what this movie actually is) but it is almost a therapy for him. He develops writers block, and has to face that his creativity is scattered, his production is losing money, and his personal life is in shambles. - INT
9 to 5 (1980) – 3/5 – Excellent character development. Once the stage is set, the story itself is very weak and unrealistic. The wonderful hit title song is by Dolly Parton. - COM
10 (1979) - 3/5 - Comedy about mid-life crisis. Not exactly what you expect - much better. lots of nudity. - COM/UNT
2010 (1984) – 3/5 – I have no idea why they thought that by 2010 the world would be so different. There is nothing special about 2010 in contrast to 2001. That is the summary of the comparison of the two movies, too. Kubrick’s 2001 is imaginative, poetic, Hyams’ 2010 seems pragmatic and traditional. The importance of this movie is that it is a landmark in special effects. It is no Star Wars, however. Like the Star Wars sequels which re-defined “the Force” as “the effect of Midichorians,” imagination is now lost. Unfortunately it tries to tie up all the loose ends of 2001, and define what is meant to be a metaphor.
Abyss (1989) – 3/5 – Deservedly nominated for best visual effects, this movie is dazzling in drama and eeriness. The doomed crew has, as Maltin says, “[more than] one crisis too many,” but overall it is mesmerizing. Unfortunately, the end seems like a real cop-out. Apparently the special edition has some of the footage that ties the story together a little more tightly, although still leaving something to be desired. – ACT
Air Force One (1997) – 3/5 – Harrison Ford puts on a great performance as the President of the
All the President’s Men (1976) – 3/5 – In a simpler time, the public trusted the President, and a campaign spying episode was considered a “big deal.” Two reporters disembarrassed the public, and their investigative reporting threatened the President’s job. Have our reporters lost some of that true grit, or is there too much now? A debate may follow this good movie. - DRA
Almost Famous (2000) - 3/5 - An intriguing, thought-provoking and evocative look inside rock & roll in the 70s. Many will be offended by the probably realistic way young women are taken advantage of in this movie. The writer paints an unrealistically bleak portrait of traditional values, and it becomes a necessity for a young boy to hook up with a rock band under the auspices of rock journalism. - DRA
The American President (1995) 3/5. A fun movie, that isn’t so fun. The president has to be careful who to date, and how to date, if a widow. Also, there is plenty of liberal propaganda to boot. DRA
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997) – 3/5 – Entertaining parody on the James Bond Series. The sequel (1999) is even better but in 2002, Goldmember’s pass was revoked. - COM
Batman (1989), Batman Returns (1992), and Batman Forever (1995) – 3/5 – When I first saw Batman, I was disappointed to see that the brightly colored, upbeat Batman from the television shows didn’t return. Instead, I found Tim Burton’s film noir more interested in the visual exploration of the concept of “
Being John Malkovich (1999)– 3/5 – Well now I know who that guy who plays the jewel thief is. I laughed when I couldn’t think of the name of a movie he was in, but instantly remembered his face. I agree with Bruin that it is unclear why he is the vessel, but I’m glad because it is well done, and entertaining. This is a black comedy by the way, and isn’t a roll-on-the-floor-laughing show but I did laugh out loud at times. – Ryan. Difficult to coherently describe this film. In one word, “weird”. Interesting concept of entering someone’s mind through some metaphysical portal and thereby attaining immortality. Something Kafka might have produced if he was a film maker in the 21st century. How John Malkovich got the dubious distinction of being the premiere “vessel” is unclear. - The Anonymous Bruin - INT /COM
Behind Enemy Lines (2001) – 3/5 – Not very convincing, but not a bad modern war film – ACT
Billy Elliot (2000) – 3/5 – Billy’s father wants him to go into sports. Billy is a dancer at heart. The two have to work out their relationship. - DRA
Blade (1998) & Blade II (2002) – 3/5 – Action/Combat, in an alternate reality (vampire world). Pretty Good watching. - ACT
Blood Simple (1984) - 3/5 - A lower score only because of the unbridled violence and inhumanity it explores. Definitely not a movie for children. It is very well done for the story it delivers. Similar to
The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) – 3/5 – Better than the sequel, but not as good as the original. You really don't have to see the second one to appreciate the third. – DRA/ACT
Boys in Company C (1978) – 3/5 – The Boys is about the futility of war. An anti-war movie about
Bringing Down the House (2003) – 3/5 – Very good comic performances from Steve Martin and Queen Latifah. Don’t miss Freak Boy. – COM
Caddyshack (1980) – 3/5 – Classic Rodney Dangerfield. Very funny. - COM
Catch Me If You Can (2002) – 3/5 – Roger Ebert says its “effortlessly watchable.” He’s right. It’s no major movie event but it is entertaining and very well done. The costumes and re-creation of the time period is worth noting, said Margret McGurk. – DRA
A Civil Action (1998) – 3/5 – Based on a true story, a lawyer faces the case of his life in environmental law. – DRA
Clueless (1995) – 3/5 – The rare teen comedy worthy of watching. Based on Jane Austen’s Emma. – COM
Cocktail (1988) – 3/5 – The star of Legend returns for this romantic fun drama about a bartender and his quest for love and success. Great to see the
Cookie’s Fortune (1999) – 3/5 – An entertaining tour of a
Crimson Tide (1995) – 3/5 – A noisy and gripping battle of wills occurs when one man’s hunch tells him he’s about to inadvertently start World War III. - ACT
The Cruise (1998) – 3/5 - A Fascinating look into the mind of a New Yorker in love with
Ed Wood (1994) - 3/5 - A bad movie about a director of bad movies. Tim Burton. – COM
Edward Scissorhands (1990) – 3/5 – A fantastical story, in the Tim Burton style. It is almost a fairy tale – DRA/COM
Enemy at the Gates (2001) – 3/5 – I liked this movie much more than the critics did. Maybe because I tend to play video games in which I can play a sniper. I thought it was tense, and a great visual re-creation of the horrible Nazi-Russian conflict. The dialogue and story line are not as strong. – ACT
Erin Brockovich (2000) - 3/5 - Ever seen the movie A Civil Action? Well, Julia Roberts stars in a great remake of that movie. One reviewer called it "A Civil Action with Tits." Yes, her push-up bra makes for a very distracting movie, especially since the camera angles tend to overplay the "Hi, I'm a sexy ex-beauty queen with a taste for revealing outfits" thing. Anyway, she conquers an evil, faceless corporation accused of pollution with her true grit. - DRA
Face/Off (1997) – 3/5 – An entertaining lawman pursuit movie. Nothing spectacular, but a thrill ride. - ACT
Father of the Bride 2 (1995) – 3/5 - Steve Martin plays another lovable dad role, this time in mid-life crisis. Fairly well done, but most should stop with the first unless you are looking for more Steve Martin. - COM
Field of Dreams (1989) – 3/5 – One of the most appealing sports movies ever. - DRA
Frenzy (1972) - 3/5 - Alfred Hitchcock. Serial Killer strangles women. Morbid thriller. UNT/DRA
Fried Green Tomatoes (1991) – 3/5 – A feminist bonding movie that is endearing and entertaining - DRA
Galaxy Quest (1999) – 3/5 – Fun Spoof on the Trekkie phenomenon. – ACT/COM
Ghost (1990) – 3/5 – Emotional drama with a little too much action and comedy mixed in to be convincing. There are several passionate scenes worth seeing – DRA
Goldfinger (1964) – 3/5 – James Bond 007 #3 – Follows the Bond formula. Bond must thwart Goldfinger, who is trying to contaminate the gold at
Giant (1956) – 3/5 – A drama illustrating a big
Girl, Interrupted (1999) – 3/5 – Good movie about a girl who admits herself into an asylum in the 1960’s. Winona Ryder’s character is not very interesting, or convincing. She doesn’t seem borderline at all. Angelina Jolie gives a very good performance. Overall this is no Cuckoo’s Nest. Some insight but not very moving. It was great to see Britanny Murphy finally get what she deserves. - DRA
Green Mile, The (1999) - 3/5 - A nauseating look inside death row, where one day a stupid and sadistic guard issues in the mean looking inmate who eventually changes the lives of everyone he comes in contact with via mystical dust breath. The movie has a promise of greatness, until the supernatural starts to intervene and gets in the way. At this point the viewer must step back and address the move from a new perspective. From a second vantage point, the movie again starts to engross and entertain. Don't watch if you are sensitive to horrible and violent acts. A fine performance as usual from Mr. Movie. Rob: 5/5 - A giant death row inmate solves problems in the 30’s by sucking the evil out of people and blowing it out as angel dust (not PCP). A miracle. Well done! - DRA/UNT
The Heist (2001) – 3/5 - Gene Hackman. There are many “Heist” movies. This one is fairly complex and nice to watch. – ACT
Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets (#2 - 2002) – 3/5 – Not as new and original, still visually entertaining with a great story especially for the young. – DRA/ACT
Hart’s War (2002) – 3/5 - Based on a novel by John Katzenbach, this is a smart, compelling story about justice, deception, and pragmatism in the time of war. The problem is that based on what you see, you can’t respect the character who is actually supposed to be the hero. - DRA
High Fidelity (2000), John Cusack - 3/5 - An introspective young man owns a record store. He finds out about himself and rehashes his love life history when his current love life is falling apart. This is a funny glimpse into the subculture of the vintage used record store subculture and a cute romantic comedy. Adult language and situations. - COM/DRA
Horn Blows at Midnight, The (1945) - 3/5 - I saw this on a big screen at the OCMA (Orange County Museum of Art) Friday classics series. It was really a lot of fun. Jack Benny's under reacting humor is great. He's classically funny by not doing anything, rather than by saying anything in particular. It's witty, and corny. And it's classic 1945s (white)
Hunter, The (1980) - 3/5 - Steve McQueen, Kathryn Harrold - An afternoon action channel flick, Hunter is both dated (70s) and timeless. A story based on the life of Ralph "Papa" Thorson, a bounty hunter. He is a man out of his time, a point overplayed in the movie. A gunslinger in a city motif is wound into good character development. It was fun, and it must be the movie original which inspired the TV series. This is Steve McQueen a.k.a. "The King of Cool's" final movie. – ACT
Independence Day (1996) – 3/5 – The action film which tried to dignify the stripper as a justifiable job. Another save the world against aliens movie, Will Smith chooses a role which is a tried a tested formula for American movies which are blockbusters though they aren’t very good. - ACT
Insider, The (1999) - 3/5 - Fairly exciting drama about the smoking gun tobacco files. – DRA
The Jerk (1979) – 3/5 – Corny Steve Martin movie - COM
K-19: The Widow-Maker (2002) – 3/5 – Submarine Captain genre-movie. Retells the story of K19, a nuclear-weapon equipped sub with a crew just trying to survive Soviet engineering. – ACT/DRA
Kelly’s Heroes (1970) – 3/5 – Action-packed and comedic. These GI’s are after the loot of war in occupied France – ACT
L’Anee Des Meduses (1987) – 3/5 – One of those sexy-looking foreign movies at the rental store, this movie takes place on the topless beaches of the French Riviera. The sexual lives of several vacationers twist around a plot that is actually quite fascinating, with a nice artistic twist toward the end. – UNT
The Last of the Mohicans (1992) – 3/5 – I remember this movie having been the most violent I had ever seen upon watching it. Apparently the plot of the movie is much better than the book upon which it was based. This is the 4th remake of this story, probably the best. See 1920, 1936, 1977 – ACT
The Last Samurai (2003) – 3/5 – Tom Cruise is a mercenary for the Japanese government to help them rid themselves of the rival samurai. He has a change of heart. - ACT
Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) – 3/5 – Lost some points for being unoriginal, but still pretty exciting – ACT
Lost in Translation (2003) – 3/5 – A serious comedy about an aging actor in mid-life crisis, and a young bride having a difficult time keeping her husband’s attention. They become close, kind of. – DRA
Manchurian Candidate (1962) – 3/5 – PTSD strikes Korea Vets and turns out they have been brainwashed, one to be an assassin. There is an unrealistic twist at the end. It’s great to see a scene where Frank Sinatra is karate fighting. – ACT/DRA
MASH (1970) – 3/5 – Tom Skerritt and Donald Sutherland star as the two zany surgeons who employ black humor in the middle of the Korean War to lighten everyone’s suffering. The movie is thinly veiled anti-Vietnam sentiment which has become mainstream in 1970. These two main actors seem much more frightening than the [more] lovable Alan Alda and Wayne Rogers. The television version, therefore, makes for more entertaining fare. – COM
Man on the Moon (2000) – 3/5 – Jim Carrey channels Andy Kaufman, who pioneered a comedy bordering on performance art. Very interesting. – COM/DRA
The Man who Knew too Much (1956) – 3/5 – Hitchcock spy thriller. My main problem with this movie was the lame que Sera Sera song over and over - DRA
Meet the Fockers (2004) – 3/5 - Almost as funny sequel to Meet the Parents. I was pleasantly surprised with how much I laughed. – COM
Memento (2000) – 3/5 – Unique filmmaking, with the story told from the end to the beginning. The plot is twisted and fascinating. Unfortunately, you do walk away from the film impressed by it’s making, but with a sinking feeling that mankind is simply evil. – ACT
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) – 3/5 – Excellent cinematography and very good character development. The movie fails to make me want to become a geisha, however. - DRA
Mission Impossible (1996) & MI-2 (2000) & MI-III (1006) - 3/5 - Ryan: I could not believe the incredible stunt work in this movie. Story was fairly good. Fight scenes were great. We missed the ever-burning fuse. The sexual innuendoes were too strong at first. I agree with Bruin about the mask thing. - Bruin: 3/5 - Classic action-adventure fare. The choreography of the fight scenes were quite good. Underlying theme of 2 guys fighting over a girl with some biological warfare motif thrown in for good measure. Wish there was more of Anthony Hopkins and less of Tom Cruise. The mask thing was kind of hokey, but all in all a very entertaining, fun movie. Good summer fodder. - Anonymous Bruin - ACT
Napoleon Dynamite (2004) – 3/5. Dynamite is a funny story about outcast teen’s struggle to find his own niche. His family’s antics and the crazy
None but the Brave (1965) - 3/5 – Awaiting Ryan’s Viewing (not on netflix)- A World War II tale of Japanese and American soldiers stranded on a remote Pacific Island after separate warplane maneuvers failed. They must survive despite broken communications with their respective command posts. An interesting, partly moving portrayal of military men who need each other to survive and face to face want not to kill or wage war. Dialogue and acting mediocre, killings easy and surreal, yet, a must see for the few profound lines and implied plea to the viewer... to question - why we still wage war. - Betty - ACT/DRA
Nurse Betty (2000) – 3/5 –
Ocean’s Eleven (2001) – 3/5 – Fair movie about a
Officer and a Gentleman, An (1982) – 3/5 – Entertaining movie with young Navy recruits hoping to be officers. The protagonist comes from a shady background. He learns some important lessons. The sub-plot is about poor white trash finding a husband. – DRA
Once upon a Time in
Phenomenon (1996) – 3/5 – John Travolta learns to break glass with his mind. - DRA
Pleasantville (1998) – 3/5 – Visually stunning, a complex plot comparing the virtues of the 1950s with the virtues of the 1990s. Missed greatness, but quite good. - DRA
Powder (1995) - 3/5 - A good movie about a boy born abnormal, abnormally wonderful. He is ostracized from society because he is different and unusual. His supernatural powers are overdone, which makes this potentially great movie get a good rating. - DRA
Punch-Drunk Love (2002) – 3/5 – I think the critics liked this one more than me, but as you can see my 3/5 are pretty good movies. A quirky man’s life-changing week while falling in love with a woman we are never quite convinced isn’t also out to get him. – DRA
Quiz Show (1994) – 3/5 – Robert
Ransom (1996) – 3/5 – Action/thriller about a rich man who must deal with the nightmare of a daughter taken for ransom. - ACT
Recruit, The (2003) – 3/5 – The critics tore up this movie. I liked it a little more. Probably this is because I like CIA thrillers. If you like that genre, then this is a nice one to catch. Otherwise, it is formulaic and forgettable. – ACT
Reservoir Dogs (1992) – 3/5 – Ugly, violent, horrible movie. A Tarantino classic. Displays the ugliness of crime with fantastic acting and suspense. No quarter is given to the appearance of propriety in a mob movie. The movie is fantastic. It is so gut-wrenching as to not have my recommendation, though. - ACT
The Rock (1996) – 3/5 – An exciting assault on
Roman Holiday (1953) – 3/5 – A great tour of
Rudy (1993) – 3/5 – An uplifting sports movie about a boy’s struggle to play football for Notre Dame. A Crowd-pleaser like Hoosiers- DRA
Rules of Engagement (2000) - 3/5 - As courtroom military dramas go, this one isn’t as good as A Few Good Men (one of my favorites). But is entertaining nonetheless. The Good and the Bad aren’t as well-defined in the story, and for simple-minded folk such as myself, that was a bit dissatisfying. Tommy Lee Jones does a good job of portraying an inept lawyer. - Anonymous Bruin. There are a few really climactic scenes at the very beginning. Then it gets into JAG. I have to agree with Anonymous Bruin here. 3/5.– DRA
Rushmore (1998) – 3/5 – A quirky, witty and memorable film. As Roger Ebert noted, the character development is excellent. It is enchanting to watch Jason Schwartzman fall in love with his prep school teacher. Unfortunately, the movie isn’t as compelling when a silly conflict is played out. – COM
Sabrina (1995) – 3/5 – Updated and better than the 1954 version. - DRA
Say Anything (1989) – 3/5 – Romantic comedy about an average student falling in love with the graduating valedictorian. A smart, fun high-school in the 1980's movie. The most often parodied love scene in history is when the young man uses a ghetto blaster to serenade his love. - COM
Sexy Beast (2001) - 3/5. You want mob nightmares, rent Sexy Beast. Ben Kingsley makes a frightening antisocial who is recruiting for a great heist. The movie is extremely violent and perverse, so beware. UNT/ACT.
Shakespeare in Love (1998) – 3/5 – A little corny, but a good story. – COM, DRA
Shane (1953) – 3/5 – Classic western, with a good story, stunning vistas. It isn't perfect, and doesn't redefine the genre, but it is interesting and watchable. You can almost watch it and just wish they could have been a little ahead of their times and it would have been much better. - DRA
The Shining (1980) – 3/5 – A little boy has “The Shining,” the ability to read minds, see the future, and the past. He fears his father will hurt him and his mother, and his clairvoyance into the future comes to life. The drama is unforgettable, but as most critics say, misses the mark. The father becomes insane far too soon, and loses the interesting parts of his character, whereas Shelly Duvall seems to become an amazing actress toward the end of the film. – UNT
Sister Act (1992) – 3/5 – Whoopie Goldberg comedy. She has to pose as a nun as witness protection. Of course she doesn’t fit in so well. – COM
Sleeper (1973) – 3/5 – I think the most enjoyable Woody Allen movie I’ve seen. I liked this one. A 1970’s zany futuristic farce and commentary on culture, government. It’s low budget and silly, but a time capsule of comedy. - COM
Sneakers (1992) - 3/5 - This is a very average spy thriller from the early days of computers. - DRA
Soldier (1998) – 3/5 – Kurt Russell – Futuristic combat eye candy. Not much substance – ACT
Spiderman (2002) – 3/5 – Pretty good action entertainment. The morals are stretched thinner than a snapping web. The main reason to see this film is to have the background to experience Spiderman 2 (2004). - ACT
Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002) – 3/5 – I’m writing this review three years after seeing it. For the life of me I can’t remember an interesting thing that happened in this movie. It was neutral, not as painfully awful as Episode I. There is a good unraveling of the plot to come, and tight tying in to the original StarWars series. Some of the love scenes with Natalie Portman are fast-forward candidates. – ACT
Stranger than Fiction (2006) – 3/5- Interesting dark comedy about a character in a novel becoming self-aware as a character in a novel - DRA
The Sum of All Fears (2002) – 3/5 – When Neo-Fascists detonate a nuclear bomb in Philidelphia, the
Taxi Driver (1976) - 3/5 - A disturbing look at the unique subculture and the underworld of
Tea with Mussolini (1999) - 3/5 – 1999 - Excellent portrayal of the developments of W.W.II on English/art society within
Terminator, The (1984) – 3/5 – Some suspenseful scenes, a fair plot, and one classic line, “I’ll be back!” Not good enough to spawn a series of sequels. - ACT
Thin Red Line, The (1998) – 3/5 – Great war movie about the taking of a pacific island in WWII. Very introspective. I don’t really want to watch it again, though. – ACT
Three Men and a Baby (1987) – 3/5 – Entertaining enough, this movie features three smooth, good looking movie stars, cast as bachelors who inherit a baby. - COM
Tommy Boy (1995) – 3/5 – Classic Chris Farley and David Spade. They play off of each other very well in a hilarious way. - COM
Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970) – 3/5 – An action movie, the most historically correct movie about the invasion of
Trading Places (1983) – 3/5 – Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy trade places from an upscale trading job to the streets. It is comedic and silly but has some heart. - COM
Traffic (2001) – 3/5 – Good movie, a little difficult to watch about the damages of both the drug trade and the war on drugs. Kind of liberal preachy at times. – ACT/DRA
UHF (1989) – 3/5 – If you aren’t ready for the zany comedy of Weird Al, then this is a 2/5. If you can be patient with the agonizing storyline, and overacted bad guys, there are dozens of hilarious and memorable scenes and quips. – COM
US
The Untouchables (1987) – 3/5 – I’m not going to watch this movie again. It had been awhile, and I couldn’t remember the story very well. It’s too unrealistic. The movie makes the group of 4 untouchable cops look so vulnerable all the time. It’s worth seeing once just to understand that paragraph in American History when Al Capone gets locked up for income tax evasion. The music is disturbingly inappropriate and Kevin Costner pulls another of his terrible acting stints. – ACT
Wag the Dog (1997) – 3/5 – Haven’t seen this since it came out. I remember it as a solid, smart comedy about the white house, but not super memorable as a comedy. – COM
The Waterboy (1998) – 3/5 – Waterboy is one of the best Adam Sandler movies out there. It’s inane and stupid, but reaches serious funniness many times. Not quite as good as, say, Tommy Boy, but an SNL star movie in the same genre. – COM
The Wedding Singer (1998) – 3/5 – A silly comedy, but, like Waterboy, very watchable and entertaining. – COM
What Women Want (2000) – 3/5 – A chauvinistic guy finally hears what people think about his rude behavior. He learns what women want. Entertaining enough to watch. – DRA
Weird Science (1985) – 3/5. This is a zany and memorable teen comedy from the 80’s. – COM
X-Men (2000) - 3/5 - Ryan: Exciting adaptation of the comic book series. Wolverine is followed through his first encounter with the X-men, and his first great battle against the evil Magneto. This movie is great for the box office, but no award winner. Movie making technology is at a threshold where movies like this are becoming possible. - Anonymous Bruin: A fun adaptation of the comic series. I saw it sans any comic book background and the story stood well on its own. Great special effects and action-adventure storyline. Patrick Stewart and Ian Macgregor were well-chosen for their respective roles.
Varton: GREAT MOVIE.....! For those of you who kept up with the X-Men Comics, this is a must see..... I role-played Marvel Superheroes as a teenager....and I loved it. It was truly the funnest thing to see a game that I used to love put into an entertaining movie. It was really a lot of fun.... Anyway....if you haven't seen it....please re-consider and go see it with a loved one. - CATEGORY: ACT
XXX (2002) – 3/5 - Punk tough guy finds out the government wants him to be the next James Bond. – ACT
You’ve Got Mail (1998) – 3/5 – Romantic comedy is cute, but Sleepless in
Two Star Movies
48 Hrs. (1983) - 2/5 – Set in
Ace
Addams Family (1991) – 2/5 – Average humor. - COM
La Avventura (1960) – 2/5 – I ended up watching this movie in 6x Fast Forward. The dialogue and story move so slowly that I didn't miss a thing. Painful viewing otherwise. Good: 2 beautiful Italian divas in negligees. Postwar
And God Created Woman (1987) - 2/5 - Supposed to be sexy, this movie was a rated-R version of a dud TV show. An inmate finds something, I'm not sure. - UNT
Armageddon (1998) – 2/5 – A dry story about a bunch of oil drillers who suddenly have “The Right Stuff” to go into space and save the world from an asteroid. - ACT
As Good As It Gets (1997) – 2/5 – When I saw the dysfunctional relationship between a depressed woman and an older curmudgeon, I thought to myself, “Is this as good as this movie gets?”
Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002) – 2/5 – The worst Austin Powers so far . . . very disappointing . . . and painful to watch. – COM
Backdraft (1991) – 2/5 – The story seems like it would be exiting, and the visual effects are great, but the movie is limp, and uninteresting. – ACT
Bad Boys II (2003) – 2/5 – Caught the last third of the movie, which was barely watchable, and seemed like terrible acting, and reasonable action. - ACT
Batman and Robin (1997) – 2/5 – It’s too bad there is still money in the Batman franchise because they keep getting worse instead of better. - ACT
Beautiful (2000) - 2/5 - This movie could have been poignant. Instead, it turned into a silly display of childish pranks, adults taking revenge, and bleary-eyed sappiness toward the end. The point of objectifying women with beauty contests is the backdrop, not the theme. – DRA
The Birds (1963) – 2/5 – This just doesn't stand the test of time. I was very unimpressed - DRA
Blade Runner (1982) – 2/5 – There are many who are deep fans of this movie. I noticed that others really liked it, but I never could understand why I didn’t. When I think back, it is beautiful, a futuristic look (like a Los Angeles/Tokyo of 3000) It is bleak and repulsive, however visually stunning. The storyline is weak, and detached. The film is important because of the visual effects. – ACT
Borat (2006) – 2/5 – OMG homosexual scene. A comedian travels
The Bourne Supremacy (2004) 2/5. There is nothing new to this installment of the Bourne Identity. Don’t bother with this one, as it is barely watch-able: the director decided to use a “shaky cam” approach. Take Dramamine first. - ACT
Bring It On (2000) - 2/5 - Anonymous Bruin's review of the first 1/3: Actually only got to see 1/3 of this movie 'cause I snuck in illegally while waiting for another movie. Shhhhh. Don't tell. But the first 1/3rd was actually fun -- think I may have enjoyed it more if I were back in high school. Instead, I found myself feeling old and bitter amidst the sea of screaming, squeaking teeny-boppers in the audience. The film's about a bunch of cheerleaders and some cheerleading competition with the usual teenage "love" angst motif thrown in. - Anonymous Bruin (Note I was told that Anonymous Bruin owns Bring It On action figures) - Anonymous Bruin's review of the second 1/3: Bring It On (middle portion) -- Snuck in to see the middle of the movie...one of these days, I'm going to see the whole darn thing, albeit in piecemeal fashion. Not willing to fork over money to see it, though. So, we left off at the National Cheerleading championships -- the Toros end up with a copied routine and are almost disqualified. But as defending champions, they still get to go to the Finals in
The Candidate (1972) - 2/5 - Robert
Charlie’s Angels (2000) – 2/5 – Worth watching for the Hong-Kong style fight scene in the alley. Laughs. - ACT
Chicken Run (2000) - 2/5 - Ryan: Was it just me or was this movie just boring. Even the kids were wiggling around, running around the house. A spoof on The Great Escape that just didn't capture the need to escape because all the chickens were so stupid. You couldn't feel sorry for them, and I just wanted the whole thing to end. Bruin: 3/5 - A delightful, original film by the makers of “Wallace and Gromit”—the British claymation production with a cult following. The story line was cute, the British humor (er...”humour”) was funny and the animation was impressive. A fun movie for the entire family. - The Anonymous Bruin - COM/DRA
Con Air (1997) – 2/5 – A bunch of psychopathic murderers escape and hijack a plane and crash into
Cotton Club (1984) – 2/5 – In the heyday of
Cries and Whispers (1972) – 2/5 – A surreal intimate portrait of four emotionally dysfunctional women in close quarters while one dies. I'm done with Ingmar Bergman. It is painfully slow, claustrophobic and bizarre. As an aside, it is visually unconvincing for a physician also. The only interesting thing about the DVD is the excellent interview with Bergman included in the extras. I had also rented Wild Strawberries (1957). I sent it back unviewed. I did not want an encore. – DRA
Days of Wine and Roses (1962) – 2/5 – I couldn't finish this one, as the premise and acting were so difficult to swallow that it just was unrealistic and boring - COM
Death Becomes Her (1992) – 2/5 – Creepy and forgettable. - DRA
Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (1999) - 2/5 - The film is as inane as the title. But if you’re post-call and wish to give those neuronal synapses a rest, this is the movie to see. Lots of laughs preying on baser instincts (i.e. poop jokes, sex jokes, etc...) Rob Schneider is a one man show. - Anonymous Bruin - COM
Dr. Doolittle (1998) – 2/5 – Eddie Murphy just doesn’t capture the magic of the Dr. Doolittle books at all. – COM/CHI
Dragnet (1987) – 2/5 – Pretty good comedy loosely based on the TV series of the same name. – COM
Eraser (1996) – 2/5 – Farcical portrayal of an undercover
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid to Ask) (1972) – 2/5 – A typical Woody Allen comedy. There are seven comic sketches about sexuality. The movie is funny in a Woody Allen sort of way. I liked the one at the end, about what happens inside the body of a man before, during, and after a sexual encounter. There isn’t nudity, but a lot of adult references. – UNT/COM
Eye of the Beholder (2000) - 2/5 - A woman serial killer (Ashley Judd) goes on a rampage across the country while being stalked by a schizophrenic secret agent (Ewan Macgregor). Confusing all the time without clearing up at the end. - Rob - ACT/UNT
Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) – 2/5 – This propaganda piece never belonged on the big screen. He makes plenty of innuendos, and just waits to see what sticks. This is Michael Moore’s controversial “documentary,” mostly on the Saudi influences on the Bush family. He seems to advocate that we would have declared war on
The Fast and the Furious (2001) 2/5. Fast is an entertaining ride, although a brain-dead story about a group of Honda enthusiasts who pull over big-rigs to rob them by performing zippy maneuvers on the freeway. Apparently, it is a plagiarized version of Point Break. - ACT
Final Destination (2000) - 2/5 - As scary teenage flicks go, this one ain’t bad. The anticipatory angst is well worth the price of the movie ticket. An eerie “Twilight Zone” meets “Nightmare on
Flatliners (1990) - 2/5 - fair movie - very surreal, dark, story is somewhat unrealistic but entertaining definitely an R rating. - DRA/ACT
Gangs of
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967) – 2/5 – I could hardly stand to watch this, and had to shut it off. What’s this innocent, fake 18 year old doing with an older black man. The fault is that the story does not even try to convince you that they belong together, and from what we see, they obviously don’t. The “lovebirds” give an ultimatum: Now or never! Why can’t they date for a while? It doesn’t make any sense, but accosts you like you are a racist if you don’t approve of their rush to marriage. - DRA
Highlander (1985) – 2/5 - I agree with the critics who rated this movie poorly when it first came out. Created by college students and an MTV director, there is a lot of fighting, flashy swordplay and constant battling. Besides increasing teenage testosterone levels, there is no real connection to the real world, and no wonderful allegory like matrix. I never saw what my friends saw in this movie. I'll never force myself to see it again. - ACT
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) - 2/5 - Jim Carrey. A funny story telling of Dr. Seuss Classic. At first I thought, "Do I really have to sit through two hours of this?" There were times that I was absorbed, but most of the time it seemed like ill-placed effort. The grinch was a little too Jim Carrey. - COM
Hulk, The (2003) – 2/5 – I feel I was tortured during a flight as a captive viewer of this film. Forty minutes into it, I had to pick up my Time Magazine and read that instead. A re-release of some of the TV show episodes on DVD would be much more interesting. – ACT
In-Laws, The (2003) – 2/5 – Dreadful comedy about a daredevil CIA agent who just can’t slow down to make his daughter’s wedding nice. – COM/ACT
Invincible (2006) – 2/5 – My family watched this movie while we played a card game. We laughed at the corny, predictable storyline. Guess you would have to really love football to be drawn to this lifetime movie. - DRA
It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963) – 2/5 – Quintessential 1960’s “supercomedy.” Hire 10 superstar comics and have them act zany for two hours. I watched this as a young kid, and I wouldn’t touch it with a 10’ Polack. - COM
Kill Bill (2003) – 2/5 – Disturbing as always, this Tarantino film has no real subject, except itself. It is a film about making a pulp-samurai movie. It also explores the limits of on-screen violence. There are many novel filmmaking techniques, but unfortunately it is revolting. The gore and graphic evil are simply too much to watch. – UNT/ACT
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (2003) – 2/5 – about one-third as good as an Indiana Jones movie. - ACT
Little Women (1949) - 2/5 - This was a great synopsis-like movie, but I feel like there was so little character development and so much melodramatic acting that it was definitely not a timeless classic. The melodrama must be somewhat tongue-in-cheek. At the same moment that the dialogue criticized the use of melodrama, it was occurring on the screen. Worth seeing if you ever wondered what the book is about. - DRA
Matrix Reloaded (2003) – 2/5. Reloaded is a very disappointing sequel to Matrix 1999. How can a character develop once he has become all-powerful? You’re right: he can’t. And that’s why this is so boring.
Michael (1996) – 2/5 - A story of a violent angel who dies and helps two people become boyfriend and girlfriend. Fair at best. - Rob - 4/5 - I feel Dr. Smith was too harsh in his criticism of Michael. Michael is merely a sweet angel who enjoys sugary treats. - DRA/COM
Money Pit (1986) – 2/5 - Just doesn't do any character development. The protagonists are so stupid we feel they probably deserve the house they bought. There are some very well timed gags, but its the same thing over and over. - COM
Mummy, The (1999) - 2/5 A brain dead action/comedy which can't decide if it's action or comedy. It has a flesh eating bug theme. Rob - No Score - The Mummy is based on a biblical story and Ryan's comments are blasphemous. - ACT/COM
My Darling Clementine (1946) – 2/5 – A classic western about the Clanton brothers meeting Doc Holiday and Wyatt Erp at the OK corral. This was barely watch-able. I kept telling myself it wouldn’t be long till it was finally over. It is slow, boring, and the dialogue is stilted. - ACT
My Own Private Idaho (1992) - 2/5. Not worth watching, this is a silly attempt at a poetic picture of young drug addicted males who happen to all be beautiful models and all choose a life of crime and male prostitution. A tangled web of paternities and friendships follows the lives of two, one suffering from narcolepsy, which is nicely explained by a dictionary entry in the beginning. The dialogue is peppered with spontaneous periods of Shakespearean speech. On the whole it is very unsatisfying; especially for the amount of the distasteful underbelly of society we are forced to see. - INT/UNT
Office Space (1998) - 2/5 - My brother, who works in a cubicle with bosses apparently just like those depicted, loved the movie, and swears by it. It has quite a following, and there are a few characters that are fun to think about afterwards. The problem was that all the character development that was done was five minutes of the movie, and the rest was some crackpot scheme. - COM
Poseidon Adventure (1972) – 2/5 – One of the AFI’s 100 top thrillers, this movie is a linear, unsympathetic, overacted disaster story (see also Towering Inferno, Airport). The first 1/3 of the movie is useless. Then people die one by one as they struggle with their personal problems. Shelly Winters is miscast as a Jewish wife, but surprises everyone by keeping her ass moving through the whole adventure. Stella Stevens keeps to her bargain and reveals as much of her ass as possible during the entire adventure. Nominated for multiple academy awards, the only award it received was the theme song. The theme song has nothing to do with the movie. It’s called “Morning After” and it is as haunting as anything in the film. You will find it echoing around in your head for days. Imagine 1973 cars blasting the Morning After theme. A snafu is seen during a big celebration during which a 70’s modern band is playing this dreary song, and the crowd is dancing quite a jig at the same time (apparently to some other song). The money shot of the whole movie is the good ship Poseidon upside-down. Not filmed from underwater, and not from above, the image is just strange. After looking closely, it’s simply an image of a ship at night taken from helicopter, and turned upside-down. The importance of seeing this movie (and the other two of the disaster craze) is really of appreciating how very wonderfully funny the scene in the movie Airplane (the disaster-series parody) really is when the little boy comes up to the pilot’s seat. – DRA/ACT
Pretty Woman (1990) – 2/5 – The tenets of the plot are just so untenable. Julia Roberts annoys as always. – DRA
The Quiet Man (1952) – 2/5 – I’m glad to have watched this movie, to see the beautiful landscape of Ireland in the 1950’s as portrayed to be even earlier. Also the interesting Irish culture was entertaining. The story, though, was just tolerable. John Wayne is good here in a tranquil role. This is a quality and wholesome family movie about two older adults dating in the Irish culture. A big winner in the Academy Awards 1952. – DRA
Risky Business (1983) – 2/5 – I just can’t find the interesting part of this movie, where a teenager turns his parents’ house into a brothel while they are away. – COM
The Rules of the Game (1939) – 2/5 – Considered one of the greatest films ever made. My take is different. In desperate need of an update, this French film is meant to be critical of hypocritical French elite. Unfortunately, an essential plot element is that there is a beautiful Austrian foreign woman who is very enchanting. What is on the screen, though, is a very unappealing lady who has poor posture, and never smiles. She apparently was cast because of some relation, not because of her acting skill. The director is successful in displaying the elite as silly, with two and three lovers at a time, but also seems to take them seriously. The movie is a tragedy, a romance, a comedy all at once, and is quite unsuccessful at all three. The chase and fight scenes are like keystone cops. There are many good one-liners, “wisdom” of the French elite. As they play “the game,” one can see the most important rule: If it is for fun, lovers are fine. If it for living together, it can be deadly. For a 1939 “classic,” stick with the Wizard of Oz, or Mr. Smith Goes to
Runaway Bride (1999) – 2/5 – Two good looking actors have interesting exchages in this lame move – COM/DRA
The Russians Are Coming!, The Russians Are Coming! (1966) – 2/5 – A comedy of a frenzied town shocked by the arrival of a submarine crew of Russians. They find they have more in common than they expect. The film earned three Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, but I was under-whelmed by the slapstick, and some contrived plot elements. – COM
Sabrina (1954) – 2/5 – Just couldn’t come to enjoy this story of a tycoon’s family intrigues. - DRA
Saturday Night Live – Mr. Bill Collection (1975) – 2/5 – Must be incomplete, but a good intro to the Mr. Bill I remember seeing as a child. Mr Hand makes me laugh. Very short, and kind of dry. Probably a whole lot better once a week than 40 in a row. – COM
Scary Movie 2 (2001) – 2/5 - There is only one part worth watching. After you see Charlie’s Angels, the spoof of a fight seen is hilarious. – COM
Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989) - 2/5. This movie is a psychological piece about four peoples sex lives. A very weird guy comes to stay with a friend, and three people’s lives are turned upside down by his – um - honesty? I really can’t relate to this weird guy as anyone I have ever known or heard of and he doesn’t come off realistic. Watch-able, but not great. - UNT
Shaft (1971) – 2/5. The original “Blacksploitation” film. The bottom line: Shaft is a real asshole. You really want to like him, but the portrayal of Shaft makes it impossible. He has a baby face that doesn’t go along with the tough-guy character. His interactions with the police are not even plausible. He is a misogynist. He has no sense of humor, and several times starts cackling uncontrollably at his own jokes which go like this, “I just said, ‘Up Yours!,’ Ha Ha Ha Ha.” It’s really not worth watching; even to better understand the good comedy, Undercover Brother. For a 1971 film, there is precious little in the way of sweet 70s cars. Redeeming features: the idea could have been very well done, but the acting and directing got in the way. The music is great, even the corny theme song. – ACT/UNT. – reviewed for netflix but maybe they didn’t accept, check.
Shallow Hal (2001) 2/5. A vain attempt to convince the world that morbid obesity should be overlooked in a potential mate. It has funny moments but doesn’t let us laugh easily, as it subsequently whops us over the head for laughing. COM
Six Days, Seven Nights (1998) - 2/5 - an overdone story about two people stranded on an island. Another in the genre of Old Famous Star meets young new sexy face. And it wasn't even a James Bond flick. - ACT/DRA
Spaceballs (1987) – 2/5 – Mel Brook’s version of Star Wars. There are many hilarious gags that make you smile ever after. It’s cornball though, and low tech on the visuals. – COM
Spiderman III (2007) – 2/5 – Disappointing sequel to one of the greatest film sequels ever (Spiderman II). The plot is just plain dumb.
Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999) – 2/5 – This movie is extremely sad and extremely painful to watch. Those of us who loved the original Star Wars series were disappointed to see George Lucas had lost his faith in the Force. He now believes that instead of a mystical power, it is an inherited microorganism that lives in more concentrated form in certain people, like Anakin Skywalker. Fart jokes, a stupid animal with a
Swordfish (2001) – 2/5 – A forgettable criminal computer hacking drama. Lame. - ACT
Tango & Cash (1989) – 2/5 – Stallone and Kirt Russell. Star studded & barely watchable. - ACT
Tears of the Sun (2003) – 2/5 – The only tears I shed were that the movie didn’t just end after the first 20 minutes. What nonsense. An action movie with only one good action scene, at the second village. Just scene scan the DVD to that scene and shed no tears. – ACT
Three Wishes (1995) – 2/5 – Patrick Swayze. This story really could have been something good. Unfortunately it forays into the magical and ends in a happy but bittersweet ending that is ridiculous. - DRA
Thrill of it All, The (1963) – 2/5 – I’m going to disagree with the critics here. This movie simply does not survive past the 60’s. James Garner and Doris Day both gave a great performance. There are several scenes that explore the tension between the sexes in an enthralling way. Unfortunately, poor directing, overacting, and a contrived plot anchor the film down. The “women’s place is in the home” moral message doesn’t translate to a modern audience well equipped to grapple with issues surrounding women in the workplace. Even as a man I’m offended by the fact that the husband’s immoral, hurtful, and offensive manipulation is presented as if it were comedic. A pair of old men overacts their parts, as well as both the couple’s children. These four actors’ deliveries make the movie almost unbearable in parts. The little girl is the cute one from Sound of Music. What was cute and silly in the 1960’s doesn’t deliver the laughs in the 2000’s. For example, at one point workers cart away soap bubbles in 3 large trucks to emphasize how many bubbles the studio created for the film. Please. The conclusion is disappointing to a modern audience. There is nothing thrilling about this film. I couldn’t wait for the commercials. – COM
U-Turn (1997) – 2/5. The movie is a study of inhumanity and violence. This should be seen only by the cold-hearted. The direction is odd, almost an experiment in how strange can I direct? Sean Penn was perfect for this movie, because he is so unlikable to start with. Also, it was great to see J Lo get killed. – UNT/ACT
Watership Down (1979) – 2/5 – Whatever point there was to creating this violent and upsetting cartoon with serene animation was completely lost on me. I couldn’t tell if the naïve dialogue between rabbits was aimed at children or adults. I thought it dragged and dragged, and was very linear. Several rabbits listen to the scared musings of a paranoid runt with an anxiety disorder, and decide to flee their burrow. They meet rabbits who are being hunted and snared, and they meet a rabbit military stratocracy. A stupid bird reminds me of Jar-Jar Binks, of Star Wars fame. The paranoid, frightened, violent story is illustrated in lush pastel. This one is very strange and very overrated. – DRA
To Wong Foo (1995) – 2/5 – What WAS this movie? There were such corny moments hardly bearable to watch, but there were really funny, touching parts too. It’s too bad there were too many fatal flaws, such as the lame-looking “socials” and the very superficial treatment of domestic violence. Not worth seeing, but you already knew that. How many 2/5 movies is Patrick Swayze going to collect here? - COM
Total Recall (1990) - 2/5 - Schwarzenegger saves the Mars air supply. – ACT
The Towering Inferno (1974) – 2/5 – I liked the pyrotechnics! A star studded cast fights a fire in a skyscraper. Malton calls it “All-star idiocy.” The plot is: a very high building has a flimsy design, and the sprinkler system isn’t working. They go ahead and start putting in tenants anyway. Then they have a celebratory party and the thing lights on fire. Then one after another, people die in a grisly way. The producers get free use of public resources (fire trucks, etc.) by making the Fire Chief Steve McQueen and having him single-handedly perform a variety of American Hero stunts. - ACT
The Toy (1982) - 2/5 – This is a tasteless comedy about a rich boy who buys a person to be a friend and servant. That person happens to be a Negro. - COM
Unbreakable (2000) - 2/5 - That guy who made The Sixth Sense made this time a barely tolerable movie. Interesting twist at the end. – ACT
Uncle Buck (1989) – 2/5 – Uncle Buck, usually a foul-up, ends up with responsibility for the kids on a summer vacation. John Candy is good as the surprisingly decent uncle. But the writing and a few gags reveal that Uncle Buck is a very frightening man indeed; we can never get very comfortable or laugh very hard, for fear. - COM
Vertical Limit (2000) - 2/5 - A rock climbing / mountain climbing movie. Survival on
One Star Movies
Absolute Power (1997) – 1/5 – Clint Eastwood bombs in this thriller – ACT
Armitage III – Poly Matrix – The Movie (1997) – 1/5 – Well, I tried this genre for the first time. Terrible Cartoon about the conflict between Man and Robots. Actually a good idea, but the story line, the bad guy character, and the silly dog-collared main character ruin it. – ACT
Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002) – 2/5 – The worst Austin Powers so far . . . very disappointing . . . and painful to watch. – COM
Brewster’s Millions (1985) – 1/5 – One of the disappointing comedies that motivate me to create a review page. Even John Candy and Richard Pryor can’t rescue this recycled bad plot. - COM
Cannonball Run (1981) – 1/5 – A waste of everyone’s time for a few car chase scenes. See Smokey and the Bandit instead – ACT
Casanova (2005) – 1/5 – I saw this out of the corner of my eye without dialogue. Horrible. – DRA/ACT
Charlie’s Angels – Full Throttle (2003) – 1/5 – Unrealistic from the very first. More like a comic book but stupider. – ACT
Cliffhanger (1993) – 1/5 – This is the movie when I promised myself I would never watch another Stallone movie. Couldn’t finish it – ACT
Dune (1984) – 1/5 – I drove all the way from Tooele, Utah to Salt Lake City to see one of the most anticipated films of all time. What an incomprehensible disaster! - ACT
Ghosts of the Abyss (2003) – 1/5 – Looks like it would be an interesting documentary on Discovery Channel. Features the “Most Advanced” 3D technology. Back to the 3D technology drawing board, guys! See it if you like to see double. – ACT
Joe Dirt (2001) – 1/5 – Barely entertaining enough to watch. It does draw you in though it’s poorly done. – COM
The Legend of Johnny Lingo (2003) – 1/5 - CHI
Little Nicky (2000) – 1/5 – Saw 15 minutes and it was clear how to rate this goofy-ass film. - COM
Master of Disguise (2002) – 1/5 – Dana Carvey. Maybe this is funny for kids, but I doubt it. – COM
The Mummy Returns (2001) – 1/5 – Satanic warriors take on a pretty good looking guy, and lose. - ACT
Mr. Hulot’s Holiday (1953) – 1/5 – French comedy – I concur with this review by “MN” on Netflix: As a classic and foreign film buff, I rented this one after reading Ebert's positive review/essay, but I couldn't even finish it. As a matter of fact, I wanted the hour of my life back that I DID get through. This movie was awful. The supposed sight gags weren't funny, the movie was slow, and the character is quite dated. Only the Jerry Lewis loving French could possibly find this amusing. The only redeeming quality seems to be the development of the relationship between the blonde and Hulot . . . kind of cute in ways, if you can stay awake through the slow-movng and unfunny plotline long enough to get that far. Rent this if you're having difficulty sleeping. Otherwise, rent "Bean" or Benny Hill for better, or at least funny, slapstick. - COM
Resident Evil (2002) – 1/5 – I only dropped in for the last 30 minutes. What a seriously freakish and lame movie. A corporation creates a virus which creates both mutants and zombies. Features some ¼ naked women. - ACT
Road Trip (2000) - 1/5 – Even though I haven’t seen this movie – I thought it was important to make it clear that this is a 1/5 movie. See Anonymous Bruin’s Review: Probably one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen. (Is it possible to give this ZERO out of 5 stars?) Had some cheap laughs here and there, but the inanity and stupid storyline managed to overwhelm any redeeming element of humor. Basically a lame story about a bunch of dumb, hormonally driven, cerebrally challenged college boys on a road trip. I’m loath to even admit I saw this movie, but I did, and here is my repentance. Please provide a public service announcement and advise others against seeing this film as mass popularity will only breed further movies of this useless genre. - COM
Scary Movie (2000) - 1/5 - Yet another 1 out of 5 star lame, teenage film. (Don’t I ever learn? you may ask...) Had some cheap laughs, but the chuckles can all be gleaned from the previews; the full length film didn’t add much more. - Anonymous Bruin - COM/UNT
Wedding Crashers (2005) – 1/5 – Uncomfortable, silly comedy that just wasn’t funny enough to keep watching. It was inappropriate and stupid - COM
Written on the Wind (1956) – 1/5 – As melodramatic and inane as the 1950’s. This movie is only interesting for people who are currently living in 1956. It is sexist and ridiculous and I couldn’t finish it. – DRA
Wyatt Erp (1994) – 1/5 – Does every movie with Wyatt Erp have to be bad? Kevin Costner delivers another of his epic performances. - ACT
Television Entertainment/Drama– 5/5
24: Season 1,2 (2001,2002) – Fox. This is the perfect serial thriller for people who like CIA thrillers. It’s The Fugative for generation X. Kiefer Sutherland plays a very convincing counterterrorist official who has to go outside protocol to get the job done. Just as one sub-plot winds up, another starts. Though it is a little tiring and the viewer would like a nice end to the madness, he wants it to go on just the same. – ACT
Band of Brothers (2001) – A tribute to Easy Company, an airborne infantry company. True stories told by the heroes that fought Hitler’s troops and masterfully brought to the big screen. Eight one-hour episodes, each telling a unique story while weaved into one larger story. – ACT/DRA
Battlestar Galactica Miniseries (2003) – The long (4h) opener to a re-creation of the classic miniseries. Ronald D. Moore writes on the webpage an excellent list of the articles of faith which guided his resurrection of science fiction. Example: “We believe that science fiction provides an opportunity to explore our own society, to provoke debate and to challenge our perceptions of ourselves and our fellow Man.” His team has done an excellent job at that. Unfortunately, or fortunately, the disc as received from Netflix was mislabeled and I ended up watching this instead of the original. I was surprised and confused: “This isn’t the way I remember it! – This looks like computer-generated animation!” – ACT
Battlestar Galactica Season 1 (2004) – A drama based on character development, twists on modern public events, special effects and nods to a popular science fiction series of the 1970’s. More sophisticated than the original. – ACT
Battlestar Galactica Season 2, 2.5 (2005) – Engaging and thoughtful action and drama explores issues relevant in today’s world while still being an excellent space-opera. Torture, balance of civilian and military power, sexuality, and much on religiosity is explored. – ACT
Bleak House (2005) – British production of Charles Dickens' novel. The acting, setting and story are excellent. - DRA
Law and Order: Season 1,2,3 (1990,1991, 1992) – This is a gritty, suspenseful, and thought-provoking series which is a modern classic. There is an interesting commentary with the first disc, talking about how the networks really didn’t like carrying this show, and now (in 2005) it is a darling. I have missed 15 years of this because it was always too controversial, I thought. Also, when I started watching it, it was SVU, and seemed morbidly p. Now it is great to finally see the original. – DRA
MASH: Season 1 (1972) – With the Korean War as a black backdrop, MASH is a protest against war, but a comedy at the same time. Alan Alda’s engaging brand of sarcastic wittiness was an improvement on the theatre version. Season one is classic 70’s material, with rife sexuality, a token black nurse and black surgeon, and rampant political incorrectness in terms of racial slurs, and sexism. I find it refreshingly non-sterile. During the course of the season, one sees evolution, experimentation. Take the theme song for example. They first took away the extremely depressing words as heard in the movie and made it music only. Later, they tried a happy version, which must not have seemed right, because it reverted back to the music in subsequent episodes. In the climax of the season, we find Radar is quite a good drummer. Pierce (Alda) is sometimes engaging and sometimes seems like such a jerk. Watching his character change (possibly because of different writers) is interesting. This is one of the best TV series I have ever seen. When do they study? I need a mule. – COM
MASH: Season 2 (1973) – Still stinging, smart and funny. They have figured out the formula, after some experimentation with the characters during season one.
MI-5 Season 1 (2002), Season 2 (2003), Season 3 (2004), Season 4 (2005) – Excellent British spy show set in
The Shield, Season 1 (2002) – Unexpectedly good cop drama. This is a gritty, ugly drama, but compelling. It reminds me of Training Day. – ACT/DRA
The Sopranos: Season 1, Season 4 (1999,2003) – I was hesitant to watch this series. I watched the first disk, and was absolutely hooked. This is a thoroughly entertaining, excellently acted and directed drama. It’s certainly violent. The story is told from a very unusual perspective of a mobster trying to make sense out of his life. It is really a soap opera about middle age in the suburbs, but told from the perspective of a mob leader who is just likable enough to be accepted as the protagonist. Trying to analyze the personality disorders and how it enables him to function but disables him at the same time is the fun of the series. - DRA
South Park: The Complete Fourth Season (2000) – Best Episodes: Tooth Fairy Tats 2000, Cartman’s Silly Hate Crime, NAMBLA, Something Yyou Can Do With Your Finger, Fourth Grade, Fat Camp, Molestation Adventure. – COM/UNT
The Wire – Season 1 (2002) – The HBO answer to The Shield. The wire seems more realistic, and the police are dramatized as very limited in power by the reality of legal process and limited resources. The FBI seem to have the tools that they need, but the police are stuck with typewriters, not computers. In one scene, the police put up surveillance on a drug distribution gang. A rival gang's surveillance is even more effective than the police, observing both simultaneously. - DRA/ACT
Television Entertainment/Drama – 4/5
24: Season 3,4 (2003,2004) – Fox. The saga continues. It’s about season three that you start to wish that there could be some resolution at the end of each hour. Don’t watch more than one episode a day, or it becomes exhausting. – ACT
Foyle's War – Series 1 (2003) – It is with great success that a historical time period, wartime
The Shield, Season 2,3 (2003,2004) – Gritty and ugly. This cop drama continues, not quite as good as the first season. The limitation is the ability to believe that police work is done without lawyers and paperwork. The story is compelling and interesting, though. – ACT/DRA
The Simpsons: Season 1 (1989) – The inaugural season of The Simpsons is a little rough compared to later seasons. The smart, funny cartoon was a great surprise for the world, and a revolution in television. Take in a few of the commentaries. - COM
The Simpsons: Season 2 (1990) – The Simpsons continue to entertain, now with guest appearances. - COM
The Simpsons: Season 3 (1991) – Better pace yourself. If you just got through season 1 and season 2, the episodes now start to become a blur. Let a few days pass between each episode for greater Simpsons pleasure. – COM
Six Feet Under: Season 1 (2001) – This new series is smartly written, engaging. It tackles modern life aggressively, touching on so many important issues it is hard to believe. It takes on homosexuality, which decreases the potential audience terribly, but makes it so interesting. The show’s trouble is that it is depressing. It is so smartly written, that it seems unlikely that mere mortals would spout off such well-said things day after day. Sometimes it seems apparent that different actor’s lines are written by the same person, because the expressions seem similar. They make it a dark comedy-like drama, with a protagonist son, trying to learn to deal with death, and thereby teaching us about the process of dying in the meantime. It explores issues of love and sex, bonding, family, drugs, church, the concept of corporation versus small business and a score of other issues. Though sometimes painful to watch, I can’t wait to see what Season 2 brings.
The Sopranos: Season 2,3,5 (2001, 2002, 2004) – The Soprano family soap opera is one of the coolest, meanest, and best written I have ever seen. Watching the evolution of the cell phone and post-9/11 culture is amazing. I find myself drawn to the series, but revolted by it at the same time. At first I though the character of Janice was the worst part of the series. Her character turns out to be the lynch pin to understanding the inner pathology of the Sopranos. Though unrealistic from a Mobologist point of view, the series does display many realities of the mob. The backbone is gambling and loan-sharking and then getting into the businesses (even finance) of the people who owe them. The soap opera is really the tale of approaching middle-age in the suberbs, but told from a mean perspective. - DRA
South Park: The Complete Second Season, Season 7 (1998,2003 ) – Crude, and hilarious.
The Unit: Season 1(2006) – Fun fictionalized and idealized view into the life of a special forces unit – ACT/DRA
The Wire – Season 2,3 (2003,2004) – A little transparent plot manipulation, and all the usual suspects (in terms of the police) are back on the same team. – DRA/ACT
Television Entertainment/Drama – 3/5
24: Season 5 (2006) – Good watching, but nothing at all like experiencing season one for the first time. - ACT
Numb3rs – Season 1 (2005) – Reasonably good. mathematics and CSI meet here. - DRA
The Sopranos: Season 6 (2005) – I quote: "Stick a fork in it; this show is done. While still entertaining, this season really fell short of the previous ones. Time to end it." - Noir Junkie
Television Entertainment/Drama – 2/5
House, MD Season 1 (2004) – As an internal medicine physician, the premise of the drama doesn't ring true at all for me. It is too divorced from reality to be interesting for me. Much of the fancy graphic work is already in my head and only appears inaccurate and oversimplistic. I couldn't watch even one episode. - DRA
Six Feet Under Season 2 (2001) - I just stopped watching Six Feet Under from the beginning because I couldn't stand the language. In disc 2 of Season 2, every character uses the F word about 16 times per episode. I can't watch it with anyone. It is an enlightening (if not a depressing) show, and I'm sorry I can watch no more of it. The F bomb is being dropped seemingly because the writers cannot think of any other way for the characters to express themselves. Also, all the characters sound the same in dialogue. They are so clever, but sometimes too clever for reality (except Nate). Anyway, you lost an avid viewer. The scene where Brenda and her mom talk about the mom's sex life was just too much. The series seems to be tailored for an audience as crude as the writers but I'm happy that is not a very large group. I'm open minded but not crude. By the way, the first season (after a little bit of a rocky start) was better. – DRA/UNT
SNL: The Best of Chris Farley (2000) – I liked Farley, but this selection wasn’t particularly fun to watch. – COM
MASH: Season 3 (1974) – After season one and season two, this is no different, and seems to be tiresome. I don't know how they were so successful with the same formula for so long. I'm done with MASH DVDs even before Colonel Potter arrives. - DRA
Documentaries I liked (3-4-5 only)
Beastly Countdown (2004) – Animal Planet – The Most Extreme Series - Halloween – Scary Animals. Excellent entertaining information, especially for teenagers. Information about why and how scary animals developed their reputations. - INT
Civil War: Ken Burns (1990) – Fabulous documentary. This is as professional a presentation as I have every seen.
Cosmos – A personal Journey (1980) Carl Sagan – The greatest TV documentary of all time. Sagan has a style all his own in exploring the glory of the universe, humanity, and life with us all.
Everest: IMAX (1998) – Well done documentary about the ultimate adventure in mountain climbing. A definitive documentary, I'm sure – ACT
The Land Where the Blues Began (1975) - Alan Lomax hosts. The only thing that brings a lower score to this documentary is the lower budget that was available to create it. But even the limited financing to tell the story fits perfectly with the story to be told. It documents the lives of the blacks of the
Lost Treasures of the Ancient World:
Macchu Picchu – History Channel. Viewed in 2003. Good historic treatment of the discovery and current theories surrounding Macchu Picchu. – INT
National Geographic: Inside the
Nature: Reptiles (1982) – Award winning PBS series, excellent documentary of alligators and crocodiles.
Tales of the Gun: Kalashnikov – History Channel.
Walking with Dinosaurs (2000) - Discovery Channel. A landmark in technological achievement, this Discovery Channel program reminds us of the greater good for which television was invented. In national geographic style, this program highlights certain animals, putting them in scenarios interesting to a human viewer. No expense is spared in realism, and scientific interviews provide the bridges between scenes. Many disclaimers as to what is conjecture and what is certain. This has appeal to small children and elders alike. – INT
Walt Whitman - Voices and Visions (1988) by Mystic Fire Video - A wonderful reminder of the timeless life of one of
Wings of Glory: Chapter 22: The Airforce and the Atomic Bomb (1996) – 1950's documentary. Unbelievable power, unbelievable naivety (no mention of the A bomb possibly used against us), and wonderful footage of the original A bomb and H bomb tests. – DOC
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