dletter Reviews

Frailty (2001)

Am I the only one who sees this in the context of the Death Penalty?

[14 March 2004]

**SPOILERS**

After watching this for the first time last night, I came away with the impression that the movie was a direct referendum of the death penalty as punishment. Assuming that all of the people that the dad & Adam kills ARE guilty 'demons' (and based on the "visions", they are, including the FBI officer that admits he killed his own mother before he is offed), then, what they are doing is not much different than what we do as a society. The list from "God" is the "law/judge" bringing the evidence ((his "visions") before the "jury", and the axe represents the death penalty. I'm not saying that it should make you against the death penalty, in fact, I still basically support it even after the movie. But, you can draw direct parallels, and if you think the death penalty is OK, you really can't be "against" what Adam and the dad were trying to accomplish, assuming their "sources" were correct (and as the film builds it, they were, considering he got random names from nowhere supposedly, and he somehow knew where to find them, even though he'd never met the people).

Just something deeper to think about with this film.

The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002)

The problem with Pluto Nash

[5 September 2002]

The problem with Pluto Nash wasn't if it is good or bad. The problem (at least for the studio) is that this never was going to be a movie that could make $100 million, yet they green lit the spending for it. Even with BOFFO worldwide and video sales, this will probably not even get within making half of their money back now. One wonders what the producers were thinking, considering everything going against this movie: 1) Too goofy a title to be a summer blockbuster, 2) Eddie Murphy (other than Dr Doolittle & Nutty Professor movies) hasn't been a box office draw in 10 years), 3) I never saw a TV ad for this that I can recall, so, obviously the studio thought it wasn't even worth promoting once it got made. This is really this summer "Anti-Fat Greek Wedding" (which was made for $5 million and will make $100 million, vs. the other way around).

Nurses (1991–1994)

Ugh!!!

[1 March 2001]

Don't know about that other person, but I remember Nurses as maybe the most unfunny sitcom ever. I mean, it wasn't like horrible, it was just horribly unfunny. Its like watching a white wall, its not really offensive, its just more bland than thick oatmeal.

Wag the Dog (1997)

Another comment

[2 June 2000]

Referering to this comment earlier from another poster: "The film proves how easily the news can be manipulated and controlled. In this movie there is no distinguishing borderline between fact and fiction. The idea that anything seen or heard on the news might be a hoax, the comical punch line of this movie, may not be so funny after all." I don't think it showed that at all.

Now, I'm not disputing one network couldn't try to make something up or get caught in a scandal about 'bending the news' (Dateline proved that a few years ago). But, theres a big difference between that and the government totally making up a war and 1000s of media outlets NOT figuring out its not really happening. I mean, what network WOULDN'T want to expose it. What network wouldn't want to make the other networks look bad for chasing a "fake story"? They only showed one networks "coverage" of the "war" in the movie for good reason I guess: cause thats about as plausable as it could really be.

Bowfinger (1999)

The Funniest Movie of 1999

[9/10 · 16 August 1999]

I liked American Pie, I saw Rushmore and thought it was good, but this is the out loud funniest picture of the year. I sat in my seat after the movie was over for a few minutes just laughing more, which I haven't done in a movie in a long time. This is the first movie in a while I was literally crying I was laughing so hard. There are some very "classic" scenes, but the whole movie just moves fast enough and has even humor that it just builds and builds. Of course, the Oscars don't give any awards to comedies usually, but if this doesn't win the Golden Globe for best comedy, it's a shame.

Rushmore (1998)

Most Original Comedic Film in a long time

[8/10 · 13 February 1999]

If you need farts and crude jokes throughout your films to enjoy them, then stay away. If you can find humor in a situational comedy that has characters with actual depth instead of the one dimensional characters in most films, this is for you. I can't believe that Murray didn't get a best supporting actor nod.

You've Got Mail (1998)

Is it just me....

[9 December 1998]

or, even if it's a great movie, I think we've crossed a BIG line in the "Commercialization" of movies, because to me it looks like a 2 hour America Online ad (right down to the "AOL Mailbox" in the title!). I guess in a way it's not much more "commercial" that "Mortal Kombat" the movie or something like that, but that was a video game, so it's more like a TV show being translated into a movie. This seems to be almost a two hour infomercial telling america why they need to be on the internet (or more directly, AOL). What's next, "Phone Party" featuring Sprint or "McDonalds the Movie"?

Wrongfully Accused (1998)

Better than his last few

[6 December 1998]

While not quite at the level of the Naked Guns, this movie was much better than his last few films (Dracula, Mr. Magoo, etc). If you liked the Naked Gun series, you won't be disappointed. Considering the Naked Gun Series sort of slipped as each one went on, I'd say this was about as funny as if they'd had done a "Naked Gun 1/4", which is still funnier than Mafia or Baseketball.

Wag the Dog (1997)

Not as good as I'd hoped

[20 September 1998]

I have to concur with the many here who were disappointed. There were a few good scenes here and there, but they were WAY too few and far between. Maybe the whole premise kept some other people going, and maybe its like some people said, where it is not "Laugh out loud funny", but it was

hardly even for me "whimsically" funny. The other thing is in any movie you have to either (A) care about at least 1 character or (B) really hate a character. I didn't have either in this film. I didn't care about the three major players, (Deniro, Hoffman, Hache), any joy from the film came from the side characters (Willie Nelson & Woody Harrelson, but even they were not very inspiring). It was kind of like a documentary almost, except that it was fiction, so it lost that are of it as well .I was really trying to enjoy it, but it just didn't work for me.

For my money, "Primary Colors" was the much better political film of 1998.

Primary Colors (1998)

Best Political Comedy in some time

[20 September 1998]

At times in this movie, I forgot that Travolta was playing "Governor Stanton" and almost thought I was watching Clinton. He was that good and convincing in the role. Kathy Bates was excellent as well, as were all of the other characters, it was just a very well written movie. If the Oscars were more open to comedic actors getting Oscar nominations, Travolta would be a shoo-in for a Best Actor nomination. With the supporting categories more open to comedic actors, Kathy Bates should get a nomination, and maybe a slight chance for Billy Bob Thorton.