Rhodes-8 Reviews

Get Carter (2000)

Worth the price of admission, but....

[7/10 · 7 October 2000]

It is worth the price of admission, but I did not like the quick-editing techniques in the movie. I was with the movie but 20 minutes before the end the story could have been written better. Just a little less vengefulness was needed in certain places.

All and all, Sly Stallone's acting is enough to make this film entertaining. It is good to see him put himself and his style of acting into the film.

I might add, movie score and incidental music was superb Good compositioning and orchestration. Good Seattle scenery, and some Pacific Northwest scenes.

X-Men (2000)

Some Publicized Movie Critics have already low-rated this movie, ..I Strongly Disagree.

[9/10 · 15 July 2000]

One movie critic said "...feeble script.".

The movie is excellent. I think that it is more like this movie is not for everyone. But for the baby-boomers born of the early 50's and late 40's who read the Marvel Comics as youngster might find this very entertaining and nostalgic.

X-Men were not among the most popular comics I think. Not as popular as Spiderman, The Fantastic Four, the Submariner....but as an adult fantasy into superheroes with a heart, edge, and occasional good humor and the battles of light and dark forces, I'd say the script too, was worthy of the admission price and Patrick Stewart was great. So were the story of the chief villain and everyone did a good job of acting.

Rhodes.

X-Men (2000)

Some Publicized Movie Critics have already low-rated this movie, ..I Strongly Disagree.

[9/10 · 15 July 2000]

One movie critic said "...feeble script.".

The movie is excellent. I think that it is more like this movie is not for everyone. But for the baby-boomers born of the early 50's and late 40's who read the Marvel Comics as youngster might find this very entertaining and nostalgic.

X-Men were not among the most popular comics I think. Not as popular as Spiderman, The Fantastic Four, the Submariner....but as an adult fanticizing into superheroes with a heart, edge, and occasional good humor and the battles of light and dark forces, I'd say the script too, was worthy of the admission price and Patrick Stewart was great. So were the story of the chief villian and everyone did a good job of acting.

Rhodes.

Gladiator (2000)

The return of an Epic-class movie, ....long overdue.

[7 May 2000]

Cinematography and some kind of digital film enhancement of action scenes also add to this impressive story. Not since 'Ben Hur' and 'Sparticus' has the movie screen seen a really successful film of early Roman Empire history.

If this starts a trend, I hope that producers look into such historical figures like that of Constantine I (273?-337C.E.) who have enough of both impressive facts and mystery surrounding their life that would make for entertaining story telling on the big screen.

I agree with others about how entertaining this movie was. I would not even go to the restroom while this film was going on. Every scene was impressively done with fine supporting cast. The energy and flavor of what it must have been like in the time of the Roman Empire was very well captivated: particularly with its demand of political obedience to power, how people of an era were entertained by real violence, barbarian invasions at the Empire's borders, different personalities and thought among a Roman Senate, an excellent portrayal of Richard Harris as Marcus Aurelius, all fine supporting acting, and of course Russell Crowe. I will be interested in seeing if the Academy of Motion Pictures chose 'Gladiator' for any of its Oscar categories.

Heaven's Prisoners (1996)

Against most reviews of this film, for the genre it is it is one of the best.

[21 August 1999]

I put this film up there with "Two Days in the Valley", as one of the most entertaining of its genre of cops-excops-drugs-mob type movies. I think the main criticism of it has to do with the ruthless violence along with the revenge theme of Baldwin's part. But violence is as violence does in film. Although it ends abruptly, Baldwin's acting was still superb, and so was everyone else's acting. All the female actors did superb job, not just Teri Hatcher. The writers could have put more meaningful time and script into the DEA agent's role as he also had added some positive "good guy" vibe to it, although "good-guy vibe" was not 100% present in his role. It was unclear as to why he kept showing up the way he did in the movie. Writing further revelation of that into the movie could have been done and helped round out the movie more. They had a good actor in the role of the DEA agent, as well. Good acting in the role of Baldwin's Bayou employee.

The Wild Bunch: An Album in Montage (1996)

Excellent short docu. for those who love this movie.

[25 February 1999]

When I saw this film, it had already won the Oscar for Best Documentary Short. It was shown in San Francisco along with a big screen showing of the film, "The Wild Bunch". Remember that this movie was criticized by the late, great John Wayne in one of his now famous Playboy Interviews. But in hindsight, from the era he was in, you can understand why. The movie completely un-romanticized the current way that westerns were; and wrote another way of romantically debunking the whole western myth with the ultimate consequences of choosing a violent life.

Sam Peckenpah's daughter is such a key ingredient to this documentary as she conveys how her father's character and qualities were brought through many time's in the acting of the late William Holden. There is also Ernest Borginine giving some reflections. And the behind-the-scenes story of the late Sam Peckenpah handling these fine actors adds to the appreciation and accomplishment of what I think is an genuine American classic.

Jacknife (1989)

An emotional accomplishment...as the video cover infers.

[25 February 1999]

A good video selection of a movie, especially if you have not seen it before, ...if you can't find a New Release you'd like to look at. Robert De Niro, Kathy Baker, and Ed Harris supply a well rounded look of 'Healing'. Kathy Baker was just great as a supporting role.

I missed Viet Nam by one year, my draft number was high enough in the year that the severe de-escalation started. This is not a 'Platoon', or 'Full Metal Jacket'. This film is about a couple of Vets in the years' aftermath. Takes place back in the States, after the War is over. Very few flashbacks were done, but were neccessary to bring context to the film. Ed Harris plays the one person who is in the most pain, and is always on the edge of hurting others because of it. Kathy Baker plays his sister. Robert De Niro was just perfect for the part he played, as he comes into both their lives. It is not a perfect film, or screenplay; but the the actors pull it off. I believe Ed Harris was nominated for a certain award for his efforts (not Oscar, another kind).

You don't have to have been to Viet Nam to appreciate this movie. Though it is about the aftermath of Viet Nam experience, it can also be about Self. About how we have these opposites within ourself and how the best parts of ourself, even though they may be injured, try to reach out and save the most darkest part that we have. That movie describes what I just wrote and I could not avoid tears, myself, toward the movie's end. If you just stay with it; you may know or appreciate what I mean.