MYSTERY MEN. Kinka Usher's "Mystery Men" is on the right track, satirizing comic book heroes. Captain Amazing (played by Greg Kinnear) is kidnapped by Casanova Frankenstein (Geoffrey Rush). In Amazing's place, the Mystery Men (a group of misfit superheroes) must take his place and rescue him from the clutches of the evil Frankenstein. The only really good comic energy comes from Ben Stiller, as Mr. Furious, and Janeane Garofalo, as The Bowler. Otherwise, this losing superhero satire is too long and seems like nothing more than a large collection of failed comic jokes. Rated PG-13. ** out of ****
Reviews
39 Reviews
Serial Mom
(1994)
Winning Satire
10 August 1999
SERIAL MOM. Kathleen Turner plays Beverly, the seemingly perfect, cheerful housewife and Mom (who also happens to be a foul-mouthed serial killer on the side), in John Waters's consistently sharp, amusing satire "Serial Mom." As far as plot structure goes, "Serial Mom" isn't all that impressive, but Turner's sheer comic energy as she kills typical suburban people for stealing parking spaces and not rewinding their rented videos carries this one quite a ways. Rated R. ***1/2 out of ****
The Sixth Sense
(1999)
Excellent Ghost Thriller
8 August 1999
THE SIXTH SENSE. M. Night Shaymalan's "The Sixth Sense" is an enjoyable ghost thriller, sometimes funny, sometimes creepy, and surprisingly rewarding. Bruce Willis is excellent as a child psychologist named Malcom Crowe whose latest patient is a nine-year-old kid named Cole (played stupendously Haley Joel Osment) who claims that he can see dead people. What follows is an intriguing and effective chiller that relies much more on characters than special effects. Rated PG-13. ***1/2 out of ****
Cookie's Fortune
(1999)
Robert Altman's Best
8 August 1999
COOKIE'S FORTUNE. America's most purely enjoyable film director, Robert Altman, is at his epitome in this year's "Cookie's Fortune," a sunny comedy about the goings-on of a small town when an old lady commits suicide to be with her husband. The excellent ensemble cast includes Glenn Close, Charles Dutton, Julianne Moore, Chris O'Donnell, Liv Tyler, Ned Beatty, and Patricia Neal as the title character, Cookie Orcutt. "Cookie's Fortune" is one of the year's ten best films. Rated PG-13. **** out of ****
An Ideal Husband
(I) (1999)
Enjoyable Victorian Romantic Comedy
8 August 1999
AN IDEAL HUSBAND. Oliver Parker wrote and directed this consistently charming Victorian romantic comedy, based on the Oscar Wilde play, about a lazy bachelor (played by Rupert Everett) who juggles his friends (Jeremy Northam and Cate Blanchett as a politically-involved husband and wife) lives in one hand and a budding romance with Minnie Driver in the other. Julianne Moore, Hollywood's leading supporting actress, is terrific as the evil villainous. As far as laugh out-loud comedy goes, "An Ideal Husband" is often a tease, but this is one of the only movies so far this year where you'll come out of the theatre smiling. Rated PG-13. *** out of ****
The Thomas Crown Affair
(1999)
Gentleman Thief Movie At Its Epitome
7 August 1999
THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR. John McTiernan's "The Thomas Crown Affair" shows the gentleman thief movie at its true epitome. The film is enjoyable, slick, and sometimes amusing; the lead character also has the same three qualities.
Thomas Crown (played by Pierce Brosnan) is "a millionaire with everything." Just for kicks, he decides to steal a Monet painting worth one hundred million dollars. His obstacle: Catherine Banning (Rene Russo), a beautiful insurance investigator who loves the chase her job allows her to pursue. A seductive game of cat-and-mouse ensues, and it's a worthy guessing game as to which one of the two leads is one step ahead in the race.
The summer of 1999 began and ends with two enjoyable gentleman thief movies. "Entrapment," with Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta-Jones, was perhaps more exciting than "The Thomas Crown Affair," but the latter entry offers more romance and a tighter plot. Rated R. ***1/2 (out of ****)
Thomas Crown (played by Pierce Brosnan) is "a millionaire with everything." Just for kicks, he decides to steal a Monet painting worth one hundred million dollars. His obstacle: Catherine Banning (Rene Russo), a beautiful insurance investigator who loves the chase her job allows her to pursue. A seductive game of cat-and-mouse ensues, and it's a worthy guessing game as to which one of the two leads is one step ahead in the race.
The summer of 1999 began and ends with two enjoyable gentleman thief movies. "Entrapment," with Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta-Jones, was perhaps more exciting than "The Thomas Crown Affair," but the latter entry offers more romance and a tighter plot. Rated R. ***1/2 (out of ****)
Entrapment
(1999)
Gentleman Thief Movies Revived
7 August 1999
ENTRAPMENT. With Jon Amiel's "Entrapment," I think it is safe to say that the Gentleman Thief movie genre has officially been revived.
The debonair Sean Connery plays the great thief Robert "Mac" MacDougal and the steamy Catherine Zeta-Jones plays insurance investigator Gin Baker. Together, they steal a jewel mask and fall for one another. However, Gin has an idea to pull off the ultimate heist on New Years Eve, 1999 (there's a funny Y2K subplot involved in that one). And it can also be noted that the climax of this picture is NOT for the acrophobic.
"Entrapment" isn't much more than a stylish, glossy caper film. But in an era when movie protagonists are violent loners or thin rebels, it's quite refreshing to see Connery and Zeta-Jones light up the big screen as a pair we can root for cheerfully. With people in movies either being too violent or totally devoid of a personality, I'd actually like to see the two lead characters from "Entrapment" again sometime. Rated PG-13. *** (out of ****)
The debonair Sean Connery plays the great thief Robert "Mac" MacDougal and the steamy Catherine Zeta-Jones plays insurance investigator Gin Baker. Together, they steal a jewel mask and fall for one another. However, Gin has an idea to pull off the ultimate heist on New Years Eve, 1999 (there's a funny Y2K subplot involved in that one). And it can also be noted that the climax of this picture is NOT for the acrophobic.
"Entrapment" isn't much more than a stylish, glossy caper film. But in an era when movie protagonists are violent loners or thin rebels, it's quite refreshing to see Connery and Zeta-Jones light up the big screen as a pair we can root for cheerfully. With people in movies either being too violent or totally devoid of a personality, I'd actually like to see the two lead characters from "Entrapment" again sometime. Rated PG-13. *** (out of ****)
Rushmore
(1998)
Quirky, Funny
6 August 1999
RUSHMORE. Some critics are proclaiming Wes Anderson's "Rushmore," from a script by Anderson and Owen Wilson, a genuine comic masterpiece. Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman) is an activity jock who resides on a scholarship at the prestigious Rushmore Academy. Max enlists in the help of lonely millionaire Herman Blume (played wonderfully by Bill Murray) to build an aquarium in honor of the school teacher (Olivia Williams) they both have their eyes on. I think the film is enjoyable, it's quirky and funny, but it's just TOO strange in spots and saddled with an ending that is COMPLETELY out of place with the film. Still, I recommend this picture because Murray gives one of the best supporting performances of the year; don't underrate this guy, there's definitely something underneath the shabby stand-up comedian persona. Rated R. 93 minutes. *** (out of ****)
Notting Hill
(1999)
Charming and Enjoyable
6 August 1999
Roger Michell's "Notting Hill," from a screenplay by Richard ("Four Weddings and a Funeral") Curtis is a charming, engaging little movie that fortunately gets saddled with two stars with real chemistry. Julie Roberts plays, somewhat ironically, a famous American movie star who, through a series of enjoyable contrivances, keeps running into a foppish, handsome travel bookstore owner (played by Hugh Grant). The screenplay is rather stereotypical, but Curtis doesn't write these two characters off; they are intelligent, literate, and we get a sense that they truly fall for one another. My major quip towards the film was that I did not care for the ending; it's the same old thing and, frankly, I'm getting a little tired of it. Rated PG-13. 123 minutes. 7 out of 10.
Mother
(II) (1996)
Another Great Albert Brooks Comedy
6 August 1999
With "Mother," director Albert Brooks has given us another great comedic filmmaking triumph. The acting is terrific, the laughs come at a fairly steady pace, and, like all great comedies, it has an inner meaning underneath all the smirks and giggles.
Brooks co-wrote, directed, and starred in this one, playing the somewhat unsuccessful science-fiction novelist John Henderson (he's contstantly being compared to Stephen King) who blames his problems with women on Mom. Therefore, he decides to move back in with Mother (played by Debbie Reynolds, whom Brooks somehow lured back to the big screen) and figure out their problems. What ensues might have been sitcom-style laughs, but Brooks and co-writer Monica Johnson know better than that; the laughs are pretty fast-paced but their well-observed ranting as opposed to tasteless wisecracks.
The keys to the film, however, are Brooks and Reynolds, the latter which brings a special emotional undertone to a role that would have been played as all sap by any other actress. Check "Mother" out; if you want smart, funny humor and even a tad bit of drama, you should enjoy it immensely. Rated PG-13. 104 minutes. 8 out of 10.
Brooks co-wrote, directed, and starred in this one, playing the somewhat unsuccessful science-fiction novelist John Henderson (he's contstantly being compared to Stephen King) who blames his problems with women on Mom. Therefore, he decides to move back in with Mother (played by Debbie Reynolds, whom Brooks somehow lured back to the big screen) and figure out their problems. What ensues might have been sitcom-style laughs, but Brooks and co-writer Monica Johnson know better than that; the laughs are pretty fast-paced but their well-observed ranting as opposed to tasteless wisecracks.
The keys to the film, however, are Brooks and Reynolds, the latter which brings a special emotional undertone to a role that would have been played as all sap by any other actress. Check "Mother" out; if you want smart, funny humor and even a tad bit of drama, you should enjoy it immensely. Rated PG-13. 104 minutes. 8 out of 10.
Shadow of a Doubt
(1943)
Add It to the Favorites
6 August 1999
If you've read some of my other reviews for Alfred Hitchcock movies, you know I've been to trying to come up with a list of his top ten best. Let it be known that it has changed with my screening of "Shadow of a Doubt," a Hitchcock masterpiece of humor and suspense.
Teresa Wright plays Young Charlie Newton, a pretty, vulnerable girl who thinks her family can be "reawakened," if you will, if her dear Uncle Charlie (played excellently by stage theater veteran Joseph Cotten) comes for a visit. He does, but there may be more to "dear old Uncle Charlie" than meets the eye, much more.
If you're interested, I've finally completed my top ten Hitchcock films list. It reads: #10. "Rope"; #9. "Frenzy"; #8. "The Birds"; #7. (tie) both version of "The Man Who Knew Too Much"; 5. "Psycho"; 4. "Shadow of a Doubt"; 3. "Strangers on a Train"; 2. "Vertigo"; 1. "Rear Window."
And once again, "Shadow of a Doubt" is definitely a film, along with those other Hitchcock masterpieces, to add to the favorites. Rated PG. 120 minutes. 10 out of 10.
Teresa Wright plays Young Charlie Newton, a pretty, vulnerable girl who thinks her family can be "reawakened," if you will, if her dear Uncle Charlie (played excellently by stage theater veteran Joseph Cotten) comes for a visit. He does, but there may be more to "dear old Uncle Charlie" than meets the eye, much more.
If you're interested, I've finally completed my top ten Hitchcock films list. It reads: #10. "Rope"; #9. "Frenzy"; #8. "The Birds"; #7. (tie) both version of "The Man Who Knew Too Much"; 5. "Psycho"; 4. "Shadow of a Doubt"; 3. "Strangers on a Train"; 2. "Vertigo"; 1. "Rear Window."
And once again, "Shadow of a Doubt" is definitely a film, along with those other Hitchcock masterpieces, to add to the favorites. Rated PG. 120 minutes. 10 out of 10.
Strange Days
(1995)
One of My All-Time Favorites
5 August 1999
There are the great movies ("Citizen Kane," "Taxi Driver, "Vertigo," etc.) and then there are favorite movies ("Blade Runner," "Alien," "Dark City," etc.) And Kathryn Bigelow's "Strange Days," from a screenplay by James Cameron and Jay Cocks, fits comfortably in the latter list because it has dark yet entrancing visuals, surprisingly deep character development, and it invents its own vocabulary (tapehead, jack-in, and playback are the most popular words). Ralph Fiennes plays Lenny Nero, a virtual reality hustler who sells "clips" to customers who want to not only see the action, but feel it as well. Lenny is a con man with ethics and for that you like him; he has a best friend named Mace (played excellently by Angela Bassett) and spends a lot of time mourning his ex-girlfriend Faith (Juliette Lewis). Lenny receives two snuff (or "blackjack") clips, both interlocked to the murder of an outspoken rap singer. "Strange Days" is great and, on top of that, it is saddled with an ending that is so uplifting and, well, so RIGHT that the emotions it pulls from us is greater than most "art" films could ever hope to accomplish. See "Strange Days" if you want a really mind-numbing, kinetic moviegoing experience. Rated R. 145 minutes. 10 out of 10.
BASEketball
(1998)
Sophomoric but funny
2 August 1999
David Zucker's "BASEketball" is sloppy and extremely uneven, it has a sophomoric look to it; yet there's still a few really big laughs in it that are worth a screening. It stars the creators of the controversial cartoon show, "South Park," played by Trey Parker and Matt Stone. From this film, and it's extremely uneven edge, it's pretty unclear to tell whether these two have a talent beyond that of two high school impromptu students. Still, "BASEketball" is worth it for a few undeniably big laughs, especially a few genuinely funny segments with Robert Stack satirizing his "Unsolved Mysteries" persona. Rated R. 103 minutes. 6 out of 10.
Jaws 2
(1978)
Better Than People Say
2 August 1999
"The same heart-stopping suspense and gripping adventure that enthralled movie audiences throughout the world in 'Jaws' returns with this worthy sequel to that film classic."
So trumpets the VHS box summary sentence for "Jaws 2," an effective horror movie and underrated sequel. For once, I pretty much agree with a movie's usually-overstated tagline.
The plot: Chief Brody (Roy Scheider) thinks there is yet another great white shark in the Amity Bay. Indeed, there is, but nobody can believe him. Meanwhile, a group of teenagers (including Brody's two beloved sons) go out sailing and are attacked by the shark.
The teenager sailing scenes during the day are actually quite haunting and, occasionally, even terrifying. Personally, if I had been given the honors to direct, I would've had those scenes takes place at night; the darkness is naturally scarier than daylight and the shark could seem more realistic because it wouldn't have to be so lighted.
I suppose the reason this film wasn't to well-received was because it is so much of a horror film as opposed to a rip-roaring adventure that the first film in the series was. Mark my words, if you want fun adventure with a few great scares, see "Jaws." If you want horror with a little too much gore, see "Jaws 2." Rated PG. 116 minutes. 6 out of 10.
So trumpets the VHS box summary sentence for "Jaws 2," an effective horror movie and underrated sequel. For once, I pretty much agree with a movie's usually-overstated tagline.
The plot: Chief Brody (Roy Scheider) thinks there is yet another great white shark in the Amity Bay. Indeed, there is, but nobody can believe him. Meanwhile, a group of teenagers (including Brody's two beloved sons) go out sailing and are attacked by the shark.
The teenager sailing scenes during the day are actually quite haunting and, occasionally, even terrifying. Personally, if I had been given the honors to direct, I would've had those scenes takes place at night; the darkness is naturally scarier than daylight and the shark could seem more realistic because it wouldn't have to be so lighted.
I suppose the reason this film wasn't to well-received was because it is so much of a horror film as opposed to a rip-roaring adventure that the first film in the series was. Mark my words, if you want fun adventure with a few great scares, see "Jaws." If you want horror with a little too much gore, see "Jaws 2." Rated PG. 116 minutes. 6 out of 10.
The Blair Witch Project
(1999)
Sometimes eerie, but never scary
1 August 1999
I walked into the highly-anticipated, mostly well-received "The Blair Witch Project" expecting a terrifying little movie about three student filmmakers who are hunted by an evil entity in the backwoods of Maryland.
Boy, was I wrong. I mean, that's the basic outline of the film, but, to me, "The Blair Witch Project" was more of a survive-in-the-middle-of-nowhere, distinctly amateurish indie flick.
We never really get to know the three college kids (unless you count their foul-mouthed comments and antics as character development). And, come on, as a member of the so-called "Generation X" group of kids, would we really stand around and drool whenever we found out that there was no way out of here and that we were going to die? I don't think so. I think we would've put up a fight. We might not have won, but we would have certainly died trying.
In short, "The Blair Witch Project" is sometimes eerie, but never scary. I suppose this is one of those movies that is meant to be more psychologically stirring than, say, the cat-jumps-out-from-the-corner genre filmmaking. Still, I didn't have any trouble sleeping, as some supposedly did. Rated R. 82 minutes. 4 out of 10.
Boy, was I wrong. I mean, that's the basic outline of the film, but, to me, "The Blair Witch Project" was more of a survive-in-the-middle-of-nowhere, distinctly amateurish indie flick.
We never really get to know the three college kids (unless you count their foul-mouthed comments and antics as character development). And, come on, as a member of the so-called "Generation X" group of kids, would we really stand around and drool whenever we found out that there was no way out of here and that we were going to die? I don't think so. I think we would've put up a fight. We might not have won, but we would have certainly died trying.
In short, "The Blair Witch Project" is sometimes eerie, but never scary. I suppose this is one of those movies that is meant to be more psychologically stirring than, say, the cat-jumps-out-from-the-corner genre filmmaking. Still, I didn't have any trouble sleeping, as some supposedly did. Rated R. 82 minutes. 4 out of 10.
Blast from the Past
(1999)
Where's the Chemistry?
1 August 1999
Hugh Wilson's "Blast From the Past" is going to get a lot of points from me because the premise is so original, excellent, and genuinely outstanding. But that's about it, except, Christopher Walken is pretty amusing as a paranoid inventor.
OK, Mom (Sissy Spacek), Dad (Christopher Walken), and Son (Brendan Fraser) lock themselves underground for thirty-five years. Thirty-five years later... Dad is sick and Mom sends Son out with an absurd list of items to bring back to their underground lair. While doing his EXTREMELY ELABORATE grocery shopping, Son falls in love with a pretty young girl (played by Alicia Silverstone). My question is: Where is the chemistry between Fraser and Silverstone? Where is more of Christopher Walken when you need him? Besides the premise and Walken, what is there to like about this movie?
"Blast From the Past" represents a neat, little idea that, quite unfortunately, got caught up in the Hollywood press and the typical hype. It doesn't live up to its hype. This is a movie that should have had a lower budget, actors instead of movie stars (Christopher Walken not withstanding), and should've been directed by a talented indie who knows this type of bizarro material.
My dream "Blast From the Past": A satiric, laugh-out-loud comedy, rewritten and directed by John Waters. Yes, J.W. would be the perfect choice for this flick.
The real "Blast From the Past": An odd Hollywood movie with a premise and supporting actor that upstage EVERYTHING else. Rated PG-13. 111 minutes. 5 out of 10.
OK, Mom (Sissy Spacek), Dad (Christopher Walken), and Son (Brendan Fraser) lock themselves underground for thirty-five years. Thirty-five years later... Dad is sick and Mom sends Son out with an absurd list of items to bring back to their underground lair. While doing his EXTREMELY ELABORATE grocery shopping, Son falls in love with a pretty young girl (played by Alicia Silverstone). My question is: Where is the chemistry between Fraser and Silverstone? Where is more of Christopher Walken when you need him? Besides the premise and Walken, what is there to like about this movie?
"Blast From the Past" represents a neat, little idea that, quite unfortunately, got caught up in the Hollywood press and the typical hype. It doesn't live up to its hype. This is a movie that should have had a lower budget, actors instead of movie stars (Christopher Walken not withstanding), and should've been directed by a talented indie who knows this type of bizarro material.
My dream "Blast From the Past": A satiric, laugh-out-loud comedy, rewritten and directed by John Waters. Yes, J.W. would be the perfect choice for this flick.
The real "Blast From the Past": An odd Hollywood movie with a premise and supporting actor that upstage EVERYTHING else. Rated PG-13. 111 minutes. 5 out of 10.
Adventures in Babysitting
(1987)
It Was A Lot of Fun Way Back Then
1 August 1999
When I was in the second and third grade, THE movies to see were "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," "Wayne's World," and "Adventures in Babysitting." And, back then, those titles were some of my personal favorites.
However, now that I find myself walking down the hallways of high school, they have lost some of their charm, A) because I've grown up, and B) because I know a lot more of and about movies.
Still, watching the totally implausible story of a pretty high school girl (played by the then-unknown Elisabeth Shue) and her babysitting charges venture around an exagerrated (yet fairly tame) variation of Chicago, Illinois still has its moments of fair charm and fun. Rated PG-13. 99 minutes. 6 out of 10.
However, now that I find myself walking down the hallways of high school, they have lost some of their charm, A) because I've grown up, and B) because I know a lot more of and about movies.
Still, watching the totally implausible story of a pretty high school girl (played by the then-unknown Elisabeth Shue) and her babysitting charges venture around an exagerrated (yet fairly tame) variation of Chicago, Illinois still has its moments of fair charm and fun. Rated PG-13. 99 minutes. 6 out of 10.
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
(1986)
Still Oddly Very Good
1 August 1999
Whenever I was in the second or third grade, "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" was one of THE movies to see. I caught it on one of those cable channels a few weeks ago and was surprised how much I still enjoyed it. That's odd. Most movie favorites from early elementary school loose their charm with age; but not "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," for some unknown reason.
OK, the plot: Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) is a young, sly con man; think of him as the Sergeant Bilko of high school. Anyway, he decides one day to elaborately fake illness, get his best friend and girlfriend out of school, and have a day on the town.
It sounds simple enough, and it was good enough back when I was younger. Still, when I was watching it a few weeks ago I actually found a hidden underlying message. Ferris is just a person trying to help his nervous, paranoid friend gain some self-respect and maybe have a little fun in the process. I know it sounds kind of corny, but there might be a lot more to this film, which may be described by some as "just another high school comedy." I don't think it is, I think it's better than that. Rated PG-13. 98 minutes. 8 out of 10.
OK, the plot: Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) is a young, sly con man; think of him as the Sergeant Bilko of high school. Anyway, he decides one day to elaborately fake illness, get his best friend and girlfriend out of school, and have a day on the town.
It sounds simple enough, and it was good enough back when I was younger. Still, when I was watching it a few weeks ago I actually found a hidden underlying message. Ferris is just a person trying to help his nervous, paranoid friend gain some self-respect and maybe have a little fun in the process. I know it sounds kind of corny, but there might be a lot more to this film, which may be described by some as "just another high school comedy." I don't think it is, I think it's better than that. Rated PG-13. 98 minutes. 8 out of 10.
Phantoms
(1998)
Great Premise; Lame Film
31 July 1999
"Phantoms," based on a frightening novel by the great Dean R. Koontz, is one of those film adaptation tragedies. I mean, this movie is LAME. It's even more surprising that Koontz himself, one of the world's greatest novelists sidetracked by his genre as "just another sci-fi/horror writer," wrote the screenplay to this dreadful movie.
Still, I'm going to give the film credit for having one great premise. "Something paid a visit to Snowfield, Colorado," the eerie coming attractions narrator informed us. It did, and everyone seems to have either disappeared or is mutilated in some horrendous way. It turns out, there is some sort of otherworldly force, not from the stars, but from under the ground. (A lot of the time, this movie resembles "Tremors," but taken in a much more sober, serious way.)
The Koontz novel wasn't his best, but it was certainly enjoyable and certainly very scary. The book dealt more with the monstrosity itself (and the entity in the movie as opposed to the one described in the book is something of a special effects joke). The novel also dealt more with this "thing" as the cohort behind all the world's bizarre mass disappearances. In short, the book was much more fascinating, much more scary, and a WHOLE LOT better. Rated R. 94 minutes. 4 out of 10.
Still, I'm going to give the film credit for having one great premise. "Something paid a visit to Snowfield, Colorado," the eerie coming attractions narrator informed us. It did, and everyone seems to have either disappeared or is mutilated in some horrendous way. It turns out, there is some sort of otherworldly force, not from the stars, but from under the ground. (A lot of the time, this movie resembles "Tremors," but taken in a much more sober, serious way.)
The Koontz novel wasn't his best, but it was certainly enjoyable and certainly very scary. The book dealt more with the monstrosity itself (and the entity in the movie as opposed to the one described in the book is something of a special effects joke). The novel also dealt more with this "thing" as the cohort behind all the world's bizarre mass disappearances. In short, the book was much more fascinating, much more scary, and a WHOLE LOT better. Rated R. 94 minutes. 4 out of 10.
The American President
(1995)
Too Political; Just Enough Romance
31 July 1999
Rob Reiner's "The American President," from a fairly good screenplay by Aaron Sorkin, is a romantic comedy that gets too much into the politics of its lead character, but is quite excellent as far as romance goes.
Michael Douglas plays the esteemed President, a truly nice-guy widower (a President with morals is quite a hard thing to buy) and Annette Bening is the feisty political strategist he falls in love with. Th supporting cast of the film is absolutely wonderful, peppered with names like Martin Sheen and Michael J. Fox.
Well, no, I didn't enjoy the politics in the film, even though I know a lot of people found them interesting. I could never exactly figure out WHAT the President and the Bening character were fighting for or against, and I don't think that the Republicans would go into a massive character debate because a widower finally found love again (although those Republicans can be pretty mean; no offense to any conservative readers). Still, "The American President" is worth seeing for a really great romance. Rated PG-13. 114 minutes. 7 out of 10.
Michael Douglas plays the esteemed President, a truly nice-guy widower (a President with morals is quite a hard thing to buy) and Annette Bening is the feisty political strategist he falls in love with. Th supporting cast of the film is absolutely wonderful, peppered with names like Martin Sheen and Michael J. Fox.
Well, no, I didn't enjoy the politics in the film, even though I know a lot of people found them interesting. I could never exactly figure out WHAT the President and the Bening character were fighting for or against, and I don't think that the Republicans would go into a massive character debate because a widower finally found love again (although those Republicans can be pretty mean; no offense to any conservative readers). Still, "The American President" is worth seeing for a really great romance. Rated PG-13. 114 minutes. 7 out of 10.
Dave
(1993)
Fun to Disbelieve
31 July 1999
I didn't believe a single minute of Ivan Reitman's amusing comedy "Dave," but I sure wanted to and I sure did have a fun time pretending to.
Kevin Kline plays Dave, a social worker who shares startling similar looks with that of the President of the United States, a grumpy, greedy meiser. Whenever the President has a heart attack (in a rather compromising position with an intern), Dave is brought in to, yes, impersonate the President on his routine social outings. After a while, Dave decides to do some good for the country, cutting some of the unnecessary funding to make room for homeless shelters and promising every unemployed person in America a job.
"Dave," from a Capraesque screenplay by Gary Ross (who wrote the Tom Hanks comedy "Big" and wrote and directed 1998's special effects dramedy "Pleasantville"), is a humorous film with a distinctly democratic edge. Of course, I wouldn't go so far as to call this a political film; it is more an enjoyable, hopeful movie about how the White House should be, but never will. Rated PG-13. 105 minutes. 7 out of 10.
Kevin Kline plays Dave, a social worker who shares startling similar looks with that of the President of the United States, a grumpy, greedy meiser. Whenever the President has a heart attack (in a rather compromising position with an intern), Dave is brought in to, yes, impersonate the President on his routine social outings. After a while, Dave decides to do some good for the country, cutting some of the unnecessary funding to make room for homeless shelters and promising every unemployed person in America a job.
"Dave," from a Capraesque screenplay by Gary Ross (who wrote the Tom Hanks comedy "Big" and wrote and directed 1998's special effects dramedy "Pleasantville"), is a humorous film with a distinctly democratic edge. Of course, I wouldn't go so far as to call this a political film; it is more an enjoyable, hopeful movie about how the White House should be, but never will. Rated PG-13. 105 minutes. 7 out of 10.
Vertigo
(1958)
Shock Time
31 July 1999
This may come as a shock to some people reading this, but I'm quite a big Hitchcock fan and "Vertigo," in my opinion, is not his best film. "Rear Window" is the finest feature he ever made, and "Psycho" was his most purely entertaining (although I would rank the famous horror film third, after "Rear Window" and "Vertigo").
James Stewart plays a private detective who is hired to follow a beautiful blond (Kim Novak) whom he quickly falls in love with. She commit suicide (or did she?) and, later on in the film, the Stewart character finds the glowing image of her in an equally beautiful redhead. I won't give away anything else.
Now don't get me wrong, "Vertigo" is a near-excellent film that I love and cherish. Most "Vertigo" detractors say the film can be seen from too many different points of views (surreal dream, detective story, romance, etc.) and that is has no clear narrative flow. Actually, I like that aspect of the movie. My problem with "Vertigo" is a more primitive one; I just think the buildup to the blond's suicide is too long and worked up. "Vertigo" may be a near-great movie, but it's not one I could watch over and over again. Not Rated. 128 minutes. 9 out of 10.
James Stewart plays a private detective who is hired to follow a beautiful blond (Kim Novak) whom he quickly falls in love with. She commit suicide (or did she?) and, later on in the film, the Stewart character finds the glowing image of her in an equally beautiful redhead. I won't give away anything else.
Now don't get me wrong, "Vertigo" is a near-excellent film that I love and cherish. Most "Vertigo" detractors say the film can be seen from too many different points of views (surreal dream, detective story, romance, etc.) and that is has no clear narrative flow. Actually, I like that aspect of the movie. My problem with "Vertigo" is a more primitive one; I just think the buildup to the blond's suicide is too long and worked up. "Vertigo" may be a near-great movie, but it's not one I could watch over and over again. Not Rated. 128 minutes. 9 out of 10.
Rear Window
(1954)
The Epitome of Hitchcock
31 July 1999
Alfred Hitchcock reached the epitome of his career with a clever little thriller named "Rear Window" (1954), about a temporarily disabled photographer (played by James Stewart) who is convinced he saw one of his apartment neighbors commit a murder. I shall not reveal anything else; you really should see this one for yourself.
I've been trying to come up with a list of the ten greatest Hitchcock films, but I haven't been happy with one yet. For sure, though, I can tell you my numbers one, two, three, four, and ten. "Rear Window" is his best, his epitome; "Vertigo" is his second; "Psycho" is his third and most purely entertaining work; "Rebecca" is his fourth best picture; and I'm pretty sure my ten spot is going to remain with "Rope," Hitchcock's great experimental, ten minute shots film. Not Rated. 113 minutes. 10 out of 10.
I've been trying to come up with a list of the ten greatest Hitchcock films, but I haven't been happy with one yet. For sure, though, I can tell you my numbers one, two, three, four, and ten. "Rear Window" is his best, his epitome; "Vertigo" is his second; "Psycho" is his third and most purely entertaining work; "Rebecca" is his fourth best picture; and I'm pretty sure my ten spot is going to remain with "Rope," Hitchcock's great experimental, ten minute shots film. Not Rated. 113 minutes. 10 out of 10.
Deep Blue Sea
(1999)
An Anticipated Disappointment
30 July 1999
Renny Harlin's highly-anticipated "Deep Blue Sea" turns out to be nothing more than an action-packed bore, a rather tired hybrid of "Jaws," "Jurassic Park," and "Alien."
A pretty scientist on an offshore research facility has been experimenting with mako sharks, making them larger and much smarter, in order to cure a brain disease. Unfortunately, the nasty sharks escape, do their best to destroy and flood most the facility, and then go after the humans. Along for the ride (or the lunch tray) is Thomas Jane as shark expert Carter Blake, Samuel L. Jackson as the funder of the project, LL Cool J as a bible-quoting cook named Preacher, and Stellan Skarsgard as an eccentric scientist.
The film was directed by Renny Harlin, the guy who made "Die Hard 2," the best in that series, the vastly underrated "Cutthroat Island," and the crowd-pleaser "The Long Kiss Goodnight." I'm not surprised that he took on "Deep Blue Sea," and I guess I'm not too surprised he devoted more time to action than the much-needed terror.
While there are a few undeniable jumps, in my opinion "Deep Blue Sea" is too violent to build up any real suspense, its material is blatantly unoriginal, and would it have killed the filmmakers to tell us a little bit of something about these characters before they started to kill them off one by one? Rated R. 5 out of 10.
A pretty scientist on an offshore research facility has been experimenting with mako sharks, making them larger and much smarter, in order to cure a brain disease. Unfortunately, the nasty sharks escape, do their best to destroy and flood most the facility, and then go after the humans. Along for the ride (or the lunch tray) is Thomas Jane as shark expert Carter Blake, Samuel L. Jackson as the funder of the project, LL Cool J as a bible-quoting cook named Preacher, and Stellan Skarsgard as an eccentric scientist.
The film was directed by Renny Harlin, the guy who made "Die Hard 2," the best in that series, the vastly underrated "Cutthroat Island," and the crowd-pleaser "The Long Kiss Goodnight." I'm not surprised that he took on "Deep Blue Sea," and I guess I'm not too surprised he devoted more time to action than the much-needed terror.
While there are a few undeniable jumps, in my opinion "Deep Blue Sea" is too violent to build up any real suspense, its material is blatantly unoriginal, and would it have killed the filmmakers to tell us a little bit of something about these characters before they started to kill them off one by one? Rated R. 5 out of 10.
Payback
(I) (1999)
A Great Character Action-comedy
30 July 1999
"Payback" is another one of those movies that I think is close to a modern-day classic, but that others seem dismiss rather quickly. The film appealed to me more as a great character action-comedy as opposed to a tough revenge drama.
Mel Gibson plays Porter, a quiet yet consistently MEAN crook whose after the $70,000 he would've gotten had he not been shot and left for dead by his mobster best friend and his cheating wife.
I'm going to give "Payback" even more esteem by saying that it's one of the ten best movies of the year to date. It takes risks, has its own style (everything seems to be in either black, gray, white, or, quite often, red), and everybody in it really does a good job at becoming their character. I thought it was a great film. Rated R. 110 minutes. 10 out of 10.
Mel Gibson plays Porter, a quiet yet consistently MEAN crook whose after the $70,000 he would've gotten had he not been shot and left for dead by his mobster best friend and his cheating wife.
I'm going to give "Payback" even more esteem by saying that it's one of the ten best movies of the year to date. It takes risks, has its own style (everything seems to be in either black, gray, white, or, quite often, red), and everybody in it really does a good job at becoming their character. I thought it was a great film. Rated R. 110 minutes. 10 out of 10.
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