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Reviews
Behind Enemy Lines (2001)
Hollywood War Effort worth a medal
In "Behind Enemy Lines" you've got a movie that showcases the Navy's F/A-18F Super Hornet. You've got Owen Wilson as Lieutenant Chris Burnett, a navigator struck down over Bosnia...who resorts to living among the dead and running a gauntlet of land mines to keep himself alive. And between Burnett's amazing crash sequence and the thrilling end, we're introduced to Admiral Reigart (Gene Hackman), who is forced to choose between rescuing his downed pilot or preserving a peace process that doesn't seem worth saving. Put it all together and you've got a showcase that screams the all-American military theme- "Leave No Man Behind"- and wraps it into an outstandingly patriotic package.
Yes, it can be argued that "Behind Enemy Lines" is your standard, run-of-the-mill action adventure movie involving the United States military. It also has Navy jargon that might leave some confused. (One movie-goer behind me in the theatre continually questioned the meaning of "feet dry" and was flustered, it seemed, by the use of the Phonetic alphabet) The directing was irritating, to say the least.
But "Behind Enemy Lines" was a great movie. Wanna know why? Because it doesn't star Bruce Willis or Arnold Schwarzenegger...and Owen Wilson will never be confused for Tom Cruise. (I certainly could never picture him as a superhero out to save the world) So as Wilson spends much of the movie running for his life, and looking angry, concerned, scared and very much alone, it made it that much easier to digest.
And we don't know whether to root for Lt. Burnett, at first, when it appears that he has lost faith in his purpose as a Naval aviator. "You might get to see a lot more of me soon," he tells his father on ship-to-shore call just before Christmas. Burnett, of course, is contemplating leaving the Navy because of a lack of things to do. (The pilots aren't logging many flight hours, and eating jello and launching footballs off catapaults on the flight deck appear to fail at holding his interest) "I'm proud of you," is his father's only reply- 7 years into his son's tour.
So with that fact and the Admiral's refusal to hand in his resignation letter, Burnett sits in as the navigator on a mission over the Bosnian countryside...and that's how the mayhem begins. And the movie, while short of a masterpiece, uniquely brings to light a conflict that has gone virtually unnoticed by American citizens. We get lots of neat ground and air combat, some insight into the military's chain of command, and legal jargon that would fit nicely on an episode of CBS's "JAG". And while "Behind Enemy Lines" doesn't answer every question, it works nicely as an education tool. It also serves as comfort food...to know that we have highly-skilled and well-trained men and women on the highest alert possible to protect our country and snuff out the bad guys.
The Souler Opposite (1998)
Meloni/Moloney equals double the laughs
Who knew they could be so funny?? Christopher Meloni and Janel Moloney are known more for their outstanding work in some of television's hottest dramas. ("Law & Order: SVU" and "The West Wing") Put them together on the big screen and what you get is an engaging romantic comedy with plenty of laughs.
The actors develop the story's ongoing relationship with impressive skill, leaving the audience bound to fall in love with Barry Singer (Meloni), despite the fact he's a standup comic who also happens to be a mean-spirited, sexist jerk.
You'll be rooting for him even as he takes all his insecurities with the opposite sex and chases Thea (Moloney) halfway around the country in hopes of winning her heart. They have so little in common...but when Barry finally opens his heart, you'll wonder why Thea keeps running away.
The Souler Opposite is a wonderful movie with an incredible cast and a gifted writer. Well worth your time.
America's Sweethearts (2001)
A funny and entertaining flick!
I don't know why I'm reading so many reviews from people saying that their theaters were silent during this movie. The whole theater was roaring with laughter when I saw "America's Sweethearts." And, why not? Roberts, as always, gave an incredible performance. I've never been a big fan of Zeta-Jones, but after seeing her in this role, I definitely think she should stick with romantic comedies. And, although just a few of Cusack's lines were flat, I think he worked well with what he had. Overall, the movie was good for some laughs and a great romance story. I don't think the writers and director were aiming for this movie to show what supposedly goes on behind the scenes in Hollywood; I think they just wanted to give the viewers an entertaining 2 hours with some of Hollywood's biggest names. And, it worked!!
Pearl Harbor (2001)
A bit of everything for everyone
Pearl Harbor is the kind of movie that has something for everyone. It has romance, so you can take a spouse or a date with you. It has emotional moments of friends bonding as they realize that their lives could end at any minute, so, you can take a best friend. Actually, I'd recommend that you see it with a good friend - it will make you appreciate them even more. It has some GREAT war scenes - very realistic - so those who go see the movie looking for that are going to love the 2nd hour. Basically, Pearl Harbor is a whole lot of romance, war, drama, and patriotism all rolled into one. I noticed that there were a lot of war vets (in uniform) in the theater I saw it in, and I looked around at the end to see most of them in tears. Maybe this isn't the best movie of all time, but I wasn't bored at all during the 3 hours, and I found it as a fitting tribute to those who served our country and gave their lives. People tend to laugh at the romantic aspect of the movie, but let me ask you all three questions: Don't you think that all of those servicemen who fought in the war had wives or girlfriends? Don't you think that the nurses had husbands or boyfriends? Don't you think that every single person who served in the war was somebody's wife, husband, daughter, brother, mother, father, aunt, uncle, cousin, etc? Real, living people actually waited some 60 years ago to hear if their loved ones had lived or died. Pearl Harbor perfectly captures the emotions going through America at that time. Anyone who is not at least *partially* moved by this movie must be made of stone.
Autumn in New York (2000)
What were we, the viewers, supposed to think?
Whenever I go to see ANY movie, I always walk away with one complaint - that the happy endings are so predictable, it almost isn't worth it to spend $7.50 unless the 1 hour and 45 minutes BEFORE the 15-minute sappy ending are spent making the viewer really THINK about the plot. I very much anticipated seeing "Autumn in New York" on its opening day primarily because Richard Gere very rarely disappoints an audience. And so, I was stunned when, halfway through the film, Gere's character, Will Keane, did a complete 180 from the fun-loving guy that he often portrays. The previews promised that this would be the movie that would make you "remember what it felt like to fall in love." Well, if this is anyone's real definition of "love," then I truly feel sorry for them. What were we, the viewers, supposed to find romantic in the fact that an aging playboy took advantage of a young, beautiful, dying woman? Were we supposed to shed tears of joy when she pitifully took him back after proclaiming that he "wasn't good enough"? The only thing it proved was her lack of self-esteem. In the end, she was the only person I felt remorse for - remorse for the fact that she spent her last few months on earth wasting her time with a guy who would cheat on her in a heartbeat "just because nobody was stopping him." What was the purpose of even including his long-lost daughter in the plot - so she could help him find a doctor to try to save his girlfriend's life? That was the only noble thing he did during the entire movie. I was very disappointed by this film; I went to the theater expecting to see something incredibly romantic, and instead, I walked away feeling like yet ANOTHER movie had portrayed young women as shallow and naive. The best thing about it were the beautiful shots of New York City - at least they didn't come across as artificial and fake, unlike Gere's character. I had come to expect better from him. What was he thinking in choosing this role? Winona Ryder played her part very well, but when viewers walk away feeling pity for your character, you know you've wasted your time on a dud of a movie.
Frequency (2000)
An emotional roller coaster that will leave you hanging on until the very end
Have you ever been to a movie where you've missed one little thing and felt lost? Frequency not only demands your attention, it commands your attention. This movie is more than just a look into the past, it is a look inside the mind of the main characters. You will feel what they feel and experience what they experience.
Paying close attention to the dates on the screen and the ever-changing cast of characters is important as the story unfolds. Frequency is full of suspense, twists, turns and adventure that will leave you asking, "What If?"
Dennis Quaid (heroic firefighter Frank Sullivan) and James Caviezel (Frank's son in present day) will play ping-pong with your emotions as they race against time to change the past and the future.
This one is a must-see.