GirlwonderReturns Reviews

Street Survivors: The True Story of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash (2020)

Very disappointing

[4/10 · 2 July 2020]

I am a Skynyrd superfan and an avid amateur band historian, so although I had my misgivings about this film - mostly how vehemently opposed Gary and the families of Ronnie, Steve, and Allen were to its release - I had to watch it anyway.

The title should have been "The Story of Saint Artimus Pyle". Really, this is incredibly self-congratulatory, to the point of being cringeworthy. Everyone did coke and banged groupies except Artimus. Artimus knew exactly what was wrong with the plane, even when the pilots were clueless. Artimus pulled people from the wreckage. Artimus was the voice of reason, throughout the whole film. Artimus went for help alone and got shot (TOTALLY false; road crew members Marc Frank and Steve Lawler were with him, and he totally did NOT get shot by the farmer). Artimus is the only member of the band that gets fleshed out at all; even Ronnie had little substance as portrayed in the film (and could they not find an actor capable of doing a Southern accent to play Allen, who had a very strong accent?). Artimus, I'm disappointed in you, buddy. You made this into a tale of your wisdom and heroism; it has nothing to do with the band.

I gave it four stars because the plane crash was well done, especially given the film's low budget. But I can't give it any more than that. Very self indulgent on Artie's part.

If I Leave Here Tomorrow: A Film About Lynyrd Skynyrd (2018)

Excellent, with one quibble

[8/10 · 18 August 2019]

Having grown up on Lynyrd Skynyrd's music, I thought the in-depth documentary was great. All of the photos and stories from the early days when they were just a bunch of kids from Jacksonville who wanted to be rock stars were fantastic, and Gary Rossington in particular is a very likable and endearing guy.

It's that they basically stopped at the plane crash, then skipped right to the band's rebirth, with no further story about the surviving members, that sucks. Mostly, that what happened to Allen Collins never came up. Frankly, Allen was probably the single most tragic member of Lynyrd Skynyrd (including those who died in the crash), and he was a founding member, yet after the plane crash there was no mention of him other than his "in memoriam" at the end. That kind of sucks. He deserved more.

Other than that, I really liked it.

Anacardium (2001)

Great Little Indie Thriller

[9/10 · 20 May 2009]

Really enjoyed this film. Simple, tense, twisty, exceptionally acted by both leads (with a slight edge going to Frank John Hughes, who sold his character to me 100%). It's a little talky, which makes sense given its roots as a stage play, but that doesn't detract from its value thanks to the performances. I also found much of the dialogue and discussion between the two leads to be compelling and thought-provoking. Some people might also find its stage roots apparent given that it takes place largely on one set, but that shouldn't be enough to lessen the experience. It's a shame that this film, like so many solid independent films, didn't get a wider audience in the first place, especially since there's so much big-budget Hollywood drivel clogging the theaters. But I personally liked it enough to purchase the DVD.

Highly recommended to anyone who likes a good thriller, an intense character study, or just plain strong acting.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

Thanks to Depp, better than expected

[10 December 2003]

I didn't see this film in the theater, mostly because the premise just didn't interest me much - a movie based on a theme-park ride?? You've gotta be kidding me. Even after many of my friends saw the film and told me it was worthwhile, my hesitation continued. Finally, just the other day, I was overruled at a friend's house and had no choice but to watch it or go home. And it was cold outside!

Having now seen the film, I must first say: thank god for Johnny Depp. Because without his hilarious and utterly original performance as the slightly mad and infinitely colorful Captain Jack Sparrow, I probably would have hated this film. Moving like a man who has forgotten how to walk on land, with his unusual accent and flamboyant gesticulation, Captain Jack is a guy you just have to like. But every time the action moved away from him, I tended to lose interest. I don't mean to slam the rest of the cast - they were all solid. And the film's production values are also fine, with excellent special effects and cinematography. But with the exception of Depp's performance I didn't find anything truly remarkable about it, even considering its genre. The film simply belongs to him.

Since POTC's release, fans have been suggesting that Depp receive an Oscar nomination as Best Actor. Although I've been a fan of his for years, I couldn't imagine it - not for this (again, a movie based on a theme-park ride??), anyway - but now I understand. The Disney Corporation should be thanking their lucky stars that the man accepted the role, because without Depp, POTC would be hardly worth remembering at all, and an actor who can carry a film in such a way is a brilliant actor indeed.

Willow (1988)

Not the same as it used to be...

[13 October 2003]

POSSIBLE SPOILERS BELOW!!!!

OK, when Willow was first released, I loved it. Thought it was a great fantasy story. But when I watched it again just a few days ago, for the first time in almost a decade, I realized something...and that was, "Wait a minute... isn't this a Tolkien story?"

I didn't read Lord of the Rings until about 5 years after I first saw Willow. The other day when I watched the film, as I said, for the first time in almost ten years, my first thought was "Hey Lucas - get your own story!" There is just way too much in this film that seems pulled straight from LOTR. I mean, aren't the Nelwyns just Lucas's version of Hobbits? Let's see...little people, mostly farmers, who love food, drink and celebration, don't like to leave home or mix much with other races, and aren't much expected or called on to be heroic.

Then one of them finds a baby/Ring that needs to be taken far away to keep the rest of the Hobbits - oops, sorry, I mean Nelwyns - out of danger. Taking this baby/Ring away will make the whole world a better place. So the Nelwyn/Hobbit gets a group - or Fellowship, if you like - of other Nelwyns/Hobbits to go with him to take this baby/Ring where it must go. On the way, they meet a warrior named Madmartigan/Strider who at first they don't know if they can trust, but have no choice. There is an evil Sorceress/Wizard named Bavmorda/Saruman who wants the baby/Ring's power for her/himself, and a good sorceress/wizard named Raziel/Gandalf who is there to help the Nelwyn/Hobbit.

Does anyone else see where this is going? I don't know, but it sure sounds like a ripoff to me. It's a shame; I can't enjoy Willow anymore. Some of it is still fun, I suppose, but the lack of originality is a pretty big downer to me. Perhaps the fact that I've grown up since I first saw it has something to do with it as well. But all in all, I think that J.R.R. Tolkien told pretty much the same story first, and better. And that, I'm afraid, will always come to mind if I try watching Willow again in the future.

Stormy Monday (1988)

A movie in the best film noir tradition...

[8/10 · 24 January 2002]

I really enjoyed this movie. I'm a big fan of film, but more than that, I'm a fan of actors. Strong acting, as far as I'm concerned, can redeem even the worst of movies (under the right circumstances) - and it's wonderful when the film itself is already good.

Such is the case with Stormy Monday, the directorial debut of Mike Figgis (who would later have great success with Leaving Las Vegas). The casting seems somewhat unusual, but in the end is quite effective. I have never been a big fan of either Melanie Griffith or Sting, and by contrast, have always enjoyed Tommy Lee Jones and Sean Bean, so I was unsure of what to expect. But all four impressed me greatly with their performances. This is a film which requires the use of one's senses - we see the hopeful expressions on Griffith's and Bean's faces when they meet for the first time; we hear the frustration in the voice of Jones' crooked businessman when he can't seem to get his way, and the resolve in the voice of Sting's jazz club owner when he refuses to give in to Jones.

The cinematography (by the excellent Roger Deakins) is classic film noir, and when combined with the wonderful jazz soundtrack, creates a moody atmosphere not often seen in 80's cinema. Overall, this is a success - dark, atmospheric, and absorbing, an actor's showcase and a film enthusiast's smorgasbord. There should be more like this one!

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

God bless the Nine!

[9/10 · 7 January 2002]

I was nervous about seeing this movie. Having just reread the book, the experience was still so fresh in my mind that I was terrified it would be ruined for me. I wasn't sure about Elijah Wood as Frodo. I wasn't sure how "Hollywoodized" the story would become in its translation to the screen. I was bracing myself even as I walked into the theater.

Well, my fears proved groundless. The set design, cinematography, and effects were all wonderful, and the charm and excitement of the story are intact. More than anything else, I was struck by the acting. From the well-known names (Ian McKellen, Elijah Wood) to the too-often-overlooked (Viggo Mortensen, Sean Bean, John Rhys-Davies, Sean Astin), to the newcomers (Orlando Bloom, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan), the entire cast fully embodied their respective characters, and brought them to life. Kudos to Peter Jackson for his brilliant casting and high-minded vision! In the hands of lesser actors (and director) this film could have been a bust, and instead it's as close to Tolkien's original vision as I ever could have hoped. Now we really can say, "Frodo lives!" And Gandalf and Aragorn and Sam and Gimli and...

A Room with a View (1985)

The best period film ever made...period.

[9/10 · 12 October 2001]

This was my best friend's most favorite film back when we were in high school, and for over a year I refused to watch it. What was the point? I was a 17-year-old heavy metal fan; period dramas were stuffy and joyless, something that I only watched when I was forced to by parents or teachers.

Well, finally I relented and agreed to give it a shot...and ended up loving it even more than she did. Everything about this movie is wonderful; it's funny, romantic, wise, and touching. The cast simply couldn't be better - I especially liked Dame Maggie Smith as Charlotte Bartlett, Denholm Elliott as the wonderful Mr. Emerson, Simon Callow as the Reverend Beebe, and Rupert Graves as the irrepressible Freddy Honeychurch, although similar kudos must be given to Helena Bonham Carter, Daniel Day-Lewis, and Julian Sands. The love story is wildly romantic without also being painfully sappy. And the message is wise, loud and clear: life without passion is not really life at all. If only I could find my own George Emerson!

The Stand (1994)

Pretty good, but not quite up to the novel

[7 September 2001]

The Stand is perhaps my favorite novel of all time, and I always knew that translating it to the screen - big or small - would be a pretty heavy task. Still, I followed the progress of the making of the miniseries from casting through production, up to release. One of the things that amazed me was the fact that some of the casting was so dead-on and some so far off. Nick Andros was my most favorite character in the book, and I can tell you that he was in no way, shape or form Rob Lowe - period. Molly Ringwald took on the role of Frannie Goldsmith - a strong, opinionated, outspoken, and conscientious woman - and turned her into a selfish, whiny little girl. And I do mean that every line she spoke seemed to come out as a whine. And it wasn't the dialogue, but her delivery.

Still, I think the character most ruined in the transition from novel to miniseries was Harold Lauder. Harold in the book was one of the most fascinating fictional characters of all time, in my opinion, and in the film they turned him into a stereotypical nerd who, like most "bad" characters, is portrayed entirely unsympathetically. That was so disappointing!

Of course, there were other performances that exceeded expectations. Gary Sinise was a perfect Stu Redman, and Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis, Ray Walston, Adam Storke, Bill Fagerbakke, and the dreadfully underappreciated Miguel Ferrer, among others, all turned in strong performances.

I suppose I should not have expected perfection - an 1,100 page novel is a hard thing to fit into 6 hours, especially on television with all the unpleasantries that can't be portrayed. And it's not necessarily a bad movie - it's just not quite the same as the book (which I still read at least once yearly). All in all, I'd say it came out as well as it could have under the circumstances - I only wish they'd thought a little harder about some of their casting choices before making them. But bravo to Stephen King for writing the teleplay himself - that alone makes it better. And I will watch this again sometime - after all, it's a way to see Stu, Glen, Larry, Lloyd, Tom Cullen, and all the others come to life outside of the novel.

Fever (1999)

Alex Winter has come a long way...

[9/10 · 23 May 2001]

I'm quite familiar with the name "Alex Winter," and it actually has very little to do with "Bill and Ted." I remember "The Idiot Box," and I loved "Freaked," although few people I know have ever even heard of it, and I hope that now, with the release of "Fever," more people will remember Mr. Winter for something other than the "Bill and Ted" movies. "Fever" is a haunting film, sparked by excellent performances from Henry Thomas and David O'Hara, as well as by Winter's brilliant direction. The old-fashioned stationary camera shots, together with the powerful (if bleak) cinematography, combine to create an affecting, often unsettling whole. Alex Winter seems to know New York pretty well - and as a native, I should know. For example, the shots of the N.Y.C. skyline looking dusky, seared and ominous rather than, as in so (too) many films, impossibly grand and inspiring, help us to see Nick's surroundings in the same skewed and frightening way he does, which in turn gives us a better understanding of his paranoia.

I waited months to see this film, as it was never released in Boulder theaters. I looked up the video release date, made a note of it, and rented it as soon as it was available. I was not disappointed. The only letdown is knowing that I will have to wait awhile for Alex Winter to write and direct another film. For my sake at least, I hope he hurries.

O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)

Pure, joyous entertainment

[10/10 · 9 February 2001]

I really, really enjoyed this movie. It had been a long time since I'd left a movie theater feeling really good as a result of what I'd just watched, but such was the case with "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" I know a lot of critics didn't appreciate this film, saying, among other things, that it was silly, had a thin plot, or didn't make sense. It also seems that a lot of critics feel a film must have deep social relevance or a "powerful" message to be worthwhile. I myself do not feel this way. Movies, after all, were created as entertainment - a diversion, to make people forget about their own humdrum, sometimes dreary lives.

Above all else, I think movies are meant to make people feel good. And what struck me most about "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" was the sense of joy - yes, joy - that permeated the entire film. The music was transcendent, and the performances floored me. With every role, George Clooney rises in my estimation; Everett was a glorious creature, and this was thanks largely to his portrayer. John Turturro, as far as I can recall, has never given a single bad performance; I count him among the most wonderful actors of his generation. And Tim Blake Nelson - always more active behind the camera than in front of it - was a pure delight, often stealing the show from the two cinematic giants he shared the spotlight with.

But I keep returning to the joy. Perhaps there wasn't all that much to this movie, but I was transfixed nonetheless. I was behind Everett, Pete, and Delmar the whole way, just because they were so much fun to root for. I applaud Joel and Ethan Coen for making movies simply for the love of movies (I think this film, as much as any of their others, shows that to be the case) - in other words, for the joy of it. This was unquestionably the best film I have seen in a long time, and its simplicity, lack of pretense, and happy-go-lucky tone all played large parts in that. These days especially, pure whimsy should be cherished in the movies - after all, there's so little of it left.

From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)

Two movies for the price of one

[8/10 · 3 February 2001]

What a ride! Only such a teaming of minds as Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez could possibly bring us a film like From Dusk Till Dawn. Half Tarantino crime caper, half Rodriguez action thriller, what made this movie so enjoyable to me was that it didn't take itself too seriously. Bravo to Harvey Keitel for his great, against-type portrayal of Jacob Fuller (can that guy ever give a bad performance?), and also to George Clooney, who did a great job as Seth. I'd say that the hardest thing for me to swallow about the plot was not the vampires, but the idea of Tarantino and Clooney as brothers (how, exactly, did that happen?). Still, I really enjoyed this movie, and anyone else with a strong stomach, a vivid imagination, and a sense of humor likely would as well.

Roadracers (1994 TV Movie)

The 50's like they never showed them in the 50's!

[8/10 · 29 December 2000]

I first heard about this movie from a friend who knew of my love for the 50's rockabilly era, and I must admit I had my reservations. David Arquette, the kooky 1-800-CALL-ATT guy, as a tough, ultra-cool 50's rebel? I didn't think it could possibly work. Then I watched the movie, and discovered just how well casting an actor against type can work. Arquette truly brought Dude Delaney to life, and he was also fortunate enough to be surrounded by a perfect supporting cast. I especially liked O'Neal Compton as diner proprietor J.T. and the always-dependable William Sadler as Sarge, although John Hawkes, as lovable 'freak' Nixer, stole every scene he appeared in. Salma Hayek did a good job of making me alternately love and hate her Donna. Overall, I thought Roadracers was a lot of fun - quirky, exciting, funny, and with a great rockabilly soundtrack that had me dancing in my living room. Bravo to Robert Rodriguez - go, cat, go!!!!

Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991)

A Film That Puts The "Fun" Back In "Funny"

[27 October 2000]

Who says sequels can't be as good as originals? This movie proves that that is not always true. It was well-written, more mature, and just out-and-out funnier than its predecessor. Alex Winter once again showed great comic timing as Bill, although the film was absolutely stolen by William Sadler as Death ("Don't overlook MY butt. I work out every day, and reaping burns a lot of calories"). Some may call it stupid humor, but that's not really the case; the funniest scenes in the movie - such as the Twister scene or "20 Questions" - are original, well-played, and just plain clever. We all know Keanu Reeves has never been known so much for his acting, but he's above his average here, and Winter, Sadler, and George Carlin are all great fun.

Certainly this film can't appeal to everyone. If the idea of, say, Death playing Battleship, Clue, and Twister doesn't seem funny to you, you probably won't like it (although you may want to lighten up a little). If it does, well then you'll probably agree with me on this: Bill & Ted rock!!!

National Velvet (1944)

One of the Best Family Films Ever

[10/10 · 16 October 2000]

This is the first movie I ever owned on video, and 14 years later, I still have the same copy. Elizabeth Taylor was as radiant at twelve as ever later in life, Mickey Rooney gave real dimension to Mi Taylor, and Donald Crisp was solid as ever as Mr. Brown. The amazing Anne Revere, as Mrs. Brown, seemed to be the wisest woman in the world. After nearly 60 years, the warmth, humor, and excitement of this film still affect the viewer; we still laugh at the jokes, root for The Pie, and love Velvet for the spirit and capacity for love that she displays. I love it as an adult just as I loved it as a child. A must for every family video collection.