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Reviews
The Conqueror (1956)
inadvertently hilarious
I must confess that I'd wanted to see this movie for a while, if only for its notoriety in cinematic history. This is one of the movies that just falls under the genre of "infamously terrible," and though the idea of John Wayne as Genghis Khan in and of itself is laughable, I wanted to see for myself why, exactly, it deserved such ignominy. Not two minutes into the movie, it was made clear to me. Still, one thing I can say for this movie is that it was humorous without trying to be. As I watched it, I could not stop laughing upon hearing the Duke utter such lines as, "Dance! Dance for me, Tartar woman!" So, in a sort of way, I do recommend seeing it, but only for hilarity's sake.
Clerks (1994)
I love this movie!
I can't help but get excited about this movie. It has some of the best lines and the funniest characters of many films I've seen. The plot is fantastically creative, and while it may seem like a dumb and juveline laughfest for high school and college students, a lot of the messages that Kevin Smith attempts to convey are actually very deep and give the audience something to think about. It's one of those films you watch over and over again and never get tired of. It's really amazing when you consider that this was Smith's directorial and writing debut. Given the offensive language used frequently in this film, as well as the subjects discussed and presented, many people might be offended, but it's those same subjects, and the lightness with which Kevin Smith treats them, which makes Clerks one of the funniest - and yet strangely most philosophical - movies I have ever seen.
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
Sellers should have never lost the Oscar to Rex Harrison
The Academy has made some stupid decisions for the duration of its existence. Arguably, its stupidest one was made in 1960. I love the movie My Fair Lady as much as the next musical enthusiast, but considering the strong (triple!) performances he gave in Dr. Strangelove, it was simply a travesty that Peter Sellers did not win the Oscar that year. This film is one of the best, if not the best, of Sellers' career, and my favorite of Stanley Kubrick's. It's definitely a thinking person's film; masterfully executed dark humor and satire. A definite must-see. ****/4
Cradle Will Rock (1999)
smart, stirring and controversial - everything I like in a film
I don't remember this movie getting a lot of press upon its release, so the first time I encountered even the existence of it was searching for Tim Robbins's name on this site. The title in and of itself is rather curious, so I read the plotline, which was intriguing, and the cast, which contained a lot of actors whose work I admire immensely. However, the presence of an all-star cast can be deceiving (such as in John Wayne's 1956 debacle The Conqueror). While I was debating whether to rent this movie, I looked at a lot of reviews online and feared that most of them were overwhelmingly negative, but I took a chance on it and rented it anyway. I'm definitely that I did, and in fact, I want to add it to my DVD library.
The plot concerns the musical "Cradle Will Rock," a left-leaning (actually downright socialist) musical by Federal Theatre Program employee Mark Blitzstein (Hank Azaria), and the subsequent attempt by the government to shut it down. Hallie Flanagan (Cherry Jones), head of the Federal Theatre Project, tries vehemently to assure its continuation, and is called to testify in Washington amidst accusations that the Federal Theatre Project is infested with Communists. Meanwhile, rehearsals continue despite the personal problems of many of the main characters such as Olive Stanton (Emily Watson), a penniless young woman who hopes of becoming a great actress, and Aldo Silvano (John Turturro), an idealistic Italian immigrant/family man, ashamed of both his poverty and his family's ties to Mussolini. Meanwhile, Nelson Rockefeller's (John Cusack) appreciation for art throws him in the midst of a connundrum by two opposing political points of view: he is dealing with fascist art critic Margharita Sarfatti (Susan Sarandon), Mussolini's former mistress and now-ambassador, who plans to gain favor for Italy with wealthy, powerful individuals such as himself and steel magnate Gray Mathers (Philip Baker Hall). However, Rockefeller has commissioned the Communist Mexican muralist Diego Rivera (Ruben Blades) to create a piece of art for the lobby of Rockefeller Center (and is surprised when he does).
The movie is marked by a number of strong performances. Cherry Jones's performance is usually the one that is identified as the best in the reviews that I read, and she does indeed give an intelligent, subtly powerful one. Emily Watson's portrayal can almost be called tearjerker-worthy; she does appear aptly vulnerable and innocent, as her character must, but there is something rather flat about her character until the end. I am, however, partial to four of the performances in general: John Turturro's, who as of yet, has never failed me in any of the movies he is in; Ruben Blades, who serves not only as commentary, but as occasional comic relief as the very politically passionate Rivera; and Jack Black and Kyle Gass of the musical duo Tenacious D, are hilarious as Tommy Crickshaw's (Bill Murray) inept ventriloquist protégés.
One criticism I have about the film is how unfavorably Joan Cusak's character (a vehemently anti-Communist employment office clerk) is portrayed. While I consider myself fairly liberal, and balked at how her conservative politics cause much trouble for the artists in the movie, I thought that her portrayal could potentially give conservatives who rail against the elitism of the liberal intelligentsia an example of such elitism without even realizing it. Another criticism I have is that some people may be thrown off by the Nelson Rockefeller/Diego Rivera subplot, which seems completely irrelevant to the movie. Robbins, in my opinion, should have had a stronger tie between the two subplots than the Countess LeGrange (Vanessa Redgrave), the wife of Gray Mathers, and a patron of both Rivera's art and Blitzstein's musical. Robbins also could have done away with the character of Bertold Brecht (Steven Skybell), who served the role of Blitzstein's conscience but actually did very little to develop the plot.
Despite these criticisms, Cradle Will Rock is overall, a strong film definitely worth watching. The themes presented in this movie: censorship, freedom of expression, the ability to create art without fear of oppression, and the right to disagree with one's government, are especially pertinent today. Whether you agree with Tim Robbins' politics or not, Cradle Will Rock will make you think, if you are indeed open to its message.
The Killing Fields (1984)
Indubitably My Favorite Movie Of All Time
As the subject line reads, this is, without a doubt, my favorite movie of all time. Haing S. Ngor is simply perfect in the role of Dith Pran and there was no one could have played it any better. He captures the poignance of Pran's situation and exemplifies man's will not simply to survive, but to rise above. The love and friendships presented in this movie are touching, but never cliched. There are many scenes which are quite disturbing (among them, the employment of children as soldiers for the brutal Khmer Rouge) but none that are gratuitously so. Sam Waterston, John Malkovich, and Julian Swain give strong performances, and Monirak Sisowath's performance as a compassionate Khmer Rouge leader is usually overlooked, though Ngor is obviously the centerpiece of the entire film. Mike Oldfield's soundtrack is riveting and appropriately jarring, and it's a shame that Roland Joffe's subsequent films have failed to match the quality of The Killing Fields. The only criticism I can give is that a large part of the movie is in unsubtitled Khmer, and the viewer has to figure out what the actors are saying by context and body language. At any rate, I highly recommend that everyone see this at least once (though given the intensity of the movie, I can fully understand people who would not be able to sit through it again).
The Last Man on Planet Earth (1999)
scarily awful
I don't think this can legally qualify as "film." The plot was so flimsy, the dialogue so shallow, and the lines so terrible that I couldn't believe that someone actually wrote the lines down, said, "Holy sh*t! This is a masterpiece" and then actually pitched it to a producer. I, for one, am still dumbfounded and will forever remember this film as the mark of the degeneracy of intelligence in America -- that, and "Crossroads," of course.
The Laramie Project (2002)
both artistically well-done and breathtakingly powerful
I don't often cry during movies. In fact, I've only cried during Schindler's List, Amistad, Snow Falling on Cedars -- and tonight -- The Laramie Project. I was fortunate enough to attend a free screening of it through my school (I attend New York University) and to meet the producer, Ross Katz, after the film was shown. Mr. Katz, Director Moisés Kaufman, and all the actors involved put together an extraordinary piece of work. At times it was hopeful, at others, disturbing -- but always touching, profound, and brutally honest. Additionally, it was fair to all the points-of-view held by the citizens of Laramie, Wyoming -- whether presenting the mindset of the murderers of Matthew Shephard, the grief of Matthew's parents and friends, the fear of Laramie's gay community, or the outrage and confusion of the town in general. Janeane Garofalo, Amy Madigan, Christina Ricci, Joshua Jackson, John MacAdams, and the gentleman who plays Matthew Shephard's father (whose name escapes me at the moment) give standout performances. I'm very happy I got to congratulate Mr. Katz for an extremely well-done production, and will be both surprised and angered if he isn't nominated for *some* award.