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mmmartin57
Reviews
O.K. Garage (1998)
Will Patton is worth a watch
Ok, This is not a great movie. It's not even a good movie. Quirky, slow, lackluster and uneven. However, there is a reason why Will Patton won best actor award at the Newport Film Festival for his portrayal of Sean. He did an incredible job as this slightly crazy character who is sane enough to know something is very wrong with him. It is worth seeing this movie just to take a gander at Patton's performance.
The Spitfire Grill (1996)
A real winner
There is a reason why this movie won the audience award at the Sundance Film Festival...it is a beautiful story of redemption. Percy is an ex-convict trying to make a new start at the Spitfire Grill in Gilead, Maine ( real location). She meets some small-minded small-town folks who just won't give her a chance. The scenery is lovely, the music by James Horner is hauntingly beautiful and the cast (played by Allison Elliot, Ellen Burstyn, Marcia Gay Harnden and Will Patton) is superb. This is a movie that will touch you and one that you will not be able to forget. Be sure to watch it with a box of tissues next to you-- you'll need it.
Tollbooth (1994)
One viewing is just not enough
I have seen this movie several times and enjoy it more each time. It is quirky and bizarre, but it is the symbolism that draws me in each time. Carefully placed symbols permeate the movie, from roadkill, to butterflies, to an overgrown garden, to fish bait (once you see the movie you'll understand), to even Dash Pepper's leg cast. The three main characters are wonderfully constructed: Fairuza Balk as Doris Lenny von Dohlen as Jack, her boyfriend, and Will Patton as Dash Pepper (in yet another great performance), Doris' lover and Jack's best friend. One of the most telling lines, I think, is when Dash tells Doris that they are both a bit damaged, and they are. This movie is about relationships and how they can be altered by a simple twist of fate, about healing, and about letting go of the past to embrace the future. One viewing is just not enough.
A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
Definitely one of Spielberg's best. Simply beautiful.
WARNING: MAY CONTAIN MILD SPOILERS
I saw this film on July 4th, and I loved it. It beats Close Encounters and E.T. in the sci-fi aspect. It is right up there with the Indiana Jones movies in quality. The acting is tops, and so is the special effects. I've learned to expect the best from Steven Spielberg and he hasn't let me down on this one. I found the story to be very emotional, as the film was beautifully done. (I left the theater in tears, but that's just me :)). This is definitely one of Spielberg's best, I'd highly recommend this movie. If you are the emotional type, bring tissues! While the first 2 hours rocked, the last 30 minutes were somewhat disappointing. I felt there were other ways to end it, rather than introducing the alien aspect, but hey, it's Spielberg!