criddic2 Reviews

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: If I Had a Hammer... (2009) Season 9, Episode 21

Good episode

[7/10 · 6 June 2009]

I have never previously watched CSI, but I saw that Henry Thomas was the guest star. You may remember him from "E.T." (1982), "Legends of the Fall" (1994), "Suicide Kings" (1998) or "Gangs of New York" (2002) among others. He plays a man who has spent 18 years in prison and now wants a new trial to claim innocence.

There is suspense in this episode and a lot of technical sequences where detectives go through evidence. Helgenberger and Fishbourne do good work, as does the dependable Thomas who doesn't get enough chances to shine on film in major projects. On the basis of the show, I may be inclined to view it again from time to time.

Halloween (2007)

Another pointless remake

[3/10 · 2 June 2008]

The original Halloween was fresh and different, and it remains an entertaining film. I can understand why years and years of sequels and imitations have diminished its effectiveness for some people. The newer generations are used to slick CGI and big-budgeted gore-fests that move at break-neck speed and don't develop their characters. So maybe they feel that "Halloween," "The Omen," "Psycho," "The Birds" and the original "A Nightmare on Elm Street" lack action or feel "dated." I disagree with them on that point, as I think if you watch any of those without dwelling on when they were made or how CGI might look in them, you know with a fresh attitude, most people would come away having enjoyed them. Not all of those films were masterpieces, but each one was a true original that inspired countless imitations over the years. The influence of each of them has been felt for decades in the film world and in the popular culture.

The real problem with Rob Zombie's remake is not that it is a remake, or "reimagining," but that it doesn't tell us anything very interesting about its characters. Did we really need to know what Michael Myers' childhood was like? No. Dr. Loomis tells us a lot about him in the first movie. Why do we need a visual of every move Myers' made? That is the why horror movies don't really work anymore. There is no mystery. Every detail is explained and seen; every drop of blood has to be shown, and every thought each character thinks has to be spoken out loud. It's all so unnecessary.

What happened to suspense? What happened to shadows and the hint of something sinister? The first "Halloween" movie, the only true original in the entire series, played with our fears and our expectations. It used a relatively small, make that incredibly small, budget to great effect by being creative. The bigger budget for this latest merely makes the makeup effects and the sets a bit slicker.

I will credit Mr. Zombie with knowing his way around technical details of film-making, but all his effort has gone into a completely pointless remake. We learn nothing new worth knowing about Michael Myers or his world. There are minimal chills. It fits snuggly into the mediocre pile of sequels that followed the 1978 film. It may be slightly better made than some of them, but feels just as stale as Part II or IV.

The First Deadly Sin (1980)

Sinatra Shines in Mediocre Crime Drama

[7/10 · 2 June 2008]

MAY CONTAIN MINOR SPOILERS I rate this film 7 out of 10 mainly for the strength of Frank Sinatra's performance.

He plays a retiring police detective, whose wife has fallen ill and is slowly dying in the hospital. Seeking to distract himself from his personal troubles, he becomes deeply involved in trying to solve a series of murders and stop the killer.

The story is based on a novel by Lawrence Sanders, who wrote a series of "Deadly Sin" mysteries. It provided Sinatra with his final starring role in a film, and he plays it well. As the worn-out aging cop, he is effective and moving in several scenes. Unfortunately, the movie doesn't play fair with its audience regarding the killer and it never reaches the tension necessary to be more interesting as a thriller. Thankfully, Sinatra is in nearly every scene and has some nice interactions with supporting players like James Whitmore, Brenda Vaccaro and Martin Gabel.

It's David Dukes' killer that we never really get to know. He's alternately bold and weak, and we are never given any insight into why. In a more exciting thriller, we might overlook that flaw, but here it makes the chase a little less interesting. However, as I said, the Sinatra scenes are plenty and they are well-done. For example, there's a nice scene where he buys ten minutes to snoop around an apartment to look for clues. And the scenes with Whitmore's coroner and Gabel's curator are nicely played.

Had the makers of the film, which include executive producer Sinatra, been more in-tuned to the serial-killer aspect, they may have balanced out the film a bit more. Also, Faye Dunaway is wasted in her role as the dying wife. She's fine acting her scenes, but has so little to work with that she's almost non-existent. Some complain about the down-beat ending, but I feel that it fits well in the context of the film.

As it is, "First Deadly Sin" represents a solid, yet somber, final star vehicle for Frank Sinatra.

Blue Skies (1946)

Delightful Musical

[7/10 · 18 February 2007]

Sure it's the same old story of two showbiz guys fighting over the girl, but that's just an excuse to have fun with Fred and Bing. The two dance and sing several fine numbers throughout the film.

And there's the added treat of music by one of the legendary composers. Irving Berlin provides his beautiful songs, including the Oscar-nominee "You Keep Coming Back Like a Song." Fred Astaire does his famous "Puttin on the Ritz" number, while Bing sings the title tune. The duo work well together as they did on "Holiday Inn" four years earlier.

Billy De Wolfe has some funny moments in songs and sketches.

Overall, a colorful and entertaining musical. Don't listen to those who'd turn you away just because the plot is kinda thin.

What more could you want?

Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)

Unfortunate End to an Entertaining Series

[3/10 · 13 November 2001]

Many people have written about this movie and how bad it is. Well, it is bad. Can't deny it. Some of the effects are among the worst ever displayed in a major motion picture. The script is chopped up so bad that some scenes wind up being incoherent. One saving grace is the sincerity of the performances. Christopher Reeve is still a believable Superman/Clark Kent, while Gene Hackman makes a pleasing return to the series as Lex Luthor. It should either have just dealt with nuclear arms or the solar powered villain, not both. The zany subplot with Mariel Hemingway falling for Clark is mildly amusing.

I have heard/read a great deal concerning cut scenes and a grossly cut budget. Why did they do that to Superman? Didn't the producers know that fans wanted to see a worthy movie, not a cheap imitation?

The real problem was that the Salkinds left after #3, leaving the filmmakers with cheap producers, and not choosing a better director than Sydney J. Furie.

At least #3 had entertaining elements, even if it did throw out the Lois Lane character and any trace of the previous two movies. I liked the sweetness of the Smallville scenes and the humor provided by Richard Pryor; I even liked some of the special effects sequences. But #4 is virtually a child's wind-up toy. Reeve had good intentions with his input as co-writer and 2nd unit director, I'm sure. He remains true to character.

It should have been better. * *

Jaws: The Revenge (1987)

One of the Worst Films of All Time!

[1/10 · 13 November 2001]

I can suspend my disbelief to allow for a vengeful shark to come after the Brody family. After all, he was killed in two other movies (#3 was a different shark, with different people) by the same guy (Roy Scheider's Chief Brody. He was smart and didn't come back for this one.) But a lot of inconsistencies and idiotic, laughable things occur in Jaws the Revenge. One of the most famous is the scene where the shark stands on its tail in the water and almost leaps onto Mrs. Brody's tiny boat. Apparently she wasn't told of her husband's quote about getting a bigger boat. Her dreams/nightmares provide her with memories of things she couldn't possibly have seen but not that one. Michael Caine brings nothing to the film, except for the novelty of the fact that he couldn't pick up his first Oscar because he was filming this movie! Lucky for him he won a second one (I think they felt sorry that he missed out for this trash film). No suspense, no horror, bad acting, horrible writing. They only green-lighted this based on the concept, you see. They thought 'Gee, we can make money with another Jaws movie. How 'bout if the shark is angry and wants revenge.' That would've been fine...if they had attempted to make a smarter movie.

I've seen a lot of bad movies but this one is among the very worst. It goes on my list with "Godzilla 1985" and "Dracula's Dog" as one of the worst horror films on record.

Hearts in Atlantis (2001)

Pleasing, understated King adaptation.

[8/10 · 6 October 2001]

Young boy named Bobby in 1960's America developes unlikely friendship with elderly Ted, who pays him a dollar a week to read the paper aloud and be on the look out for "low-men." The movie keeps the identity of these low-men unknown, creating a mysterious atmosphere, only hinting that they are from the FBI recruiting psychics for defense tactics. Nostalgic tone is rather pleasing, with Hopkins offering a nuanced, subtle performance as the odd but charming old man. The movie wisely avoids making the supernatural elements the focus, instead allowing us to be drawn into the wise lessons Ted teaches Bobby as he experiences his last summer as a "kid." Written by William Goldman, from a novel by Stephen King.

Planet of the Apes (2001)

Tim Burton has made a fun, if not great, remake

[6/10 · 2 August 2001]

Tim Burton is one of the most visually inventive directors of our time. "Batman" showcased a vividly realized Gotham City; "Ed Wood" had the authentic look for the story of the worst director ever; and "Sleepy Hollow" showed guts by prominently displaying twisted trees and full moons for a great Halloween treat. That's just to name a few. And Burton's "Planet of the Apes" is no different. Deserts, jungles, extravagant makeup and costumes are all stunning in this film.

Mark Wahlberg plays the role made famous by Charlton Heston (who has a short cameo that is terrific fun to see). He is an astronaut who gets more or less stranded on a strange planet where the apes rule and humans are slaves. Wahlberg leads the people to rebellion, rather reluctantly.

Unlike the original "Apes," Burton seems content to throw in more action scenes than dialogue to tell the story. There is very little social commentary really and the main story seems centered on how Helena Bonham Carter, as a loving ape who cares for the humans, helps Wahlberg in his attempts to save the other people from the evil Thade (a terrific Tim Roth). General Thade doesn't want the humans to rise up, because he'll lose his power as a ruler.

But this is nothing new, however entertaining. While the original pushed a few envelopes by raising social issues, some of them relevant today, and providing real characters, this "Apes" is mostly for show. I liked the movie on its own terms, however. It's enjoyable, looks great and has a twist ending that shows the trademark Burton imagination that we've come to expect. In short, expect a few sequels.

My Rating: * * * (out of four)

The Score (2001)

A "Mission: Impossible" that should make Tom Cruise jealous.

[8/10 · 30 July 2001]

Frank Oz' "The Score" is one of the more pleasant experiences you'll have all year at the movies. It contains all the elements of what a true thriller should have. Three powerhouse performances, good dialogue and characters, and exciting twists and turns that don't cheat the audience.

The story concerns Robert De Niro's attempts to retire from the heist game, so he and his girlfriend (an underused but delightful Angela Bassett) can live a normal life together at last. But when his best friend Max (Marlon Brando) gets him involved in one last job, he finds himself paired up with a hotheaded kid who thinks he knows what their in for.

That's a plot outline, not a detailed description, because I feel that audiences will be most pleased to find out the surprises for themselves. Frank Oz is a good director of comedies like "In and Out," but here he gives us a movie that is alive with great acting and exciting action scenes. By action I don't mean explosions and car chases, but scenes that crackle with suspense. One of the best elements of the film happens to be Marlon Brando, who has one of his best roles in years. He provides a character that is at times funny and warm, and also surprisingly touching (as in a poolside scene between Brando and De Niro). It is a treat to see that he still has the chops, after years of speculation that he simply lost his ability to deliver a performance of real weight (no pun intended). De Niro is effective as the retiring Jack; and Norton is once again quite good as De Niro's partner on the last job.

"The Score" is simply a great "Mission: Impossible" with a twist ending worthy of what came before. It makes you realize what Tom Cruise's movie could have been like if the writers had put a little more effort into it.

My Rating: * * * 1/2 (out of four)

A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)

An example of the infinite powers of the imagination.

[10/10 · 26 July 2001]

Steven Spielberg's "A.I." is an astonishment; a visual and story-telling achievement. It centers on the story of a little robot, made to look, act and feel like a real little boy. He is adopted by a couple who have supposedly lost their own son. A scientist (William Hurt) warns them that if the robot is activated, he will forever love them as if he were real. When his adoptive mother Monica (Frances O'Connor) dumps him in the woods, David (the robot) becomes obsessed with finding the Blue Fairy from "Pinocchio" so she can make him real. Then, he thinks, he'll be able to come home to his new family where he'll be loved. This sets up a long journey in which David and his Teddy join lover robot Gigolo Joe (Jude Law) on a wild adventure.

The visuals in this movie are incredible, including a scary Flesh Fair, where robots are demolished by angry humans; an underwater Manhattan and others. But the acting is even more exemplary, with the greatest credit going to young Haley Joel Osment as David. His performance is a delicate balance between robot and human mannerisms. Conveying emotions with a subtlety that is rare for actors his age (13) and playing many difficult scenes with the professionalism of an actor twice his age. He is front and center throughout most of the film. In short he deserves an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. This would be historic, making Osment the second-youngest nominee in this category [and only the second child-actor, period, in a lead role]. Richard Dreyfuss' current record for youngest winner may be in jeopardy (he was 27 when he picked up his prize for "The Goodbye Girl"). Jude Law is also a likely supporting nominee again, after "The Talented Mr. Ripley."

Mr. Spielberg may have taken over from Stanley Kubrick but make no mistake: The finished product is a result of the talents of Spielberg and his team, combined with elements of Kubrick's vision. A snub from Oscar would be criminal.

My rating: * * * * (out of four)