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Reviews
Hanover Street (1979)
Memorable movie from my childhood, rewatched on Prime
Christopher Plummer has just passed away and I immediately thought of this film, which I think is some of his best work. Back in the pre-cable TV era, Hanover Street played (and played and played) on my local pay station "SuperTV." Even as a child, I knew that the love story's dialogue in the script was utterly ridiculous, over-the-top, melodramatic cheese. Still, the rest of it was very well done and as whenever the lovers don't speak, their romance seems real.
The most memorable scenes for me are the meet-cute at the beginning and the interrogation scene. Watching it for the first time in nearly 40 years, the love theme was also instantly recognizable. So, I laughed any time Ford and Down talk to each other, but otherwise this is an absolutely decent movie. They just don't make 'em like they used to.
Team America: World Police (2004)
Laughed so hard I cried -- 3 times!!
Let me start this with I LOVED the South Park movie - I think it's one of the best comedies ever. I was really looking forward to Team America, and it surpassed my expectations. It's totally on par with the South Park movie. It made me laugh so hard in places tears were flowing from my eyes. It doesn't matter what your politics are, as everyone gets parodied, and the moral is typical South Park-style, where they take points from both sides.
Forget about not seeing it because it's puppets. They know it's cheesy. Many jokes come from the stupid-ness of using puppets. So go and enjoy!! (And bring tissues...and maybe Depends if that's how you react when you laugh really hard...)
Searching for Debra Winger (2002)
Fantastic look at women's struggle for balance in life
I just finished watching this movie, and I loved it. I found it completely refreshing to have a topic for a movie to be about working women and the choices they make. There are certainly parts to it that are specific to being an artist, and even more specifically an actor, but you can definitely generalize this to working women at all. I'm probably limiting it to my perspective -- it would apply even to choices women make at all. It is a great irony that the type of movie the women in this picture discuss that isn't being made is exactly the type of movie this is. One that delves into real people, real "characters" as Martha Plimpton yearned for, that are dealing with issues that really affect life -- motherhood, relationships, feeling like you've done something with your life. I would LOVE to see more movies tackling those topics. Brava, Rosanna! As Sharon Stone said, "You go, girl!"
Normal (2003)
A smile, and what a soundtrack!
I laughed, I cried (in all the right places too). I have to say I watched this solely because I'm a die-hard Jessica Lange fan. The subject matter sounded a LITTLE too out there to be done seriously. I was expecting a melodramatic movie-of-the-week type. Instead, I got "It's not TV, it's HBO." Ah, me of little faith. Of course, Tom Wilkonson (last seen in "In the Bedroom"), Jessica Lange, and HBO wouldn't steer me wrong. I was pleasantly surprised and chagrined at my doubt.
Plus, what a soundtrack!! I'd love it if HBO released it.
Square Pegs (1982)
Sarah Jessica Parker's breakout role
I couldn't believe it when I watched Sarah Jessica Parker "Inside the Actor's Studio" recently. James "Mr. Blue Cards" Lipton didn't mention this TV series AT ALL. I remember this so well, and couldn't believe it when I looked it up and it only lasted one season. It started it all for Sarah Jessica Parker. I'll always remember her as "the girl from 'Square Pegs'".
The Pledge (2001)
A real downer
I was really enjoying this movie until it got even more sick, depressing, and outlandish. Jack Nicholson does a nice job, as does Robin Wright Penn (as usual). Likewise, Sean Penn's directing was very good. He only occasionally dropped into a film cliche - like where the cop tells someone their loved one is dead and Penn chooses to pull back and show the scene from afar (seen it!). Overall, though, it keeps you engrossed, trying to figure out if Nicholson's character is crazy or sane, right or wrong, good or evil. Some of my criticisms: he was a cop - why doesn't he inquire more at the places the girl and Toby were knew to hang out? Also, my biggest shock was when cops put a young girl into jeopardy without her mother knowing -- yeah, right! The one redeemer was the ending song, "Why" which I think explained what Sean Penn had in mind with this movie. Basically, it says people do good every day, and then one person does complete evil. It ends, "Don't ask me why. I don't know." A good premise, but he would have been better off just doing the music video :-)