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Reviews
Cinderella Man (2005)
Another Oscar Worthy performance from Russell Crowe.
I love boxing movies! Forget "Million Dollar Baby" and "Against The Ropes", Cinderella Man takes the cake! Russell Crowe gives a powerhouse performance as Jim Braddock. A boxer who struggled to make ends meet to provide for his family during The Great Depression. He goes against a lot of boxers, including Max Baer, the famous boxer who's son went on to play Jethro from The Beverly Hillbillies. While he's struggling to get a job after injuring his hand, his family suffers from poverty, and has to go look for work. I recommend this movie for boxing fans, Russell Crowe fans, or fans of the sports genre. Too bad Cinderella Man only came in at #4 on the Top 5 Box Office. It should have won an Oscar. Russell Crowe should'V got the Oscar for his performance. Excellent movie!
The Goldwyn Follies (1938)
Goldwyn Floppies!
This movie should be called The Goldwyn Floppies! It was a lame attempt to present some of George Gershwin's music, shortly after his death, in a plot less musical. The movie itself looks like it was filmed in someone's backyard. The Ritz Brothers were wannabe Stooges. They're skit about them rowing in a boat in a pool was utterly pointless. Also their song about the pussy cat can make a modern audience cringe. The Charlie McCarthy bits were better suited for younger audiences, however, Charlie was no Howdy Doody. Avoid this movie at all costs. If you're a fan of Gershwin, buy his albums or watch the classic movies "Rhapsody in Blue", and "An American in Paris."
The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
This sequel is superior to it's predecessor
Matt Damon is back as Jason Bourne. This time he is in Europe, and he's framed by the CIA. Plus, he's forced to go back to his life as an assassin to survive. The sequel is superior to the original "The Bourne Identity". It's full of action-packed thrills that sure to please any fans of action/adventure flicks.
Matt Damon is excellent in any movie he's in and the roles he plays, that's why he's a popular actor of his time. The car chase scene in this one has been compared to the scene in "Bullitt". This car chase scene is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat, it's longer and more fast paced. The Bourne Supremacy is more proof that sequels can be better than the predeceasing movie. See this for the action, location shots of Europe, and Matt Damon. I give The Bourne Supremacy 4 stars!
The Village (2004)
Excellent movie worth seeing
From the creator of "Signs" and "The Sixth Sense" comes The Village. In this movie it centers around an isolated Amish-like close-knit community who's being terrorized by mythical creatures. The people call the creatures, "Those we don't speak of". The character of Ivy the blind girl was very resilient. Joaquin Pheonix was great in this, it's amazing how he has matured as an actor over the years.
Adrien Brody's character Noah Percy was the main attraction. Adrien Brody is awesome in any role he plays. If you're a fan of horror flicks, or even if you're not check out The Village. It's a great movie you won't regret seeing. I give it 4 stars.
Say It Isn't So (2001)
Farrelly Brothers' worst movie
What were they thinking? In this movie, Say It Isn't So, An orphan (Chris Klein) who lives in a mid western town and works for a dog kennel falls for a hairdresser (Heather Graham) who might be his sister. Everything about this movie is just one clichéd and not to mention vulgar monstrosity. In the Farrelly Brothers' movies the characters usually travel cross country. In this one it's from Indiana to Beaver Oregon. And as any moron can see, this movie wasn't filmed in either of those states. I've been to Oregon, and it doesn't look like that in this movie.
The worst part of the whole movie were those kids at the dinner table, just horribly nauseating. I felt like vomiting after I saw that scene! All in all, Say It Isn't So, is the worst movie the Farrelly Brothers have ever made. If you're a fan of their work, see "Me, Myself, and Irene", "Stuck on You", or "Dumb and Dumber" instead. What was Heather Graham thinking when she agreed to be in this movie? How did Chris Klein get into acting? Even "There's Something About Mary" is better than this pathetic excuse for a comedy. This movie will make you want to throw your television out the window.
Young Frankenstein (1974)
Great comedy from Mel Brooks!
In 1974, Mel Brooks produced not one, but two hit movies. Blazzing Saddles and Young Frankenstein. Both are excellent. In Young Frankenstein Gene Wilder plays the grandson of Frankenstein, who's a brain surgeon. However he would rather be called "Fronkensteen". At first he's reluctant to follow in his grandfather's footsteps, until he hops on a train to Transylvania and meets his assistant Igor. Before we know it, he does follow in his grandfather's footsteps, with a failed experiment gone wrong, and it wreaks havoc in the city in the most hilarious ways one can imagine.
Marty Feldman is great as Igor, and so are the rest of the cast. The funniest scene was when Frankstein and the Monster were singing, "Puttin' on the Ritz". Also, the part where Igor was looking for a brain, and ends up using an 'abnormal' brain, instead! Pure hilarity from beginning to end. People of all ages will enjoy this masterpiece of Mel Brooks. Young Frankenstein is sure to please fans of Mel Brooks, or people who are just beginning to get into his movies. I give Young Frankstein 4 stars!
Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Good in the beginning, Bad in the end.
I still have a lot of respect for Clint Eastwood. He's a very accomplished actor of his time. When he did Million Dollar Baby, it was scraping at the bottom of the barrell. In this one he plays a boxing trainer who's on a guilt trip about his daughter. It never specifies what exactly he did to his daughter. Morgan Freeman's performance was the usual narrative state he's best known for. Hillary Swank plays a female boxer determined to achieve her dream of being a boxer. So she asks Clint Eastwood's character to train her, at first he's hesitant. I didn't like Maggie's trailer trash family, either.
It was good in the beginning when he was training her and bonding with her like she was his daughter, then once she finally achieved her dream, the boxer sucker punches Maggie and she becomes paralyzed. Then she protests by biting off her tongue. Plus, this movie sparked a lot of controversy about euthanasia, and the right to die. The best example of this was the Terri Schaivo case. Million Dollar Baby should not have won the Oscar. The Aviator should've won instead. Clint Eastwood as good of an actor he is, he could've done better. This whole movie could've been better. See one of his other movies instead. Stay completely away from Million Dollar Baby. It will just be a big disappointment.
Ray (2004)
Great biopic of Ray Charles
Jamie Foxx was excellent as Ray Charles. This movie depicts his life story from his traumatic childhood living in poverty, getting his start in music, struggling marriage, stardom, and drugs and self-destruction. Ray is a movie every one should see, even if you're not a fan of his music. After this movie, I bought the Ray Charles Collection CD, and my whole family loved it.
Jamie Foxx deserved the Oscar for his role as Ray Charles. The resemblance was uncanny. In case nobody knew, Jamie Foxx went to a music school in his early days. It's a great start for Jamie Foxx to be in this movie because there's more to him that just a comedian. My favorite songs were "Georgia", "What'd I Say", and "Hit the Road Jack"! I give Ray 5 stars!
The Aviator (2004)
Leonardo DiCapprio does it again!
The Aviator is an excellent movie, and the acting was superb. Leonardo DiCapprio plays millionaire Howard Hughes who first started off making movies such as "Hell's Angels" and then moved onto to make airplanes. Cate Blanchet's performance as Katherine Hepburn was incredible, that you can see the striking resemblance between them.
Also, this movie focuses on Howard Hughes's obsessive perfectionism. He wanted everything to be just perfect, and Leonardo DiCapprio pulled of the performance without a hitch! Howard Hughes was also famous for making the Spruce Goose, which is now a historical landmark! Too bad The Aviator didn't win an Oscar for Best Picture, seeing this movie you can see why it was Oscar worthy to begin with. I hope to see Leonardo DiCapprio in more great movies in the future. I give The Aviator 4 stars!
The Italian Job (2003)
The Ultimate Caper Flick!
The remake of the 1969 movie The Italian Job has something in it for everyone. Very unique for a caper flick such as this. A gang of thieves who start a heist in the Italian alps get sidetracked by a rival gang and it's a race to the finish! This film has action, humor, romance, drama, filmed in exotic locations, and an awesome car chase! The Italian Job is sure to keep anyone on the edge of their seat! The best characters were played by Seth Green and Charlize Theron.
I would suggest this remake to the original. It's not very often that remakes are better than the original, and The Italian Job takes the cake. Highly recommended! You'll root, laugh, and cheer thoughout the whole movie! Great to watch with friends and family on a Friday Night. Great acting and a powerful script. Best movie of 2003! Rent it!
Crazy in Alabama (1999)
Extremely disapointing
Yet, another movie about a battered wife in the south. Melanie Griffith plays a battered wife who snaps and decapatates her abusive husband and heads to Hollywood to become a movie star with his head in a hotbox. The film's only redeeming quality was the character Peejoe (Lucas Black), who was the hero in the film, and the film's focus on the Civil Rights Movement. And Meat Loaf's role as the evil sherriff who kills a black teen for swimming in the pool was downright abysmal. Everytime he opened his mouth, you'd expect him to sing "Paradise By the Light", or "Two out of Three Ain't Bad".
This was Antonio Bandaras's directorial debut. If you're a fan of Antonio or Melanie Griffith see some of their other movies. Skip this one. It's just your typical "vitcimized woman" movie, nothing special about it. Not worth the time.
The Ring (2002)
Best horror flick since The Blair Witch Project.
Noami Watts plays a cynical reporter and Martin Henderson plays her ex-flame. They both must find out what the cause of the impending death of anyone who watches a mysterious video tape. They find out that the video was linked to a mentally ill horse tamer and her unstable daughter. Unlike some horror flicks that have an endless array of blood, gore, and violence, The Ring has a plot that's more consolidated, and not so nonsenical. The Ring really has lived up to it's hype. It's a horror movie that's actually good.
The location shots of the Pacific Northwest were breathtaking. Even if you don't care for horror movies, The Ring is still a great movie to watch with friends or family. It's worth seeing again and again. It may as well be The Blair Witch Project of 2002! I give The Ring 5 stars!
Scarface (1983)
Al Pacino is in rare form!
In Scarface, Al Pacino plays Tony Montana. A Cuban exile with a bad history who considers himself a 'political prisoner' goes to Miami to get involved with drug smuggling. Tony really gets his wish to make the American dream come true so along the way he becomes a very fearsome, bloodthirsty drug kingpin. I've always enjoyed Al Pacino's work. He knows how to play any character and earn a standing ovation. It's any wonder why this movie was so popular to begin with!
One of the best lines was, "Say Hello to My Little Friend!" Even Michelle Pfiffer was good as the cynical moll Elvira. Even if this movie was tremendously violent, it's not as violent as those ludicrious teen horror flicks that are popular right now. Even such popular movies like American Pie, Lord of the Rings, and I Know What You Did Last Summer all fail in comparison to Scarface. It's the best gangster flick since The Godfather trillogy. So, forget Once Upon A Time in America! Scarface is where it's at! I give Scarface 5 stars!
Gangs of New York (2002)
Oscar worthy!
If you don't want to see Leonardo DiCapprio in a negative review, see Gangs of New York instead of that inane tripe Catch Me if You Can. Martin Scorcese tells the tale about the turf war between Anglo-Saxons and the Irish in New York City in the 1860's. Daniel Day Lewis should have got the Oscar for his role as the notorious, charismatic butcher who kills Amsterdam's father.
Daniel Day Lewis's performance also comes off as comical at times. It's hard to believe that Cameron Diaz was in a horrid movie like "A Life Less Ordinary" to something that was Oscar worthy like Gangs of New York. Leonardo DiCapprio is the glue that holds this picture together, his performance as Amsterdam the gang leader determined to avenge his father's death was extrordinary. I also heard somewhere that Scorcese wanted to make this movie 20-some years ago. Gangs of New York is a movie everybody should see. It gives a good history lesson as well.
Analyze That (2002)
Way better than the first!
Who says sequels aren't as good as the predesessor? Analyze That is in that category! This time Billy Crystal gets custody of Robert De Niro who's been flipping out in prison and singing West Side Story songs! Just when the doctor thinks he's making progress, Robert De Niro goes back to his old ways! And this time, his Mafia gang is forced to do good. Watch the movie and you'll see what I mean.
The funniest parts of the movie was the car chase scene, and when Robert De Niro and his cohort throw a guy off a wall, and when Billy Crystal is forced to side with his Mafia family for the greater good! This movie keep me laughing from beginning to end! I didn't really like Analyze This too much, but I thought Analyze That was expectionally funny! Billy Crystal and Robert De Niro were kind of like the latter day Laurel and Hardy in those films! Analyze That is a perfect comedy to watch with friends, family, and for movie parties! It's that good! I give Analyze This 2 stars, and I give Analyze That 5 stars!
Anywhere But Here (1999)
If anything, avoid at all costs!
Anywhere But Here is an extremely unrealistic movie. Susan Sarandon plays this dillusional mother who has crazy dreams for her daughter played by Natalie Portman who has other plans to go to an Ivy League school. What I found inane about this movie was how in the world could a mother and daughter just move from Wisconsin to California at the drop of a hat? What about how much money that would cost? As I recall, they didn't even sell their house! Also, the sickening conversation between Ann and her cousin Benny when he came to visit made me want to gag!
Another thing is Natalie Portman's character Ann. All she does in this movie is lament about how much she hates California and wants to get away from her mom Adele and not to mention her unprecedented snobbery. Natalie Portman is a talented actress who needs better roles besides a mature teenager, or else she'll be left out in the typecast abyss. If you want to see a good movie about a mother and daughter going on a cross-country trip, Tumbleweeds is the movie to see. Avoid this trash known as Anywhere But Here as much as possible! I give it no stars!
Big Bully (1996)
What were they thinking?!?!
Did Rick Moranis's movie career end with this monstrosity called Big Bully? Haven't heard from him since. In this one he plays a writer who got bullied as a child and then gets even with the bully and moves out of town to the west coast. Then in the long run he gets a teaching job opportunity in his hometown only to be tormented by his old nemesis all over again. Now he has a kid who's a bully and his tormenter has a kid who's the bullied? This was supposed to be funny? If anything, it's depressing! Who in their right mind would want to go back to their hometown especially if they've been an outcast or had bad memories when they lived there? Totally unrealistic if you ask me. What was a respected comedian like Don Knotts doing in a movie like this?
Then at the end they move to New York with the bully and his family in tow. Well, ha ha! Don't show this movie to your kids. Stay away from Big Bully even if you've been bullied a lot as a child. Big Bully I heard won some Razzie Awards, it certainly deserved it. It's just a sad travesty that passes itself off as a family movie. If you want to see Rick Moranis in his prime, then see "Spaceballs" or "Little Shop of Horrors". And in the meantime I think we can only hope Big Bully gets sent to the garbage incinerator right where it belongs!
Flight of the Lost Balloon (1961)
Mindless Junk
I remember seeing this movie on cable TV. I watched it because my high school was closed up for a snow day. My parents were working and my brother was spending the day with my grandparents. I was home alone skipping through the dials when I saw this movie. Flight of the Lost Balloon was a grade Z movie with a bunch of unknown actors who embark on a journey to an Arabian land to save a friend of theirs.
As I recall the movie took place in medeval times and yet they traveled in a hot air balloon? People back then didn't have hot air balloons! What were the writers smoking? The grand finale comes when they save their friend and the villain was holding onto the balloon wanting to fight with them. The lead female in this movie didn't do anything, except scream on top of her lungs. This movie was ridiculously bad that it deserves to be listed in the B-Movie Hall of Shame! When I watched this I was making fun of it a'la MST3K who, by the way could've had a field day mocking this piece of junk! Was I the first to comment on this? Look, Ma! Me First!
Black Hawk Down (2001)
Excellent war movie!
Black Hawk Down tells the fact based story of the war between the U.S. and Somolia in October 1993. Tom Sizemore's role in this was exceptional, and I also liked him in the sadly cancelled Robbery Homicide Division. As your watching you can see this movie gives the message of how raw, cruel, graphic, and deadly war can really be.
Black Hawk Down is everything you ever wanted for a impeccable war movie. A realistic plot, action, suspense, a cool soundtrack, and a variety of characters played by an all-star cast. So, forget Saving Private Ryan, if you want to see a war movie, see Black Hawk Down. I give it 3 stars.
My Two Dads (1987)
Apparently the worst sitcom of the 80's!
**jumps on a soapbox** I am so sick and tired of all these sitcoms about moronic parents and precocious, wise beyond their years, and mature kids! In this one, a woman who has been with two men and gets pregnant, and 12 years later the mom dies mysteriously and the two gullible men get custody of the girl. And as usual she's mature, popular, and wise beyond her years and totally boy crazy and already dating. Yes, you heard me right, dating. She has a best friend who thinks and feels the same way she does.
My Two Dads is by far one of the worst 80's sitcoms ever! Small Wonder comes in second. The way the dads let that girl even act the way she did in the sitcom was sick! And of course the dads were too dumb to discipline her, and it was almost as if _she_ was raising her dads! Pathetic and unrealistic! My theory is this show started a lot of those other sitcoms about dads raising daughters and the mom is deseased, or the kids have to go live with some idiotic relative and make his life a living hell.
This sitcom never should've been made. Besides, in reality, would a girl who's living with 'two dads' like that even be popular? No, she wouldn't. She'd be mocked and ridiculed until she graduates or moves out of town which ever comes first. Also, not all teenage girls are boy crazy and trendy. It's like the writers of those shows want to make us viewers believe that. My Two Dads should've had the plug pulled on it before coming onto television!
The Full Monty (1997)
I loved this movie!
The Full Monty is the empitome of superb British humor! This movie is about unemployed steel workers who want to make some money. So one day after checking out a strip club, and with a little help from some friends, they decide to do a strip act of their own. The Full Monty is worth checking out. It has hilarious moments, cool in-jokes, and an awesome soundtrack! My favorite characters were Gaz and the insecure red headed man.
The best part of the movie was when those two burglars try to steal Gaz's TV and he and his friends stop them in their underwear! Did anyone know The Full Monty is now a musical play as well? Next time you're in the video store, rent this movie! It's a must see that will leave you wanting for more! I give The Full Monty 5 stars!
Bean (1997)
Don't bother. Not worth it.
The British sit-com Mr. Bean was so much better than this ridiculous monstrosity. In this movie version Bean is a man who sleeps on the job and attaches himself to a family. Along the way he gets entangled with art theives and actually ruins the painting he tries to recover. The only funny part was when he made that theme park ride go too fast.
If you're a fan of Mr. Bean, stick with the sit-com. This movie's humor and antics are too immature and vulgar. And the family's kids were stereotypical to the tenth degree. Bean the movie is just not worth it. It's a major disappointment. Get The Full Monty instead. Please Mr. Bean fans, turn your back on this movie.
Dragnet (1987)
Don't bother...
This spoof of Dragnet was probably funny 15 years ago. I've seen it a few times. The older I got the more I didn't think it was funny anymore. Dan Ackroyd plays Joe Friday's namesake nephew and Tom Hanks plays his new partner who's a goof-off slacker who would rather horse around and tell lame jokes. They get entangled with an evangelist who's really evil and has a Pagan cult that kidnaps a woman (Alexandra Paul). And it's never really specified why the evangelist wanted to kidnap her and take her away.
The jokes in this movie are outdated. I mean, is "Reach out and touch someone" still funny to people anymore? The only redeeming qualities this movie has is the car chases and the location shots of Los Angeles. In conclusion skip this movie and just stick with the original Dragnet with Jack Webb. This movie is just not worth it.
The Blues Brothers (1980)
This is one cool movie!
As the tagline says, "They'll never get caught! They're on a mission from God!" Dan Ackroyd and the late John Belushi take their Saturday Night Live characters The Blues Brothers to the big screen! Their mission is to get some money to reopen the orphanage in which they were raised that's being threatened to shut down. So, Elwood gets Jake out of prison and their adventure begins! They run into everything from rednecks, a homicidal old flame of Jake's, famous musicians and singers, and the authorities!
The Blues Brothers has something for everyone to enjoy. Cool music, car chase scenes, location shots of Chicago home of the blues, and one hilarious mishap leading to another! The funniest parts in the movie were the whole church scene where everyone was doing flips, and the whole chase scene that leads to the end of their 'mission'.
This is quite possibly the best movie about Saturday Night Live characters ever made! All the others such as Wayne's World and A Night at the Roxbury were all mediocre compared to The Blues Brothers! My favorite is Elwood because he's the smart and scheming one. The Blues Brothers is a movie that nobody should pass by! So go ahead and rent it already! It's an awesome movie you can watch with friends and family alike.
Life (1999)
Actually, it's very good!
I've never really been a very big Eddie Murphy fan. I've always thought he was okay. But he does deserve a standing ovation for his role in Life. In this one he plays a Harlem bootlegger during the Prohibition. He meets up with a bank teller (Martin Lawrence) and the two are sent to Mississippi. While there, they both get framed for a murder they didn't commit by a racist cop and they are sentenced for life in a prison camp. It shows them grow old together whilst serving their sentence which extends from 1932-1999.
This movie is also about history, racism, shame, the importance of friendship, and has some heartfelt and comedic moments. The only thing I didn't like about this movie was that warden who ruled the camp with an iron fist. All in all Life is a very realistic and excellent dramedy that everyone should see. It's a good movie whether you're an Eddie Murphy fan, or not. I give Life 4 stars.