bellebook Reviews

The Hunt for Red October (1990)

Thrilling (and oftentimes witty) adventure (some spoilers)

[25 August 2001]

This should tell you something about whether I like "The Hunt for Red October" or not -- my dad and I have watched it so many times I've lost count!

What do we like about it? Well, for one thing, it has a plot that keeps us on the edge of our seats. "The Hunt for Red October" is about a Soviet commander named Marko Ramius, whose suppressed disillusionment with the Soviet Union finally reaches the boiling point when he's given command of the Red October, a submarine with an (almost) completely silent propulsion device called a "caterpillar" drive. Ramius knows its only purpose is as a first-strike weapon, and in complete disillusionment, he decides to defect and take the sub with him. Most of his officers are also defecting. Jack Ryan, the CIA analyst, is the first person to realize Ramius's intentions -- but he has to persuade the other Americans before it's too late. And that's going to be hard, since the Soviets are saying Ramius intends to fire his missiles at the United States and want the Americans to help sink the Red October!

Besides the thrilling plot (admittedly less complex than the book, but movies are less complex than books for the most part), there's also great acting from most of the actors. Leading the way is Sean Connery, as Ramius (even with a barely-concealed Scottish accent, which I didn't really notice), but right behind him is Alec Baldwin as Ryan. Also getting high marks on my list are Courtney B. Vance as Seaman Ronald Jones, Scott Glenn as Commander Mancusco, and Sam Neill as First Officer Borodin. I could name others, but I'd take up too much space.

But what I love most is not the thrilling plot or the fine acting, but the many memorable (and oftentimes witty) lines in the film. There's Borodin's vivid dream of living in Montana (which makes his final line so sad); Ramius's "Verify our range to target. One ping only."; and Ryan's "Next time Jack, write a goddamned memo!"; just to name a few. But my favorite line belongs to the first officer of the Konovalov. When he hears there's a torpedo aimed at the Konovalov (their own torpedo, too), he says, "You arrogant ass! You've killed us!"

In short, I highly recommend "The Hunt for Red October"!

Belle Book

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

Does the word "brilliant" mean anything?

[26 December 2000]

That question pretty much sums up my reaction to "The Muppet Christmas Carol", a hilarious, yet touching film.

What did I like about the movie? Just about everything! Michael Caine made a great Scrooge, and this film showed us, possibly better than just about any other version I've seen, just how Scrooge came to be such a miser (although that could partly be because the versions I saw which really go into Scrooge's childhood were clearly adult versions, which meant they could be more subtle in their explanations). To Caine's eternal credit, he made Scrooge very believable, which is no small feat considering most of his fellow cast members were puppets.

And what about the Muppets? They were also brilliant! Kermit made an excellent Bob Cratchit, loyal and humble, and he had a wonderful tribute to Tiny Tim which also served as a brilliant tribute to Jim Henson. Miss Piggy was a great Mrs. Cratchit, feisty yet very loving toward Bob (the worst of her temper was thankfully muted by the story). Fozzie the Bear was a hilarious Fozziwig, and The Great Gonzo and Rizzo the Rat made a great team, having some of the best lines out there (my favorite is Rizzo's "Light the lamp, not the rat! Light the lamp, not the rat!"). The ghosts were definitely believable (and in the case of the two Marley Brothers, hilarious as well). Incidentally, the original text had only one Marley -- Jacob, but to get the two comedians from the balcony in the story, Robert Marley was added.

Finally, the songs were rather good, with the best one (in my humble opinion) being "When Love is Gone".

So, I firmly recommend "The Muppet Christmas Carol" to one and all.

Belle Book

Daria in 'Is It Fall Yet?' (2000 TV Movie)

Charming and funny

[7 September 2000]

I watched the Daria TV-movie "Is It Fall Yet?" primarily because I have a friend from the Internet (won't name names) who loves the show, and urged me to see it -- and to see the episode before it called, "Dye! Dye! My Darling!" (I think that's the title).

So, I taped it and last Tuesday, I watched it. And was it ever fun! The movie features the adventures of Daria, Jane, and the rest of the crew from Lawndale High off on summer vacation. However, it's more about how Jane and Daria try to deal with their relationship, which has been tested thanks to the fact that Jane's romance with Tom Sloane didn't work out and he is now dating Daria (something which begins in the earlier episode). Daria feels torn between Jane and Tom and her cynical attitude and her guilt nearly wreck any possible romance between her and Tom! Fortunately, things work out: Jane gets over her understandable feelings of hurt, Daria doesn't lose her friend, and she and Tom try again in their developing relationship.

As I said, I really enjoyed it. The movie was very smart and funny, and it was rather deep too, as it dealt with a friendship being strained, and a romance strained by the attitude of Daria and by her own guilt. I was glad that the whole thing was resolved -- Daria and Jane emerge from this crisis with a stronger friendship than before, enabling Daria to try again with Tom. A neat subplot deals with Quinn, Daria's sister, and how she learns she has more depth and more intelligence than she may have once realized. Her seeming lack of depth is a mask -- one of the many masks or defensive shields used by characters in this movie, such as Jane and Daria.

In short, I almost wish I had seen the series earlier. I hope to see how things turn out in the fifth season.

Belle Book

X-Men (2000)

Great even for those who have limited knowledge

[10/10 · 4 August 2000]

Okay, I might as well admit it -- I've never read an X-Men comic book, ever. However, I did see some of the animated series (a good one, too), and gained some knowledge of the characters involved. Then I learned of the X-Men movie from a trailer while waiting for "Mission: Impossible 2", and noticed that Patrick Stewart was in the movie, so I decided to check it out, partly to see how good he was (my boss really likes him.)

Well, not only was he great, but the movie was great too, even for those who have limited knowledge of the movie!

In the not-too-distant future, people are developing unusual powers, and as a result are feared by normal people, especially Sen. Robert Kelly. He wants to create a mutant registration program, and both Professor Xavier (Stewart) and Magneto (Ian McKellan) don't like it. But while Xavier still holds out hope for the humans, Magneto, thanks to a horrific experience as a Holocaust survivor, does not. He wants to force humans to accept mutants -- by turning humans into mutants!

Magneto has created a machine that can do so, but it weakens him severely, so he needs Marie/Rogue (Anna Paquin), a mutant who has the unfortunate gift of absorbing the lifeforce and memories of anyone she touches (and in the case of other mutants, their powers as well), meaning she could kill a person. When Magneto kidnaps her, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), who has befriended her, goes to her aid, as do the X-Men -- Cyclops (James Marsden), Storm (Halley Berry), and Jean Grey (Famke Janessen).

I loved the movie! It had neat characters -- to me, the worst was Sabertooth (Tyler Mane), and he was still okay, -- fine action, and a good message about the evil effects of prejudice and intolerance to boot. Plus, it had two relationships that were handled well. The first was between Professor Xavier and Magneto, and Stewart and McKellan handled that friendship very well. They may be on opposing sides, but their friendship prevents them from killing each other, which helps Magneto's characterization especially. McKellan plays Magneto as someone with good reasons for what he does, but sadly misguided.

The second relationship is the paternal one (or is it a big brother/little sister one?) between Wolverine and Rogue, and it works wonderfully. The relationship helps Rogue feel safe and accepted, while it humanizes Wolverine. I especially love the scene where he willingly gives Rogue his healing power to save her. It is my favorite scene, because it is proof of what good relationships can do to people. Kudos to Jackman and Paquin for their portrayals of Wolverine and Rogue!

In short, all fans of the series must see "X-Men"! And for those who have limited or no knowledge, give it a chance anyway. You might wind up loving it.

Belle Book

Robin Hood (1973)

This Robin Hood is a real scream!

[19 April 2000]

I've watched this video so many times, I can no longer count, and every time, I wind up laughing my head off! I really think this is one of the most underrated Disney movies out there.

This version of Robin Hood has animals in the roles of the characters, and it works marvelously! It would be natural for Robin Hood to be a fox if he was an animal, for both the fox and Robin are very clever. And if Robin Hood is a fox, naturally, Maid Marian would be a vixen. Also, having Prince John and King Richard as lions are natural choices, since the lion is the King of the Jungle.

What I loved most about the film, as I hinted at earlier, is the humor, most of it provided by Prince John, Sir Hiss (a snake), Trigger, and Nutsy (both vultures). Prince John's habit of sucking his thumb whenever anyone mentions his mother is priceless! And he's so vain it's little trouble for Robin Hood and Little John (a bear) to rob him when they're disguised as fortune-tellers! Sir Hiss is smarter than any of the other bad guys, but the humor with him is that Prince John never believes him until it's too late, and abuses him afterwards. Trigger's "old Betsy" (a crossbow) provides plenty of laughs, especially when it goes off! And Nutsy is so stupid he says "One o'clock and all's well!" when it's three o'clock, and when told to set his brain ahead a couple hours, he doesn't know if he has to add or subtract two hours! That's a scream!

If there's any real fault, it lies in the animation. It is really substandard, and I have noticed reused or inaccurate footage in the film. But it is a minor flaw in the film, and it doesn't take away from my enjoyment of it.

So, rent or buy "Robin Hood" today! It's a scream!

Belle Book

Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego? (1994–1999)

One of the best animated series out there!

[22 February 2000]

I've been a fan of the animated series "Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego?" ever since it first came out in 1994, and despite the fact that it's now on only on reruns, I still like to watch what I consider is one of the best animated series I've ever seen.

Why do I like the series so much? Well, my initial attraction was the fact that it taught geography lessons in a very fun context, and it's still an attraction to me today. Also, it is really well-drawn, with neat scenes of various locations around the world. However, my favorite thing about the series is not the mixture of humor and education, or the scenery, but the story and the characters.

In the show, Carmen Sandiego is the world's greatest thief. She is chased around the world by Acme sister/brother detectives Ivy and Zack, and the Chief, a holographic figure, plus the occasional assistance of fellow Acme detectives. Also helping is a Player in front of a computer screen. Carmen is assisted in her capers by various henchmen, some named, others unknown. Carmen always steals a few items, but the items are recovered, while Carmen escapes.

I like Ivy, Zack, and the Chief for various reasons (the Chief's so funny; Zack is sometimes funny, but also very intelligent, as his knowledge of languages and computers indicates, and Ivy is really courageous and skilled in a fight), but interestingly enough, my favorite character is Carmen herself. She's a thief, but she never harms anyone, and doesn't steal for the money, but primarily for the challenge of a certain caper and for the artistic value of an object. That makes her a fascinating mixture of good and bad. She's very mature, and has many great quotes which get you thinking. One time she tells the Player that a philosopher once said that competition can make you stronger. When she's asked which philosopher said that, Carmen says, "Me!" I love that line! Also, she sure has style, what with her red coat and fedora cocked at just the right angle! And she has a great deal of knowledge of many subjects. I usually don't admire criminals, but Carmen's an exception. And she's the main reason why I love the series now and think it one of the best animated series out there.

Belle Book

The Sixth Sense (1999)

Overall, it was great!

[16 February 2000]

When I first learned what the film "The Sixth Sense" was about, I did not want to see it. I thought it was a horror film, and horror is not my cup of tea. However, when I began reading reviews about it, I began to reconsider and finally got the courage to see it. It was a good thing I did, for "The Sixth Sense" is really a fine film.

Since everyone by now knows about the film, I will not go into much detail about the plot. Bruce Willis plays Dr. Malcolm Crowe, a child psychologist who was a great success -- with all but one former patient who later accused him of having failed the patient. The former patient then shoots Crowe and kills himself. The sense of failure devastates Crowe and strains his marriage. So, Crowe decides to help Cole Sear, played by Haley Joel Osment, a boy who reminds him of the former patient. But Crowe gets more than he bargained for. Abnormal sychology is little help in this matter, and eventually Crowe must abandon his preconceptions in order to help Cole -- and eventually himself.

The film is great. True, it may seem slow to some, but it's simply taking its time to create the proper atmosphere.

The actors are what make the film great. Olivia Williams, as Crowe's wife, does a fine job with what she has. Toni Collette also does a fine job as Cole's mother, who truly loves her son but does not know what's wrong with him. Her love is why Cole can't confide in her until the end. Since I never saw the "Die Hard" films, I don't have any preconceptions of Willis as an actor, so I thought he was just fine as Crowe. His performance was understated, and by the end of the film, you see why it was that way. And it was a pleasant surprise to see Shakespearean actor Greg Wood as the father of the poisoned girl. (I'm a Shakespeare nut.)

But the best performance has to come from Haley Joel Osment as Cole. He was terrific! That was probably the main reason why the movie was as unnerving and as great as it was. He really made me feel Cole's terror whenever the ghosts appeared. He stole the show, and indeed it was best he stole the show, as the movie would've suffered without his acting ability. I hope he wins the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, as I believe he truly deserves it.

One final note: the ending is really great! It explains a lot that might have been confusing to some.

So, I suggest you see "The Sixth Sense", even if you have to rent it on video or buy a DVD to do so. It is really a great film, as its six Oscar nominations indicate.