peterlonglongplong Reviews

They Live (1988)

Great fantasy depiction of the scum at the top!

[8/10 · 10 May 2009]

I love those sunglasses. If only it were that easy in real life to see the low-life people who circle money & wealth as if that is God. This fantasy movie quickly starts revealing the truth once the cops start assaulting the poor people & then Nada gets the glasses. I'm impressed by how, in this totally fictional world of film, so many sociological realities are exposed. Yes, money & power can completely destroy the moral compass in lots of people. And, the number of chickens & 'tow the line' morons out there is disgusting. I'm already quite familiar with advertising, since I worked in the field for almost a decade. This movie does a great job, though, in giving those who don't really understand marketing, a clear picture of the objective of all mass media, especially television. OBEY THOSE WHO SAY THEY ARE IN POWER! YOU MUST BUY, BUY, BUY ALL THAT YOU CAN IF YOU DON'T WANT OUR ECONOMY TO FAIL! Corporations are the true aliens & if you are not one with them, you are the mere surfs & cattle they feed on. --- I would really like to get a pair of those sunglasses if anybody knows where they're available..... Before I make love with a women..."I gotta wear shades".:)

Tootsie (1982)

Romantic Comedy - dated

[5/10 · 20 January 2009]

I'll rate this as a decent movie. It's worth watching, though it's a one time is enough for me. Now what is it with the AFI? They gave this a #2 spot out of the funniest movies ever in Hollywood's history??? What kind of a joke is that? This movie was voted on by """experts""" as being better & funnier than Dr. Strangelove, Blazing Saddles, Airplane, Harold & Maude, Animal House, Silver Streak, Caddyshack. You've got to be kidding? Most of the movies under Tootsie are better, The Odd Couple, The Apartment, It's a Mad, Mad, etc. There are so many great movies that are better than & funnier than Tootsie that are not even acknowledged by AFI; Trading Places, Kentucky Fried Movie, Bad News Bears, all of the Pee Wee movies, Friday, both of the Parent Trap movies, quite a few Hitckcock movies. I've got to stop counting the better movies. It might change my opinion on Tootsie as being decent. Who, in their right mind, as members of this "AFI", even do this voting???

Human Trafficking (2005)

Horrible treatment of the subject!

[1/10 · 18 January 2009]

I can't believe how Hollywood treats this very serious issue. There are victims all over this planet of sex slavery, but this movie shows one of the worst forms of it and does not even closely resemble the true ways that victims are handled. If women are beaten so ruthlessly by most of the traffickers in this world, dead traffickers would be a much more common fact. It would also include a lot of dead politicians, since, without some of them being required to turn their heads, many brothels would be closed down. The vice squads in cities know about most of the brothels that open up and move quickly to different locations. Why don't they close in on them? It wouldn't take much effort to get search warrants quickly on most locations once they know about it. Countless massage parlors have illegal aliens working in them who are doing tricks. Some are underage, but I think that's more propaganda than reality. If that were true, there should be public trials and we should bring back the guillotine. Traffickers are amongst the lowest forms of life on this planet and those convicted of it should get life sentences without the possibility of parole. There should be more factual documentaries on TV about sex trafficking and regular citizens should be given more information on how to identify and how to report on indicators of likely trafficking. This movie touches on something that anyone with an ounce of morality would be appalled by. If our Gov. can bail out banks with trillions of our tax payer dollars, why can't they crack down on traffickers a lot more? Makes me wonder about following the dollars and who might be involved in these crimes against humanity that happen daily. I think the fortune 500 and Washington have about as much morals as dry deserts have water. And, mass marketing television has only as much concern for the general condition of the Human Race as that which will provide entertainment at top commercial rate-card numbers. Hollywood has NO MORALS AT ALL! Money and glamor -- Hate the poor people! Distrust those who say they want less poverty, a better environment, a more accountable government! LOVE, BELIEVE IN, WORSHIP THE RICHEST OF THE RICH PEOPLE! Be willing to give all to and to die for the rich people! That's our entertainment world...

Wild in the Streets (1968)

Hilarious & corny & more

[7/10 · 11 September 2008]

I was a kid when this movie was made, but I understand a lot of it. The plot is so out there it had me laughing all the time. What's great about it, is that through the shielding of a ridiculous storyline, the director was able to touch on some very important subjects, some of which are still relevant today. Drugs are drugs (including alcohol), and we're given more reminders of how stupid people can get when they're high. The movie glances on that frequent occurrence with the human race, MASS INSANITY. Many find it amazing that people like Hitler, or Stalin, or some currant day CRAZY LUNATICS, can gain such power in the government. Obviously, most parts of this movie were symbolic and would never hit reality. But, the masses (through fear) accepting leaders who are proved to be extreme in their behavior, people getting shot, or large groups with similar characteristics (the Japanese Americans in WW11) being forced into prison camps; that is the real world. The age factor in this movie is a beautiful metaphor on how society divides up people into classes; how they can consider some to be higher than others & some to be the untouchables. Many scenes are difficult & ugly to view. Through dark humor, we see some of the most disturbing realities of human existence. Fortunately, the plot is so "Wild in the Streets" & unbelievable, viewers get slap-in-the-face reminder of how loathsome & hideous we humans can be. This is a "CULT MOVIE" for one huge reason, the majority of people in this country (& maybe beyond) are too frightened to even face our undeniable shortcomings.

Countdown (1996)

What???

[1/10 · 8 September 2008]

Only in the Hollywood audiovisual fiction world could anybody, including FBI agents, be so unbelievably stupid. The good guys are stupid enough to pick up everything they're interested in, answer phones, go up stairways, all in search for a demolition expert who's out to get everybody. Oh yes, and then we get the Hollywood SUPERVILLAIN. He can be shot, even if he's got a vest on, and then fall down a long flight of steps and then still have the upper hand over his stupid pursuers. Every cliché you can think of in suspense movies were used. I only watched it because Yuki Amami is so HOT. Oh,,,,but yes, it's great to see how morally superior this FBI agent is, when she's pretty certain that there's a bomb in an Opera House, and she doesn't sound the alarm. Who writes these scripts????????????

Airport (1970)

Soap that really suds!

[7/10 · 31 July 2008]

I never get bored watching this film. It never stops being interesting. We get all the suspense, back talk, trickery, adultery, & comedy needed. The conniving old lady, with tricks up her sleeves, is continuous entertainment. Our "rat pack" middle age pilot with a nice wife, just can't keep his hands off of that knock-out gorgeous flight attendant (it was OK to call them stewardesses back then), and we're all so forgiving. The incredibly obvious commercialism in regards to Boeing and the airline industry is a bit disgusting though. But in spite of it's faults, the movie was great. And, the formula was magical to the very pointed, uncreative, 'bottom line is all that matters' producers of Hollywood. The greatest scene to me, or one of the greatest, is the irritating jerk getting whacked upside the head by a priest. All in all, the movie is fun to watch, even for the 30th time.

Manufacturing Dissent (2007)

With disbelief, I watched.

[1/10 · 14 July 2008]

My curiosity kept me watching this movie on the Sundance channel when I happened upon it. I agree, Moore can be ridiculously melodramatic in his style, but who isn't in regards to the entertainment industry? It includes documentaries, non-fiction. The makers of this, supposed expose, kinda SUCK. It appears they're trying to show that Moore manufactures much of the content in his movies, & they fail miserably. Yes, Moore does make up some crap to get his point across, but that's a standard practice in our wonderful Hollywood, even in documentaries. The points they make in this movie are equal to a high-school student's project, & the grade wouldn't be above a C. Anyone who likes this movie is either a Bush supporter and/or someone who has issues with Michael Moore's character. They're trying to show how Moore manipulates the facts & shapes the story to his own bias. That's scriptwriting 101, "you morons"! As if that has not been done throughout the history of film making, of scriptwriting for theater, of authoring books and articles. Yeah people, talk about how pointed & biased Moore is in his movies, & then go & watch the History Channel & say that it's documentaries & history on religion are based completely on NON-DISPUTABLE FACTS. I would consider you the easiest MARKS for any con-man who 'says' that he believes in 'YOUR' God & 'YOUR' Jesus. By the way, I'm wondering, did I see Ann Coulter in 'YOUR' movie? I also agree with many, that Moore can be a little, to a lot overbearing at times. Michael Moore can be grating, unfair in his treatment of others, hypocritical at times, but will those unpleasant flaws about his character cause you to despise and disregard his productions? How about it if everybody watches everything that's produced as NON-FICTION, with a critical eye. It's like a film student watching the business end of Hollywood productions that are on TV or at the movie theaters. Where's the product placements, which of our emotions is the script trying activate, who are the villains, the scoundrels & do the roles they play work at all into the politics of today. Politics are in every aspect of your life. Look around yourself, the war, the price of gas, the 4th amendment, the cutbacks. If film makers want to make a left-leaning director look bad, they need to do a lot better than this movie does! Just making Moore look like an inconsiderate assh*** & then letting those who represent the completely opposing views have their say, while throwing all the trash they can on Moore's work, causes me to suspect whether these film makers were ever truly fans of Moore. I don't think so & the proof is in the pudding & even Don Quixote would say that it tastes horrible. OK Bush devotees, point at my incorrect use of that aphorism, about the pudding. Or was it incorrect? Look up the word, "aphorism", in your DICTIONARY, & it starts with the letter A. Or are you like GWB? Is the DICTIONARY, a job for someone else? Oh yes, the "you morons" written above is my tribute to Bill O'Riley, which I think is himself talking to himself and his multiple personalities. If only one of them could be intelligent.

School of Rock (2003)

Is it fantasy? Or what?

[2/10 · 6 July 2008]

I wasn't totally irritated by this movie, but it has that somewhat recent Hollywood practice of turning a fantasy movie into a 'comedy/drama' with some -apparently- moral lessons. The plot was pointless. It is beyond impossible that anything close to reality happened in this movie. But when the continuously overacting Black gets that serious look and the music indicates an important subject relating to the student's life, I can't help but cringe. I don't care about the copying of other movies. Hollywood only has a small number of plot formulas to work with. THEY ARE MARKETING FOR THE BOTTOM LINE! What I do care about is having a silly fantasy movie made into a semi-serious kids movie. Keep it a kids movie and make it all fantasy. Just think of how popular Animal House would have been if it had any moments of moral seriousness. How about the Blues Brothers? The only thing that kept me watching this zero movie was that the kids were really playing their instruments, at least somewhat. That's why I gave it a 2 star.

In the Heat of the Night (1967)

Here, there, and everywhere.

[10/10 · 27 June 2008]

Many reviewers here seem to think that this movie is showing such exaggerated stereotypes about the south back in the 1960's. I was in that general area not long after the movie was made and I observed some of that for myself. This movie is great at showing none of the characters in a truly favorable light. I love the end of the movie when Gillespie says, "You take care...". It's shows that even older people, who've lived their entire lives surrounded by a culture that's set in it's ways, racist beliefs, discomfort around those who are so different, etc., can still learn and grow. And I've got news that a few here need to know. I've lived in many areas of this country, excluding the north northeast, and I can assure you that racism is not dead. It's just slightly better hidden (not always) and it can rear it's UGLY face at times you'd least expect it. Sometimes it can be dreadfully disgusting even in places that are considered more Left-leaning and Progressive. Slightly alter the dialog in this movie, change the setting to anywhere you want, fit into the story the appropriate minority (even whites in some places), and you've got a timeless tension filled drama set in today's world. The story's not over. The problems are not gone.

Wall Street (1987)

Unreal movie

[3/10 · 5 May 2008]

It was a decently entertaining movie, but it's so far from reality. I've known enough 'RICH' people in my life to see that the script to this movie was weak. Rarely will these corporate money fishers ever even think about the morals of what they do. They talk about morals even less. They are on a mission. Goals are set in their very self-centered world and they do whatever they have to do. They laugh when they cut-off at the pass some other gambler (that is what the stock market is, a casino). They think and act like Ayn Rand. Who was the only person on this planet that mattered in the life of Ayn Rand? AYN RAND!!! Literally, the money thirsty nuts who profit on speculation and fixing the cards their way, have no feeling of remorse for anyone else. They play life like the board game "LIFE". If a corporate decision made in their company's board room results in one of their factories poisoning to death thousands of innocent people, they think like our present day government does to war. The dead people are unfortunate civilian casualties. This is because the corporate leaders are at war. Their war is over ownership of everything possible, including the surfs. That's right, if you are not one of the Lords, you are their servant. You are absolutely expendable. This movie has high level officials blurting out moral directives that they would, in fact, never even think about. And, I agree with many of the other reviews, Darryl Hannah was not good in this movie. She's a producers daughter and I can't help but wonder how mediocre actors/actresses get their roles in movies. I've read her bio on Wikipedia and she seems to be a good person. I'm just not fond of her acting.

Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids (2004)

Good to see, but quite disappointing.

[5/10 · 30 April 2008]

I gave this movie a 5, only because it shows, however limited, the plight of millions of children all over the world. It was irritating to me, that we would see or hear about events going on in these children's lives, but were never really followed up on. -Why is this red-light district allowed to exist?- -What are the laws regarding the prostitutes, pimps, & thieves in Calcutta?- We are shown the lives of 8 or 9 kids who are 10 to 12 years old, who are children of prostitutes in a chaste system that we in the USA and Europe would never allow to exist in open society. There are underground societies like these that exist in the first world, but they are hidden from most people. What I find good about the movie is that it shows a problem that millions of people suffer from that should be addressed by people in positions of power. The failure of this movie is that it shows almost nobody from India who seems to give a sh** about these children. This movie makes it look like the only ones who do care are the western first world movie makers. We don't learn anything about the social programs for Calcutta, the overpopulation, where these people get what they need to live, if there are any police that are actually in this poor area. That list could go on forever. A few cute, moving pictures of the conditions of life in this part of the world are not addressing the problem. I didn't want to say anything negative about the makers of this movie, but I'm tempted to agree with some critics who have blasted the movie as pure self-promotion for the Photographer who directed it. If any other directors in the first world want to cover the horrid issues that effect the poor people in the third (and the first) world, I pray you'll not be so egotistical that you'll show these societal problems 'from your point of view' and leave it so vague that it tells the world very little beyond the fact that some people suffer. It was a movie from the director's and editor's point of view.

Alien 3 (1992)

What did they do to the script?

[3/10 · 29 April 2008]

I read some reviews and one said that the 'SPECIAL EDITION' is the only one worth seeing. Maybe so, I don't know. The version I saw was really weak. It was choppy, depressing, and nothing new came into the storyline. The dripping wet, dark hallways look so damn similar to the other versions. At least Ripley had sex. To bad we didn't see a little more skin. That would have helped some. The ending of this movie was fitting, but the setup sucked. If the producers really limited what the director could do, that explains a chopped up crappy movie. Most producers are not artistic. They're business oriented, bottom line morons who can sink any potentially good script down to the bottom line. There is so much bottom line stuff on TV. Alien Resurrection was better than this one, but I don't consider it part of the Alien series. It was a newer story, similar to the trilogy, but different. At least we were able to see Winona Ryder looking good. But it not good enough to deserve a sequel. Most sequels, even if the movies they're bleeding off of were money makers, are quite disappointing. Let's face it, Alien was a great movie. None of the sequels were nearly as entertaining.

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)

Dark Humor - the times

[8/10 · 6 April 2008]

In 1971 our 6th grade class read the book, Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, and that year "Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory" came out. The shameful war was still on in the far east. There was still a peace movement happening. Woodstock was fresh in the mind & opposite of what PBS tries to make it look like now, that concert was about peace. Much of the humor in our society was dark. Lyrics from innumerable songs were protesting the war machine & the criminal powers that be. This movie with Wilder and what people like to call a low budget, was very well suited for that time period. For those who say that this movie was sick and evil, it was a FANTASY! Life was serious then, as it still is, and people escape in various ways. I loved the movie, in spite of its imperfections; as if life is perfect.?. Veruca Salt was my love, at least I wanted her to be. "And by the way..." the movie is funny in most of the scenes. I was rolling in laughter then & even now. People of now who can't find humor in characters like eccentric & possibly perverted rich old men take life too seriously. Obviously, Wonka's a freaky old self-centered corporate leader. It's good for kids to see this so they can know what to avoid. The book is great. The movie is great, but they're different. I know this movie doesn't lead people to do what these FANTASY CHARACTERS do. I'm not happy with the politics of factories, rich owners, workers struggling to survive (slaves). But, this movie shows the evils of corporations, in my opinion. Kids need to understand how evil the corporate money machine can be.... The movie is a fun fantasy.

Reeker (2005)

Ooo ooo that smell,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[3/10 · 27 February 2008]

A couple of cute women. A story? Well, it started with a potentially good plot, for a scary movie. I'm a fan of scary movies, not so much of blood, guts, vomit, etc. This movie started out somewhat original & had some possibilities. Then we received the stereotypes, the as***** who's into drugs, the not so bright blonde, the not so interesting 'whatever' characters, etc. The comment other people made, I have to repeat. The characters don't do what normal people would do if put in like situations. The as***** gets a nice threat from the scumbag he stole the ecstasy pills from, but that was never answered. It just disappears. And don't expect the viewers to be satisfied when it gets answered in the sequel. This movie is a 'deadend'. A sequel would be for masochists. The plot of experiencing a frightening scary sequence of events and deaths, then finding at the end, the accident already happened, is a great idea; not really original, but could be entertaining. It was delivered poorly. The irritating electric saw (or whatever that was) carried and used by a stinking skeleton, just don't cut it. I was never even remotely scared. I did feel a bit of mental nausea every time they started smelling puke. "Oh, so this one's going to die. Hummmmmm....whatever..." If you're directing a movie like this and you can't put in the suspense needed, breasts and legs and more would help at least make the movie bearable. A little T&A helps:) Butt, alass, there wasn't any....

The Poseidon Adventure (2005 TV Movie)

They were joking, right?

[1/10 · 13 August 2007]

This appeared at first to be a joke. But I realized quickly that I was laughing for the wrong reasons. I critiqued another stupid remake recently (I can't remember which), but that one was actually so bad it was funny. This remake only took some of the story from the original and added a bunch of crap (I wish I could use that other word). The scenes that were copied from the original had no soul, no feeling, and just flowed past like people waiting in line at a urinal. The characters were dull and looked quite bored, except Steve. He looked like a desperate actor who paid to get his role in this movie so he could over-act. He might have unintentionally made some people laugh. I laughed a bit, but it wasn't happy laughter. It was absolutely disgusted laughter. As others here have said, the scenes outside of the ship killed any tension that might have helped this movie. A not quite white person being made into a terrorist (probably from the middle east) is one more example of racist Hollywood. Why does Hollywood almost always cast people with a particular physical racial look as being terrorists? The incredibly honorable military saviors from outside of the ship were obviously tools of propaganda for increasing the giving of our tax-dollars to the weapons industry. The moral majority must have also had a hand in this production, since the good looking blond who had sex with Steve's character dies in the symbolic "FIRES OF HELL". Of course, Steve doesn't join her there, since he now cares about 'family values'. He's the adulterer, but only the woman suffers the penalty, from our vengeful God. I'll summarize quickly. Realism is not there. How much can anyone enjoy a movie (that's already been made and is a classic) about natural disaster and people struggling to survive it, being remade into a movie about a terrorist disaster with a bunch of soul-free people, only a few being saved by our strong military. And, who would really care about any of the characters in this movie? Can Hollywood sink any lower.....Oh boy.... I shouldn't ask that. You know they will.

Easy Rider (1969)

There's more to this movie than meets the eye.

[7/10 · 2 August 2007]

I'm amazed that lots of the negative reviews focus on the drugs. This movie does not promote drugs. Fonda portrays a self-absorbed, aloof thinking stoner; I knew several back in the 70's. But Hopper acts more like a tweaker than a pot smoker. The movie shows some of the aspects of life in the 60's, but like anything, it's limited in scope. We see a trip back east on motorcycles of two hippies who made money from drugs. Like a pleasing work of art, we get to view some good scenery in several of the types of desert in our southern states. We get to see an interracial couple with kids inviting the bikers to dinner. Then a hitchhiker takes us to a commune. I almost joined a commune in the 70's and even if this looked like a failure of human experiments, it was a beautiful one. As if people can't see that capitalism is STILL AN EXPERIMENT. And it's not in the greatest shape right now. Of course, to keep the movie watchable to the masses and acceptable to the promoters (who are mostly from the big cities on the coasts) we saw these guys get into trouble in little towns of the south. Just so people don't start to believe that this is the way of the entire south, redneck, prejudiced slime buckets exist everywhere on this planet. There is a town I won't name in Michigan that reminds me of that line from another movie, "you sure got a pretty mouth". Because of the close relations of people in small towns, if a couple, or a few total as*h*l** get into positions of power, the town can be unsafe to people from elsewhere. The movie does often require us to suspend our belief, but it was an experimental film. Generally, the movie shows the problems involved with 'so-called' freedom and escapist drugs. It shows what closed mindedness can cause some people to do. After seeing the movie when I was young, I was 10 when it was made, I believed until my adult years that long hair and a liberal attitude in the south would get you shot. Fortunately, on my business trips to Texas, Louisiana, etc., where I had some free time to explore, I discovered something completely different. Open-minded, thinking, caring people are everywhere and my own San Francisco Bay Area has plenty of rednecks. The movie is a good portrayal of types of people, scenery, and great music. And Hopper does act more like an amphetamine snorter. Hollywood never quite has the real world down. But then, Hollywood, and the people in the limelight there, are rarely in the real world.

Airport '77 (1977)

Hum,,, It's kind of an admire our Navy movie.

[4/10 · 14 July 2007]

Towards the end of the movie, I felt it was too technical. I felt like I was in a classroom watching how our Navy performs rescues at sea. I liked seeing that the engines have fire extinguishers. I guess I should have figured that out before, but I never thought about it. Using a 747 to transport valuable old paintings with very little security is odd and not realistic. The acting was pretty good, since they're mostly seasoned professionals, but if you're going to stretch so far from what would most likely happen, it should be more like a fantasy, comical, etc. Everything was taken too seriously. At least the movie had Felix Ungar as pilot, with Buck Rogers, the night stalker, and Dracula also on board. The movie was filled with well known faces. I understand that Hollywood has to exaggerate a bit for drama, but it does hurt the quality of a movie when a serious subject is made into a caricature. That's why I said it should have been more comical. My pet peeve with movies about airline travel is that everybody just casually moves about. They walk around with drinks, setting them down and picking them up 5 minutes later, just as if they're in a building or something, and acting as if turbulence just doesn't exist. Also, I know it's a disaster movie, but suspense doesn't have to include a 30 second crash after hitting something. Anyway, the skilled actors and actresses keep this weak script from having been made into a movie that got canned after it's first screening. I like Lee Grant, but it was fun to watch a psychotic person get decked...:)

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

Easy climb and the officials are gonna be nice.

[1/10 · 11 July 2007]

Climbing Devils Tower is not possible without equipment. Unless the aliens took control, everyone involved with seeing the aliens would never be free to mingle with regular people again - that's beyond political prisoners. The movie is so ...... I can't even begin to criticize it. It's fantasy with little plot, and not very good at that. The actors were given roles that are extremely forgettable. This is the director's worst film. If you're going to make a movie about aliens meeting with humans here on Earth, why does Hollywood almost always have to make it look like our government is going to be so aware of it? I guess very little in tinsel town is immune from propaganda.

Hair (1979)

Movie is decent, but so different from the original

[6/10 · 1 June 2007]

I remember listening to a radio reading of the play when I was 11 or 12 years old; early 70's. Not long after that, I got the record album of the original. Compared to the movie, it was truly rebellious and touched upon some 'forbidden' subjects that Hollywood still downplays and stereotypes; trannies, draft-card burners, college students who are vocally in opposition with the politics of the day and those who are in power, and the list goes further. The stage version doesn't portray Claude as a ridiculously naive Okie, but as a young draftie of the US Army who feels unsettled and is wavering in thought about what he's going to do with his life. Sheila isn't some aloof blue-blood snob who's never been exposed to the rebellion that was building up in the 1960's. And Berger wasn't the absolute KING of the nowhere druggies in Central Park. Although Cheryl Barnes was a godsend to the movie with her mind-numbing performance of "Easy to Be Hard"; in the play, Hud didn't ditch his pregnant fiancée to go live in the streets with those - commune-like, free loving, drug experimenting, believers in freedom of speech, anti-war protesters - . The movie backed away from the original play where the orgy was concerned and the ending of the movie was so altered from the play, that I have trouble relating the plots. The unspoken leader, Berger, takes the place of Claude and goes to die in Vietnam. The movie was fun to watch, with the dancing and the songs, but it's plot is so sanitized in relation to the political world of the '60's and early '70's anti-war movement, that it almost looks like censorship. The fact that it avoids sexuality is also a major departure from the theme of the original play. I liked the movie somewhat, but it's not the "Hair" I remember.

French in Action (1987– )

It's a great series.

[10/10 · 28 May 2007]

That being said, it also helps to be studying French with other people. Practice is important. Once you get to a point of minimal understanding, it's also good to read French books, simple ones to start with, out loud.

Allain and other women in this show are absolutely gorgeous. -- I'm not at all fluent yet, but I'm working towards that and I hope to marry a French woman so that I can listen to that pleasing sound everyday.

French In Action is one of the best instructional television shows available. I've rented movies made in France and I try to not read the subtitles. That's not easy, but it still helps. French is such a beautiful language.

The French Connection (1971)

Kind of fun to watch, but...

[5/10 · 26 May 2007]

When I saw this movie in '71, I was a kid. It was fun to watch and the car chase scene was a real blast. In my older years though, I think this movie is quite ridiculous and filled with cliché-ridden events that are an attempt to spellbind the viewers. As one other reviewer commented, the hijacking of a car in NYC, and then driving like a maniac to keep up with the subway train that the hit-man was on makes no sense at all. A seasoned cop in New York City, being obsessed with busting an organized-crime smuggling king-pin using a Lincoln car from France as the carrier of drugs, hummmmm.... I don't get it..?.. Almost hitting a woman with a baby stroller.....I'm afraid that one's been used an uncountable number of times; and it originally comes from a silent movie. The odessa steps scene in the movie made in 1925 in Russia, "Bronenosets (Battleship) Potempkin", shows a woman get shot and lose her baby carriage. This is a famous scene that everyone who's studied film production in college has viewed. It alway will arouse strong emotions. Now I can understand the movies use of an arrogant, fanatic cop wanting to catch the "BAD GUYS". And in this movie, the BAD GUYS are so much more civilized than the cops. But to think that the police dept. would allow the officer to spend so much time and department's money on this; it make them look kind of dumb. The creme-de-la-creme of the preposterous episodes in this movie, to me, is the tearing apart of the Lincoln to find the drugs. Maybe they didn't have drug sniffing dogs when this movie was made, but come on...?... I'm not a mechanic, but I have done some work fixing parts of my car's engine and interior. I kind of doubt that in 1971, or even now for that matter, the NYPD is going to completely dismantle a car and put it back together, with no noticeable evidence of it's being tampered with, in four hours. Let's make it 12 hours. I'd like to see how fast the best mechanics in the world could thoroughly ransack a big vehicle, like a '71 Lincoln, replace all of the torn vinyl, metal, plastic, and wood parts, and then make the car look like it's barely been touched. The movie is a suspense/action/thriller and it's not painful to watch. But I consider it, in a way, similar to Commando. It makes no sense, but the story moves, even if it's completely ludicrous. At least Commando had some comedy in it.

Leaving Las Vegas (1995)

A truly impassioned dreamscape for the overly - happy people.

[2/10 · 26 April 2007]

I gave this movie a step above "awful" because the acting was good at times, in spite of the fact, the storyline is preposterous. Shue - a prostitute? Yeah, that's possible. A Las Vegas street walker looking like Shue? Maybe as often as somebody winning $200,000,000. A Las Vegas street walker falling in love with a pathetic drunk? PLEASE!!! What planet are they from??? A seasoned Vegas street ho would see how much money she could bleed from the idiot loser, and then she'd boogie away like sprinter in the Olympics. She would lose her concern for the idiot drunk loser at the first stoplight she comes to. The movie does little to explain why Ben is so depressed that he has to drink himself to death. It does nothing to explain the hooker's story. A ridiculously pretty street ho who loves to suffer, but doesn't do drugs..? She also seems to have just finished a fashion model's photo shoot. She stays wonderfully fit for a street ho. I've worked and partied in a west coast city for years, though not as much now, and I'd love to have that girl I knew as Coco give her analysis of the Shue character. I waited through the whole sick movie just to see if anything worth a spit would astound me. Nothing came....nothing at all.....wow.... A true drunk buying all of these different types of hard liquor, and drinking Budweiser??? I understand the entertainment industry wanting to exaggerate somewhat, but come on.....?..... Don't any of these producers realize that many members of the viewing public personally know an out & out drunk, or two? The guy's acting like an idiot drunk through most of the movie (or is that ALL OF THE MOVIE???). Although Cage can act decently in some roles, he's not the most believable drunk; I've known quite a few. The bar scene where Cage has a girl turn on to him to make her boyfriend jealous is possible. It happened to me in '91 in Sacramento, CA. But there was no blood, and the prick left fast, before I could hit him back. Like a puppy dog, she bounced out after him. I believe this could have been a good movie. Too many things were completely unexplained and there was never a happy moment for the characters. I don't understand how anyone could feel any true empathy for such unrealistic, masochistic characters. I guess overly - happy people can feel entertained and educated by an unbelievably unrealistic ball of crap.

The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years (1988)

Oh Lord, the flashbacks!

[8/10 · 26 April 2007]

My memories of the incredible shortsightedness of so many people I knew in the time period that's portrayed in this great film, are confirmed again. And today is just another form of mindlessness. At least back then the pop/metal music that was in the mainstream had a melody, even if the singer sucked! I've been playing music since just before this time period, and it includes HARD-METAL music, but I'm often fond of a more melodic/operatic style in my metal. In any case, I never made it big time - who cares? Most people on this planet who perform will never make the, "IT'S A REALLY REALLY BIG SHEWWW'! The people who need to hear you, see you, and be hit on that nerve that makes them believe that you can make them LOTS AND LOTS OF MONEY, are few and far between. And even if you do perform in front of some promoter who can get you that lovely EXPOSURE and PROMOTION that your band will need to make it, you're in competition with countless other music making groups. And don't be so naive as to think that deals are not occasionally, or even frequently made in the backseats of limousines, or other potentially shady and unprincipled locations. My cousin lived and played in the LA scene from '79 to '82 and I've heard details about some of what goes on playing in the clubs, talking to managers, promoters, etc. Las Vegas doesn't have a monopoly on sleazy, pitiful, wretched, and even vile behavior in the business world. This movie shows some real dreamers. And I don't see them as losers, necessarily, because that implies some guarantee that was not lived up to. Yes, most of the people who make the big time scene have to really want it and strive hard. But, there's a lot of people in this world who also want to make it big. This movie doesn't adequately touch the well-known subject of "who's related to who", but that might not have been possible in the very "SELF-DEFENSIVE WORLD OF MASS ENTERTAINMENT". Money talks, and those with it, love to keep it as close as possible to themselves. Most of the BEST MUSICIANS/ARTISTS in the world will please and entertain those around them, family, neighborhood, community, city, etc. Who says they need to go further than that. I'm glad the movie showed the incredible stupidity of drugs, at least in a limited way. But obviously, many of the lines by the striving to be and the successful musicians interviewed in this movie, were pure BS. "I don't do drugs." --yeah, right.... Some of them may not do that, but most of the musicians in the movie were influenced by,,, hummm.... This is a great documentary on a part of the mainstream metal scene from back then. Other reviewers here say that it was too limited in focus. I've worked in film production and scripting and funding. I'd like to hear these critics suggestions on what more could have been added. To put together a revealing portrayal of one particular subsection of our society is very difficult. I think that Penelope Spheeris did a good job. These days,in spite of all of the big time music world's weaknesses, ROCK IS NOT DEAD! I still rock out and entertain my city. I still dream also, but I've got dishes to clean.

The Hot Chick (2002)

Ahh....I was able to brush my teeth...

[2/10 · 23 July 2006]

....while the movie was going and I didn't care what I missed. Yes, Mr. Schneider is a one-trick-pony and the trick's been done. The only reason I gave it a 2 out of 10, is because, there were some really HOT LOOKING "CHICKS" in this movie. Thankfully, it was on my TV for free. I'm not 100% positive that the SNL man couldn't perform well (and more multi-dimensional) in a serious movie (which I doubt), but he ought to try. I read a few other reviews, and I agree with the one that said the kid who played Booger was the best. Ohhh, but how I like looking at the Mowry twins, Vergi, and the list goes on. I even like a few of the Moms. If Schneider can get with a production that has so many delectable females in it, why can't he find one without a pathetic script? Ohhh, and Hollywood's imagination must need to be aroused out of it's lethargic state!