Change Your Image
Margaux1
Reviews
Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)
Bizarre and fascinating!
This is one of the most fascinating movies I have ever seen! I saw it for the first time last week on cable and was really impressed. Just like the little boys in the movie, I was also 12 years old in 1983, and I wish I would have seen it then so I could look at it from a child's perspective.
Mr. Dark (who is the devil in disguise) comes to town w/his carnival. Even though the carnival looks ordinary, it is inherently horrible, the work of the devil but no one seems to notice. The only ones who pick up on the weirdness are the boys. Go figure the children are smarter than the adults!
Several of the town's residents have quirky obsessions/desires, and each one's wish is fulfilled, complete with Mr. Dark's own sick twist to keep them from being happy, even after they were given their heart's desire (an old woman went blind after she was restored to youth/beauty and couldn't see how beautiful she is; a lame woman wished for her leg to be mended so that she could run, and then she ran mad; a man missing an arm/leg wanted to be made whole so that he could play professional football again - his limbs were restored but he was turned into a child again). Really weird and freaky things! :)
The main part of the movie focuses in the father/son relationship of the main characters. The emotionally 'old' father lives w/fear and regret and his son wishes his dad was stronger and more adventurous.
The father's strength and courage are really tested when it is up to him to save his son and his best friend from Mr. Dark's wrath and 'emotional torture'.
Does he succeed? You'll have to watch to find out!
Jason Robards is Will's (the 12 year old main character's) father. I really liked him - I thought he was a wonderful father and was way too hard on himself. His love for his son and his bravery are really tested when Mr. Dark offers to make him young, healthy and courageous, all of the things he's always wanted to be but never was.
Vidal Peterson was very good as Will. By this time Vidal Peterson was a well accomplished child actor who comes across as mature way beyond his years. He is perfect in this role.
I thought the little boy who played Jim Nightshade, Will's best friend, was one of the most beautiful children I have ever seen with his dark hair, gorgeous blue eyes and adorable smile. He looked like a little angel and epitomized everything about little boys: loving adventure, mischievious, wanting to be grown-up, but still being innocent enough to stay within the boundaries of safety.
The other characters were secondary - the townsfolk who succombed to Mr. Dark's temptations, the boys' mothers, Mr. Dark's entourage, but all were extremely relevent in pulling together the storyline.
The bottom line is the movie is about human nature and how there is usually a string attached to something that's too good to be true, sometimes children have better intuition than adults, and the blessing of second chances and the love between parents and their children. It's also about being yourself and accepting the people you love for who they are rather than who you wish they would be.
The Passion of the Christ (2004)
A realistic portrayal of the last 12 hours of Jesus' life
Whoever did not 'like' this movie, doesn't want to face what very likely happened. Yes, it is excruciatingly violent and I cried a lot during this movie. Most movies about Jesus allott 10 minutes to the trial and crucifixtion scene to make it 'easier' on the viewer - if you can't stand 2 hours, you cannot stand what really happened. Do people really think that a few drops of blood ran down His face and that was it? BALONEY! It is not pleasant, just like it was not pleasant for Jesus or His beautiful mother who had to watch it happen. Jesus did not die like the two men who were crucified next to him - it was much more brutal I would think. He was treated WORSE than any criminal. Jesus died to bear the burden of EVERY SIN EVERY COMMITTED!! I am a Catholic and even though it was difficult to watch b/c I COULDN'T HANDLE IT it was very well done.
When I heard the word 'controversy' I thought it had something do with 'Jesus being with women' like 'The Last Temptation of Christ' which I had no desire to see and didn't see. This movie followed what we are familiar with Scriptures to the letter. Even with subtitles, anyone who knows the Scriptures could easily follow the movie.
Jim Caviezal was fantastic - it has been said that the only person who could portay Jesus better was Jesus himself.
This movie really makes you think about how I believe things really were - but I don't think I could handle watching it again - I am not strong enough - it makes people realize that their petty problems on this earth are nothing.
Dahmer (2002)
Not a true portrayal of Dahmer's life, mind, or crimes...
Last week, I watched the Ted Bundy story on the TRUE channel on Comcast. It portrayed the disgusting animal Ted Bundy in a pretty accurate way, I thought. It was a little grisly for my taste, but at least we got to see Bundy's arrest and watch him fry to a crispy critter in the end. That movie definitely scared me.
I remember thinking that a similar movie would be interesting about Jeffrey Dahmer. I was surprised to see 'Dahmer' advertised and I watched it. I have to admit I was pretty disappointed, especially with the ending. A person who did not have information about the real Dahmer would be confused by this movie, I think.
The acting was good by all involved. However, I knew I was getting distracted when I caught myself staring at Jeremy Renner and thinking to myself what a hottie he was and how good he looked without a shirt on. My husband came home from work, sat down and finished watching the movie with me even though it is not something he would normally watch. He saw my mouth hanging open over Jeremy and said 'Who's the actor?' But when the movie ended, we looked at each other and said 'This can't be the ending, can it?'
As far as I'm concerned, I noticed Dahmer's weirdness from the start. I definitely do NOT like to see blood and guts but thought they could have showed his horrible actions a little more intensely. Anyone who didn't know this story could have thought he only killed two people (when it was really dozens) and the dismemberment was almost nonexistent. It would have been nice to see the police catch this jerk in the movie.
I'm no movie critic, but this one was really lacking. It plain did not fit to what really happened.
Melrose Place (1992)
Some gorgeous people who make you love your own life! :)
With 4 episodes of Melrose Place being aired on syndication lately, I have become hooked. I watched Melrose Place in my apartment in 1997 and it drew me in then. Now, with a family, I still find that being true, even though I've NEVER been into soap operas. I started watching one episode, and that was the end of it for me.
One of the things I enjoy about this show is that I love yuppies. Having been one in the past myself (then kids came into the picture) I love people on the fast track. The other thing is that the show actually shows the characters spending a significant time at WORK - imagine that. That's hard to find in a show...much less a soap.
As far as the characters go...I LOVE Josie Bissetts wardrobe - what a beauty! If only I had the courage to hack off my long, dark tresses for that neat, tailored look. However, Jane is a little unforgiving and does have a mean streak in her own way, in spite of that perfectly applied makeup. At least we know that knockouts also can be cheated on! I was shocked to see that she was cheated on by Kimberly...very pretty but hardly a comparison. I loved Kimberly's confident straightforwardness.
Laura Leighton is gorgeous. I was never into redheads but she takes the cake. What a doll - transparent innocence and sex appeal in one - a hard combination to beat. She easily became my favorite on the show and I looked forward to her scenes.
Michael Mancini keeps my attention...what a hottie!! That sniveling jerk is so gorgeous, no wonder woman fall at his feet in spite of the creep that he's proven himself to be! An actually GOOD doctor, we see him at work in spite of his many 'troubles'. I'll never forget the episode where he blackmailed Amanda into getting his job back by tape recording their conversation, threatening to play it to Dr. Burns (Jack Wagner). That was very intelligent...and too sneaky. The man has no morals.
Heather Locklear is a woman who has ALWAYS fascinated me. Such strength,, beauty and poise...in ANY role she has played. I love how she stays so composed no matter what's happening. No screaming, yelling, just a confidence that she can handle it. I'd be honored to look like her at that age.
The other character who stood out, who I started out liking but ended up not loving too much, is Allison. I love Courtney-Thorne Smith due to her PETA involvement, but her character became whiny and not so nice. She cheats on Billy and leaves him at the altar, then has the nerve to get upset when he pursues a new love interest? I didn't like that at all and her alcohol addiction didn't do much to help only b/c she became so MEAN!!
Who else? Jack Wagner was very mature and sexy, and I loved his character too. He was perfect for Amanda and I know he had genuine feelings for her. What a confident doctor deserving of his 'position' on the show!
So, watch this...in spite of it's cheap thrills. It isn't the deepest material, but what soap is? Also, reality is stranger than fiction and there's a good possibity that scenes just like in Melrose Place occur all over the world. In any event, you'll find yourself being drawn in once you understand who's who on the show (believe me it does NOT take long) and you'll look at your own life and absolutely LOVE it! :)
Rocky V (1990)
A wonderful movie about father and son
Sometimes it gets annoying to me how critical people are of the Rocky series. It's like they feel like they have to say terrible things about it, probably because people can be so negative that they can't find it in themselves to believe that a 'less than intelligent' person with heart, drive and passion can move mountains and achieve success.
I personally thought this, and every other Rocky movie, was fabulous. I thought Sage Stallone was amazing in his debut as Rocky's son. Also, this movie showed a more real side of boxing, the business side, with exploitative agents and corrupt business tactics.
Some may think the Rocky series is an unrealistic saga, but Rocky IV proves it isn't. The person we saw struggle, fight, and grow rich is now back to square one...minus all the money but still with the heart.
I saw this movie and it brought tears to my eyes. It shows how wrapped up we can become when trying to achieve our goals through others and how it affects people around us.
I thought it was an interesting storyline and was a lot better than people give it credit for.
The Return of the Living Dead (1985)
Scary, funny and hip!
**One Spoiler**
I cannot believe I am writing a review of this movie. Even though it came out almost 20 years ago, I saw it for the first time a few days ago on CABLE! I was not so sure about this one and my hand was on the remote ready to change the channel...
When the musical score started in the beginning, it really grabbed me. I loved the music in this movie and judging from other comments, I'm not the only one.
The movie was the perfect balance of horror and comedy. Not exactly an Academy Award winner, but who cares? It scared me so bad that I had to sleep with the bathroom light on and that was with my husband there! :)
OK, we all know the men loved Linnea Quigley. My favorite character in this movie was Freddy. I thought Thom Matthews character was such a nice, sweet person in this movie, at least in the beginning! Although he was probably only around 19 or 20 years old in this one, he was cute, tall, with bright blue eyes (until they were cauterized by chemicals!) and he had a great body.
My favorite part was when Freddy was trying to get Tina to come down from the attic. He had more energy and was more romantic as a zombie - haha! I liked when he said 'I hurt myself again and I broke my hand completely off this time. But I forgive you, darling'. So, the guys liked Linnea and I liked Thom (and he kept his clothes on).
I think I'm the last person to have finally seen this one. But if you haven't seen it, rent it, and check in your braaaiiiins at the door because you won't be needing them! :)
The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)
The sexiest movie ever - who couldn't love this one?
I watched this movie against my will. Movies set in 1806 are not usually my style. My father rented it and told me he thought I'd like it. I loved it! It is now my favorite movie of all time...thanks in large part to the talented Guy Pearce (who I never knew existed before the movie). Even as the snarling villain, he got my attention and kept it, but I didn't realize it until the end of the movie. I saw something in him even before I jumped on the bandwagon and I couldn't take my eyes off him.
Whoever doesn't like this movie (or compares it to the "original" needs to open their eyes). A movie is seldom like the book. The movie is everything it should be: it has action, adventure, betrayal, reconciliation, humor, and some beautiful men).
In won't get into the story...there's enough reviews on this site that do that. The movie discusses the human will to live and the revenge we humans can't help but obsess about...wouldn't you if someone stole 16 years of your life?
Many of the descriptions of this story are inaccurate, unfortunately. Mercedes son is a 'great kid', not following in Mondego's footsteps. Nor did Mercedes come from a rich family. Mondego's quote was 'Funny - I don't recall hearing your complaints when I elevated you from being a fish-monger's daughter' Reviews need to be a tad more accurate, in my opinion. My husband watched it and even he admitted it was a good one even though it wouldn't be something he or I would typically watch.
Many of us wouldn't survive 16 years in solitary confinement...give Jim Caviezel some credit! :) He deserves the millions he acquires. It's so stylish and I love when he arrives in the hot air balloon...too sexy and stylish. His clothes are amazing and Guy Pearce looks terrific in those tight pants and ruffly shirts.
I do admit that he (Jim Caviezel) looked better than the rest of the cast after 15 years...Mondego has yellow teeth and disgusting fingernails although he's lived the life of Riley but he's still gorgeous...and Monte Cristo looks like a million bucks.
The movie is amazing...open your eyes and you might see that too. This is not the original...the sooner you accept that the more you'll enjoy it.
The rest of the characters are fantastic. They're good people who are great friends...what could be wrong with that?
I give this move a 10 (I'm not Ebert and Roeper) but who cares? It's amazing and the video store has had to pry it out of my hands.
My only suggestion? If you have a DVD, RENT the movie and turn on the English subtitles. It's sometimes difficult to understand their French (actually English) accents and it'll help you understand the movie better! But this one is amazing...so much better than some of what we see today, and there's no swearing either, how refreshing is that? People who can make a point without being vulgar! :)
Corky Romano (2001)
Relax - it's a COMEDY! :)
It seems that women love Chris Kattan, but men don't seem to have a lot of tolerance for him. That point seems to be pretty consistent with the reviews I've read so far. I really like Chris Kattan, so I was already prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt, even if he was horrible.
That said...he did well in this movie, but even I have to admit it wasn't his greatest performance, even for a physical comedy.
It takes a lot for me to criticize a movie! I thought the 'Night Vulture' guy was SO funny in the 'Old Cotton Balls' and the 'Groovy Tie' scenes. Chris could have made it better if he wouldn't have acted like such a smart-aleck during the movie. He had a little smirk on his face all the time and looked too much like he was about to start laughing himself. The Night Vulture remained serious during the funny parts which was what made it so funny.
It had MANY funny parts that I really laughed at, but it seems that Chris is still fascinated with fart and booby jokes at the age of 32 (which is also my age). He is also STUCK in the 80's, much like my husband! :)
Also, people who say that Chris should stick to SNL need to understand that comedians go on SNL to try to make contacts to get into the movie business. I'm sure that Chris isn't working 70 hours a week on SNL for peanuts just b/c he feels like it! Things like Corky Romano are his GOAL, not a pasttime!
If you've read this far you already know the storyline. In all, it's definitely worth seeing at least once. I laughed a lot, but rolled my eyes a few times when it seemed that even I could have written a scene that had more wit than some of those in this movie.
I thought almost ALL of the scenes were REALLY funny, but that scene where he tries to squeak out the fart was so annoying- I couldn't wait for it to end. I felt like telling him to 'GROW UP!' My 2 year old thinks that's funny!
But...it IS a comedy so we should all relax and treat it as such!
A Night at the Roxbury (1998)
Funny movie with a great storyline!
I reluctantly rented this movie for my husband. He wanted to see it at the theatre but I didn't want to - I had never seen SNL (which DOES make a difference. If you don't know the skit, you don't really 'get it'). So one night I picked up some movies, including this one - and I became hooked!
I could NOT stop laughing. I thought it was so funny. I loved their clothes and their hair looked great. Since then I've seen this movie a million times!
One of the things I liked best about this movie is that it really WAS tastefully done. There was virtually no swearing in it, and no sex scenes (which disgust me). It almost seems like they were discouraging vulgarity...I had to respect Chris Kattan when his 'one night stand' (Eliza Donovan) said "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Joanie loves Chachi. But does Chachi give a flying - f*** about Joanie?" He kind of looked at her and made a face that showed he was turned off by her language.
I would actually feel comfortable enough to let my 2 year old see it (which she has and she's decided she has a crush on 'Crissattan'.)
The boys come from a close-knit family with money. But somehow, they don't see any of it. They look nice when they go out and it's cool to see brothers who are so close. Will Ferrell is a tremendous talent. The music is AWESOME! :)
I cannot STAND Molly Shannon. I don't even understand how she got on SNL in the first place. She is just AWFUL. She's unattractive, perverted, and all of her characters on SNL just seem to be the same.
In all, this was a terrific movie. I loved it! Just watch it with an open mind and remember that it's a SILLY COMEDY, not an Academy Award Winner!