patricianolan999 Reviews

For the Boys (1991)

repulsive!

[1/10 · 22 October 2008]

I've enjoyed many of Bette's films, including "Big Business" and "The First Wives Club," but this movie is downright repulsive and distasteful! I'm glad they tried to expose the blacklisting of the 1950's for the heartbreaking nonsense that it was, and I sort of appreciated the basic anti-war theme. But the film itself is horrendous and the ending made me want to vomit! There is absolutely no warmth in these cardboard characters played by Midler and Caan. You can't help but hate them both! Every dumb and embarrassing stereotype is used to excess. Poorly written---it bounces between sitcom stupidity and soap opera histrionics--and definitely doesn't leave you with a "warm and fuzzy" feeling when it's finally over. If you watch this movie, you're wasting nearly two hours of your life! What more can I say.....it's awful. If Caan's character was supposed to be Bob Hope....well, he was definitely miscast in the role. This film ranks in stupidity with "Funny Lady," which also starred Caan.

Riot on Sunset Strip (1967)

1960's attitude towards rape

[5/10 · 19 July 2008]

I was surprised and shocked to see how casually the crime of gang rape was treated. Mimsey Farmer's character, Andy, was drugged and subsequently raped by four young men at a party. Her father (the police captain) became infuriated and hit two of the rapists at the hospital. Afterwards, he felt GUILTY for expressing anger and rage towards his daughter's attackers and remorsefully apologized for HIS "bad behavior." The outraged Sunset Strip hippies began picketing and rioting against police violence. The hippies WEREN'T angry over the crime of rape. The attack against the girl didn't bother them in the least. But they were furious at the girl's father for hitting two of the rapists. Likewise...in the hospital, the attitude towards the crime was almost casual, and even Andy didn't seem angry at the young men who raped her. You'd think she was there for something very minor or unimportant---like a bee sting. This casual attitude towards rape has definitely changed in the past 40 years.

Amadeus (1984)

disgusting

[1/10 · 7 July 2008]

This movie disgusted me. I felt like I was watching a badly-written skit from Saturday Night Live. What really bothered me the most was seeing Mozart, a truly self-centered bastard, go bonkers and not care that his wife and baby were starving to death. His wife had to beg for food from strangers because her husband was such a self-absorbed jerk. If this actually happened, then Mozart was very narcissistic and probably bi-polar, too. I'm tired of movies about crazy, self-centered geniuses. Too painful to watch. We were supposed to enjoy his kooky, wacky personality and crazy behavior, but I felt sorry for his wife, who was forced to suffer from his insanity.

Made for Each Other (1939)

old looking mother-in-law

[7 July 2008]

I'm constantly amused by the mothers and mothers-in-law in these old movies. They're always extremely old-looking, despite having "children" who are only in their 20's. Even teenagers in movies from the 1930's and 1940's had parents who looked and acted like aged grandparents (such as Mickey Rooney's dad in the Andy Hardy films). Lucille Watson plays Jimmy Stewart's angry, bitter old gray-haired mother, but she looks like his grandma. Were mothers of young adults actually THAT mean and nasty in those days? Certainly mothers don't dress like her anymore....frumpy patterned dresses with her gray hair in a bun! Miss Watson was about 60 when she played this role---and she looked 85 and acted 90.

Mr. Holland's Opus (1995)

too many stupid clichés!

[1/10 · 27 May 2008]

This movie makes me sick! Every worn-out cliché ever said or written about teachers is here....he's infatuated with a sexy jail-bait student and almost runs off with her (that actually DOES happen), he likes his students better than his own son, he has a loving but frumpy wife, bla..bla...bla! And of course, as a young teacher, he vows he'll only teach until he becomes a famous musician. Predictably, he ends up being a teacher for 30 years! And of course, he's the "noble" teacher who inspires his students...one of them even becomes Governor! Hey, couldn't SHE have pulled a few strings to let him keep his job? Or, being the Governor, she could have personally gotten him a NEW and better teaching job! What a bunch of crap. I hate these "noble teacher" movies.

Big Business (1988)

A great film

[10/10 · 6 March 2008]

I love this movie. It's joyful and funny and always makes me laugh. The supporting male characters are perfect. They're the comic foil for the four ladies and their confusion over mistaken identities is priceless. One of the funniest scenes is near the end, when the four men are waiting in the hotel lobby for the sisters to finish their board meeting. Each sister walks out of the hotel with the guy who seems best suited for her! And the other characters---limousine driver, bellhops, desk clerks, office employees---are also funny. Even the homeless guy is hilarious as he keeps seeing "doubles" of Sadie and Rose walk in and out of the hotel. This is the best comedy that Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin ever did. It's a wonderful 1980's film....you don't see these kind of movies made nowadays.

Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)

Mel is hot!

[8/10 · 5 October 2007]

The anti-apartheid theme is now outdated, but it's still an important learning experience. Mel Gibson is sure HOT in that lovemaking scene with the South African girl! It's very revealing and very passionate. And he's nude! He looks better in this film, his hair is more styled and he isn't as crazy as he was in the first "Lethal Weapon." However, you'd think his partner would protect his family and home by having a security guard on the premises, right? Especially AFTER the bad guys broke into his home, tied up him and his wife with duct tape and threatened to kill them. Despite that, he doesn't even lock the front door. He opens the door without checking to see who is ringing the doorbell. As a detective, he should know better! However, it's great escapist entertainment and Mel looks incredible!

When a Man Loves a Woman (1994)

no need for booze with Andy there!

[4/10 · 8 August 2007]

Hey.....if I had hunky Andy Garcia all over me, hugging and kissing me, I wouldn't be drinking booze! I'd be doing other things. He looks absolutely gorgeous in this film. As I watched the movie, I kept thinking that Meg's character is one lucky lady! She was married to the perfect guy--macho and sensitive at the same time with a respectable career, providing her with an upper-middle class life. And he was devoted to her. He actually loved her. But she never seemed to appreciate his love. If that's "co-dependence," most women would take it in an instant! Comedian Al Franken, who co-wrote this film, based it on his own marriage.

Swing Shift (1984)

the towel!

[8/10 · 4 December 2006]

I just watched a video copy of Swing Shift. I wasn't aware of the infamous towel scene with Ed Harris, so when he sat down with his beer and certain parts of his male anatomy were revealed, I couldn't believe my eyes! In fact, I immediately re-wound and played that scene three more times in order to make sure I wasn't seeing things! It's amazing that Ed's "parts" were flashed because 22 years later, male frontal nudity is still rare in films. I assume Goldie and Demme left this quick little scene in the movie to be funny. The rest of the film is nudity-free. Even the bedroom scene with Kurt and Goldie doesn't show them nude.

The Opposite Sex (1956)

campy fashion show

[6/10 · 18 September 2005]

It's corny and campy--a technicolor fashion show! June Allyson dons a strapless tomato red gown to steal her husband back from sexy predator "Crystal," played by Joan Collins. But it's the hairstyle June should work on. Her flat, little-girl hair looks ridiculous, especially with her gravelly voice. Leslie Neilson plays the straying husband. He's extremely bland, has no charisma and bears no resemblance to the brilliant comic actor he later became. Even Joan Collins gets bored and starts two-timing him! She has a private telephone in her glamorous bathroom for clandestine phone conversations with other men. Can't say I blame her. June is annoying as the virtuous wife. The hats, the gloves, the fur pieces around the neck and the jewelry are fun to look at, though.

Send Me No Flowers (1964)

funny with a double meaning

[8/10 · 19 March 2005]

In one scene where Rock Hudson desperately tries to find a "replacement" husband for his wife, he and Tony Randall are watching a tennis match. They check out a hunky male tennis player wearing short-shorts and Rock Hudson says "He's reasonably good-looking!" Hudson looked extremely good himself in this film and it's fun to see the "Pillow Talk" gang back together again. Tony Randall spends a lot of time gazing drunkenly at Hudson as they plot to find Doris a new husband. But did Doris always play these kind of fluffy roles? It makes me wonder about her acting range. Whether her leading man was Rock Hudson or James Garner, the character she played was always the same--although her wardrobe is gorgeous and VERY 1964!

Stella Dallas (1937)

ahead of her time!

[9/10 · 2 February 2005]

Stella's only "crime," as far as I could see, was dressing flamboyantly and having an outgoing personality. In 1937, women weren't supposed to look or act bohemian. Stella stood out from the crowd because she dared to be different. Instead of being appreciated for her non-conformist attitude towards life and fashion, she was ridiculed and snubbed. Stella was ahead of her time! A touching scene shows Stella PURPOSELY acting "low class" so her daughter will go back to her dad and have a better life with him. The moral of the story was...Stella had a good heart and good values, even though she didn't dress or act like other women. I didn't like the ending--Stella makes the ultimate "sacrifice"--giving up her daughter so the young woman can marry a wealthy man and be "respectable." Nowadays, it would be perfectly okay for Stella to have a "fun" wardrobe and a flamboyant personality. Women have more personal freedom and choices now.

Sunday in New York (1963)

Outdated but somewhat amusing

[3/10 · 9 January 2005]

This movie is outdated. Filmed during the Kennedy Administration, the sexual revolution wasn't in full bloom yet. Jane Fonda is cute and Rod Taylor is definitely a hunk--he looks like he was into weight-lifting back then. This film is typical of sex comedies popular in the early 1960's--gorgeous people in big cities who talked about sex but never did much--until marriage. The apartment is gorgeous and Jane's hair, makup and wardrobe are vintage and fun to look at. But the message of the film is--"no sex until marriage"--even if it is done with laughs, and that is what makes this movie seem so silly now. As Rod Taylor's character so accurately predicted..."The next generation's gonna have it easier!"

Nothing Sacred (1997–1998)

A wonderful show

[23 October 2004]

I loved this TV series. It was intelligent, inspirational and thought-provoking. I still remember every episode and I hope those episodes are eventually released on DVD. This was the best "spritual" TV series ever created--yet it was NOT conventional in the least. Kevin Anderson was brilliant as the priest who questioned his career and his life and he showed us that he was as vulnerable and "human" as those he helped. It was a wonderful show. A compelling and bold look at a modern priest trying his best to be a good person. And the co-stars were great, too.

I was disappointed when ABC cancelled this show without giving it a chance to survive and prove its worth. The traditionalists didn't like it and they were loud and vocal. Yet, the series was ahead of its time and it made us think and grow as human beings. I will always remember this show fondly, as it left an impression on me that will last a lifetime. The writing was high-quality. Kevin Anderson remains one of my favorite actors.

The Birds (1963)

My cat got scared!

[18 October 2004]

While watching this film, my cat heard the bird noises and became slightly nervous! It's still a good horror film but Tippi looks unrealistically perfect, even after being attacked by violent birds. There's no outside help. No one comes to kill the birds or rescue the people in this small town, even though they're near San Francisco. Was Hitchcock blaming Tippi, the outsider who had romantic designs on Rod Taylor, for the bird attack? Was she too sexy for her own good? I think that's the "moral" of this story but I'm not completely sure! And yes, Jessica Tandy looks and sounds exactly like an older version of Tippi, although this is never mentioned in the movie. It's a good film although outdated, and the bird attacks are still gruesome. What I didn't like was seeing children being attacked by birds. That was in bad taste.

Boys' Night Out (1962)

reminiscent of an era

[3 October 2004]

This movie is fun to watch. The morals, the clothing, the furniture, the suits, the hairstyles, the hats, the booze, the husbands and wives--are pure 1962. It captures, in a very exaggerated and silly way, an era in American society that will never exist again. It's a time capsule. That's what makes this film so vintage and enjoyable. It's a "sex comedy" without the sex--very popular in those days. It's amazing to think that only five years later, hippies and war protesters were making their mark on society, and films like "Easy Rider" were being created, changing the landscape of Hollywood and pop culture forever. So think of this film as a showpiece of how America was (in a highly exaggerated way) before we learned to question authority and discard many of the foolish rules and regulations we grew up with. Just enjoy it for what it is! It's fun to see Kim's apartment and her wardrobe is cool!