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Reviews
Murder-Set-Pieces (2004)
Trashy movie
Just rented this on video expecting something revolting because of excessive gore, nudity, etc. It did not deliver on these counts as I have seen movies with quite a bit more gore as well as those with quite a bit more nudity. Some CSI episodes seem to have more effective gore. If renters expect this DVD to rival the gore of fairly current releases like The Descent or Saw 1, 11, nor 111, they will be disappointed.
The plot was skimpier than the plots of many movies found on adult entertainment channels. Not only did these not seem to connect all that much I often found myself trying to translate the Spanish language subtitles which are optional so that I could understand what was said in German by the main character. I did not find the German was even ever translated in the subtitles in Spanish.
The ending was even more nebulous in what it was communicating. It seemed even more confusing than the various "dream" sequences which occurred with unwanted frequency.
The Weekend It Lives (1992)
If you could hear the actors, some of this is worth watching (possible spoilers)
If you could hear the actors at the very beginning of this rather unique movie, it might be worth a look. Except at the start when they are doing a kind of Def Comedy Jam (exchange of insults) it is rather difficult to hear one of the speakers who gets much of the laughter from the onlookers.
A lot of this movie is also like the first part where technical difficulties make it very hard to understand what is going on with this film. For a horror movie, so much of this movie is either deliberately or unintentionally laughable that you wonder if this were not a practice run for one of the Scary Movies.
Parts of this movie are also so misplaced with respect to the rest of the movie that you wonder if this movie were written by someone with a multiply personality disorder.
Hobbs End (2002)
They should have made this a silent film (possible spoilers)
This had to be one of the gabbiest movies I have ever seen. Talk, talk, talk....talk. This is then interspersed with over the top acting and characters that it is hard to give any care for because of how cold they seem.
If you are looking for something different in the serial killer/horror genre this is a good movie to view if you have some patience with ham acting and way too much dialog.
The actors and especially the lead actress is pleasant to look at except that she seemed more cast for those of us 35 and above and not those 20 and under like most mad slasher movies and the very buxom and often very underclad teens like in the Halloween, Jason, Scream, Freddy, Chucky, and other teen scream movies.
Alexander (2004)
Is this a soap opera, a documentary, or a war movie? Fortune favors the long winded (possible spoilers)
This movie's creators cannot make up their mind of they are shooting for a film like Ken Burn's Civil War, a soap opera like As the World Turns, or a war movie like Platoon.
You also never believe that the stars could have actually been these people because of the various nationalities in a time when travel was difficult unless you were a conquering soldier or trader. There are so many green or blue eyed fair skinned people in Macedonia that you think that these stars walked off of the red carpet in some after Academy Award party probably one in England or even Sweden as well.
The accents were truly creative with a very wide range of accents offered enough to give the voices of the Simpsons and South Park pause with respect to professional jealousy.
The movie does have a few segments worth the price of a ticket except that you have to struggle through about 120 minutes of soap opera to get to these worthwhile scenes.
The Cooler (2003)
Interesting movie (possible spoilers)
Interesting movie about a guy who has absolutely no luck who seems to be able to transfer that ill luck to other people. It seems that love makes his luck change for the better. The rest of the story you will have to see for yourself.
The acting is very good from all the people involved. The screenplay and other elements of this film's production are excellent. It does have some weakness with respect to how people can react to someone who has such bad luck as the Cooler. It does have the saving grace of placing the story for the most part in Las Vegas where you would expect to see people who have good luck rather than the reverse as with the very fortune challenged Cooler.
Collateral (2004)
Fun movie (possible spoilers)
This was a fun movie even if you sometimes expect the Miami Vice music theme to show up at some point along with Don Johnson.
There were some co-incidences that seem quite over the top except though with this movie competing against the Village it is kind of hard to criticize Collateral for showing too many co-incidences when they abound in the Village.
Mr. Cruise does an excellent job at depicting a realistic contract killer. The same with just about all the other actors in this movie. You could market this movie as a documentary as it seems far less poised and manipulated than any of Michael Moore's various pseudo documentaries. The other aspects of the movie make it quickly look like a Mann product. You can tell who made this movie about as quickly as you can tell who made a White Castle burger by picking it up and biting into it. It is Mann all the way which if you like his work is just what you asked for when buying your ticket.
This movies deserves at least eight stars out of ten.
The Village (2004)
Seemed very boring to me (big spoilers)
This movie seemed very boring to me. I could see most of the twists coming long before they showed up except for the last one which just made me think how cruel some humans could be to other humans if this Truman Show like twist were true?
And the monsters? What was that? I think that M. Night Shyamalan saw the Pact of the Wolf too many times as that monster from 18th 17th ? Century France was far more creative than the Village's monster. This movie seemed more like a homage to far better movies like the Truman Show and the Pact of the Wolf. It hardly reaches his creativity in the Sixth Sense or even Signs. More like the yawn producing Unbreakable.
The acting was good though especially the new actress playing the lead and Adrian Brody. The best thing you can say about this movie is the acting is quite good when compared with other summer blockbuster blood fests.
5 out of 10 stars
The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
Outdoes Bond in excitement and rivals the Tailor of Panama in realism (possible spoilers)
This movie rocks. It rivals the Tailor of Panama in realism except for a few instances where it looks like James Bond is making an appearance. It does unlike the Tailor of Panama though have a lot of excitement that is narrative and not special effects marketing driven unlike most of the James Bond movies. You will not see "Q" in this Bourne movie even if you do wonder where he is getting his false passports if he is a disavowed intelligence operative? Of course Ludlum (the writer of the Jason Bourne novels) is not a William Faulkner but more of a Ian Fleming or Clive Cussler type writer. Expect though Bond with attitude, lesser witty sayings, and a lot more realism than in any other Bond movie except for the kind of anti-Bond Casino Royale. Eight out of ten stars at least.
Catwoman (2004)
No logic to speak of in this but the women sure look hot (possible spoilers)
This movie looks to have lost all logic. I hope that this logic turns up in M. Night Shyamalan's new movie The Village instead. One thing that this movie does have is Halle Berry in a very tight fitting leather suit that looks like she probably needs a lot of help getting into from her personal assistants. Sharon Stone also looks quite good despite having a haircut that looks like it should actually scare cats away. Perhaps that was the point of that haircut.
As far as writing of the movie, I am not sure that anyone would really want to take credit for it as this looks like a real candidate for an Alan Smithee entry as screenwriter. You can almost see the comic book captions beside the heads of various characters especially Catwoman. Unlike Spider-Man 1 and 2 though it often looks like these imaginary captions are anything but tongue-in-cheek.
The whip work by Halle Berry is quite impressive. This should make this movie very attractive to dominatrixes and their prey. I even noticed in the credits that there was a whip coach for Ms. Berry.
Drop Dead Roses (2001)
Pretty good movie (possible spoilers)
Pretty good movie for its type. You think that you may have stepped into real life with some of the dialog and some of what the characters actually do like act quite irrationally but in ways that would be expected in real life. Some of the people are still a little too pretty to be average joes and janes --like the lead actress-- but overall this is a very good comedy. It is a tad slow at times for someone used to comedies like DodgeBall, Garfield, Anchorman, etc. but it is well worth wading through the slow parts.
Hope that this writer and the lead actor and actresses do more work like this. The idea of delivering sticking dead roses or broken up chocolates for revenge against those that dumped you is also of some interest. I keep wondering why this fad has not taken off except that if you watch this movie you might get an idea why such an idea might not lead anywhere.
I, Robot (2004)
This movie makes me want to read the book (possible spoilers)
This movie makes me want to read the book and I do not mean a book based on the screenplay. The special effects were quite good overall. par for the course for Will Smith summer blockbusters like Independence Day, Men in Black, MIB 2, etc. I wish the scientists and or egg heads I know look like Bridget Moynihan who is extra eye candy and can act to a certain degree. You often do not see women who from the demeanor and general attitude seem like they should be quieting someone in a library starting to kick serious butt in a summer action blockbuster like Ms. Moynihan in her transformation. She does it without going into a phone booth unlike Clark Kent's transformation into Superman.
The realism of the robots is an added attraction as is what Chicago would look like in 2035 or thereabouts.
A Cinderella Story (2004)
Good for teenage and younger girls
This movie seemed good for teenage and younger girls. It has a wholesome overall message to it but is not so full of stereotypes as to bore some of the more demanding teens and tweens and younger kids. There are a few funny scenes in the movie and the acting is OK for the age and level of training for the lead actress and actor. It is a good addition to the growing video library of movies by Hilary Duff. It seems to address the concerns of its target audience quite well and plays to them. Probably would not be all that fun for 15 or older male teens but certainly appeals to 15 and younger girls.
Some of the jokes were quite stale and seem like something you would see in any Fox or other prime time sitcom but the hits in the joke area seemed to out number the misses
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
Very funny movie about the war of the sexes (possible spoilers)
Very funny movie about the war of the sexes in broadcast journalism. The casting on this picture was excellent and the small details like the crookedness of Ron Burgundy's lower teeth was very telling. The heroine usually looked made up perfectly; while the men often seemed to really need a better tailor and certainly better chosen scents.
Some of Ron Burgundy's fans are quite frightening to behold and look like they would have been better suited for the Pirates of the Caribbean than for being San Diego bar frequenters unless we are talking about a CA bar frequented by the Hell's Angels.
How the women in the office all sided with the heroine seemed a bit unrealistic as I doubt if jealousy among the various women would not have raised its ugly head as it does so perfectly among the rival gangs of news reporters in San Diego. The take-off of a Gangs of New York murderous brawl was quite hilarious.
King Arthur (2004)
This movie seems to beg the Joe Bob treatment
This movie seems to beg the Joe Bob Biggs treatment. It is at that level of sophistication. Maybe a Mystery Science Theater 3000 showing as well. You should leave any logic at the door to the individual screening room after looking at the coming attractions. Personally I thought that the cardboard coming attraction for Kind Arthur was far more entertaining and eye-catching than most of this movie. It has Ms. Knightley --great name for a movie called King Arthur--and what more does any male straight moviegoer want from a Jerry Bruckheimer extravaganza except a bare bellied beauty and a lot of explosions? Oh, I suppose that the cardboard coming attractions poster does not have enough skin or super large explosions. You could imagine the cardboard coming attraction display on fire and get much of the special effects of the movie.
I still cannot figure out how the archers can shoot arrows high in the air and not miss their own men and women fighting within the enemy. Must be some new kind of medieval technology. Or maybe Roman? ;)
Alien 51 (2004)
Very strange video film
This is a very strange video film. It cannot decide if it is a spoof of horror movies or it is a horror movie. At least with the Scream movies you could often tell that they were partly tongue in cheek. The acting in some of this movie is so cheesy--right out of an Ed Wood movie--that you think that this cannot possibly really be a horror movie. Except that when you start watching all the blood and guts in the movie it looks like a real horror movie. Shirley you cannot be serious though popped into my head many times while watching some of the actors in this speak their lines especially Ms. Heidi Fleiss. I kept hoping Mr. Leslie Nielsen would jump out from behind a rock and say hi.
It was worth a look just to see what Ms. Fleiss looks like now and to check if she can act. Sort of like the quality of acting and jokes you might see from the left of center square on Hollywood Squares 2.
The Stepford Wives (2004)
Some good lines, but not as good as it could have been
This movie had some good lines and good acting by many of the cast members. The remake pales in comparison with the original. The remake is a lot more cynical than the original and seems to be in some ways farther away from the sexual revolution and the women's movement that the first one seemed to highlight. Kind of like Dr. Strangelove and How I Learned to Love the Bomb being rewritten so that President George W. Bush stops all the WMD from being dropped and kicks Saddam Hussein's butt to boot. The major character played by Nicole Kidman seems to be a lot less easy to empathize with than the character from the original.
There were good lines though and I did find this worth the price of a ticket to see some of these actors in form. Seeing pop singer Faith Hill act and doing a good job is also a pleasure after seeing various other pop singers fall on their behinds so to speak with respect to showing that they can play any character with more depth than you find in a three minute video.
Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Great action movie. The best comic book based one I have ever seen
This is the best comic book based action movie that I have seen. Except for the bitten by a radioactive spider and super human powers bit, you would think that these characters could have walked on the set from any Borough in New York City. The dialog also at times seems like it is paying homage to the comic book writer rather than fitting in neatly with the realism of most of the movie. The special effects are great. The character development realistic and very attractive with respect to seeing your neighbor in the actions of Mary Jane Warner and Peter Parker. The acting is these actors are some of their best work for an action movie anyway. The cinematography is good. The screen writing is quite good for a comic book based movie. This movie should easily stand the test of time because of just how well everything works. The flaws that it does have are as attractive as Cindy Crawford's facial birthmark. They somehow make the facade look even better.
WiseGirls (2002)
Good movie by in large
This is a good girl buddy movie for the most part. It even shows that Mariah Carey can act even if she is not yet at the level of excellence as Mira Sorvino and Melora Walters.
The acting is realistic to a certain extent as is the screenplay with the possible problem of stereotyping Italian-Americans a little too much as members of the Mob. A little bit too much of Hollywood writing the criminal history rather than reality writing it.
This seems a very under rated movie that should be seen by Mira Sorvino fans. Shows that the quality she demonstrated in the Mighty Aphrodite was more than her having a few good weeks when she good act really well.
Savage Island (2004)
Good up to the end
Very good except for the ending which was a huge disappointment.
The script was very good as was the acting. The visuals were often very grainy but this in a way added to the film as the snowy features were in good places that helped create a mood towards the film. This affect was ruined by the extremely unbelievable ending.
I was going to give this film an 8 out of ten but the ending knocked it down a point to 7 because it seemed to depart radically from the first 75 minutes of the movie and seemed quite forced at the end to make the film makers look clever.
This movie though was much better than films with quite a lot larger budgets and seemed to be filmed like a home movie with some extra equipment. Not much in the way of special effects as these go but for suspense it was very good.
The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
Typical disaster movie but with a conscience
This is a typical disaster movie very big on special effects but it does have one thing many movies like the Towering Inferno, Titanic, Armageddon, etc. did not have. It definitely has a conscience about environmental concerns. It does not really seem to offer any solutions about how we could stop the environmental damage that leads to the various disasters that wreck havoc in various cities in the US.
The special effects are well worth the price of a ticket and probably would be worth multiple viewings. The acting is about average but there is really not a whole lot actors can do in a typical disaster movie but run and scream from various calamities.
It does look like whoever decided which cities to demolish and how has some pent up problems especially with DC and the entertainment industry. These wild child antics are one of the most amusing portions of the movie in the way certain landmarks are dealt with in this disaster movie.