Reviews

Wow... what is happening to creativity in television?!? This show is one of the worst things I have ever seen. The concept is unengaging, the acting is horrible and the whole thing stinks like an after school special! There is absolutely nothing fresh here. I swear the actors are reading off of cue cards just off camera. What's with every character having to pause and stare off camera every 3 minutes? Oh, wait... they replay all the episodes on ABC Family? Now it all makes sense. Thank god for HBO and Netflix because network television has reached an all-time low! I highly suggest spending your time elsewhere. I know I will be.

A truly great film that needs multiple viewings to really capture the depth and subtext that exists within each character. John Wayne's Ethan Edwards is such an unlikable character struggling with so much inner turmoil over hatred toward Indians, contempt towards a military that surrendered to the North and forever pining for his brothers wife that only John Wayne could have pulled off the role. Anyone else would have been despised by audiences of the time.

Director John Ford holds back nothing as he captures both the darkness and the beauty of the rugged old west, setting his film deep in Monument Valley and easily making you forget the fact that the film takes place in Texas. The reasoning behind the lone star location reinforces the independence that these men are striving for, fighting not only to live free of government control but free of fear from the natives that surround them.

Make this film part of your library and it will easily become one of you favorite films.

JMW

It begins with a rather impressive list of literary characters played by a formidable cast of up-and-coming actors and one very established favorite, Sean Connery. An impressive cast gathered for what could have been a stronger film. The story, fictional heroes and villains teamed together to battle an enemy of mother England, has great potential. And therein lies the problem with the film, it is great potential wasted as too many under established professionals attempt to step outside their comfort zones.

Thirty minutes into the film you've been introduced to all the characters and a complicated story of intrigue is about to develop. Unfortunately this is where things get drawn out, cheesy and just plain forgettable. By the end it's a cliché action-adventure with a creative group that ends up trying too hard. For instance, the special effects team goes over-the-top in creating a comparable foe for Hyde ruining the impressive work done up to then. By concentrating more on story, the filmmaker and his team could have had more pride in creative characters without the crutch of special effects.

As I write this I still have twinge of interest in the literary characters brought to life for me once again. If a sequel were proposed they would need to go back to the drawing board rather than trying to improve upon what's been started.

If you like bad movies make sure you see this one. The acting is horrible, the direction is cliche' and the story has been brutally turned into a mirror image of what Hollywood believes the future will be like. The world that sci-fi writer Phillip K. Dick created is a darker and seedier world rarely represented correctly in today's films. Our future, if the cyberpunk generation is to be believed, is a dark and grimy world that has the individual person constantly in search of personal gratification and wealth. This future will be ruled by technology but not in the antispetic way so many filmmakers have created. Look to films like Blade Runner, eXistenZ and others in the cyberpunk genre to see how Dick saw our future.

Instead of a creative look at our future involving a man left to solve his own mystery we are left with a typical action thriller that looks no different than every other film out there. John Woo attempts to pay homage to Hitchcock, most notably in the appearance and actions given to Ben Affleck's character, but in doing so he cheapens the work of a great director and only reinforces the fact that he should quit making films and move onto something else. Affleck and Uma Thurman are only along for the ride and I can only assume her performance in this film will destroy any chance she has at winning her most recent Golden Globe nomination.

Resist the temptation created by what is a creative story and instead invest the money in a boxed set of Phillip K. Dick stories. Trade one bad movie for a future filled with multiple nights of enjoyment.

0 stars - DO NOT SEE!

I can only hope the book was better. Unfortunately after seeing this film I don't really have a desire to read the book. The plot was as predictable as they get and I spent the entire film looking for Angela Lansbury and Dick Van Dyke thinking this was a new episode of Murder She Wrote. Clint needs to accept the fact that he's too old to be Dirty Harry again and just stay behind the camera. I'm as disappointed as the next guy that he never one an acting Oscar but making junk like this isn't going to do it for him.

3 out of 10

3 out of 4

`How's it going to end John?'

`I don't know.'

This exchange more than sums up what could be called the most emotional film of 2002. John Quincy Archibald (Denzel Washington) is a dedicated father and blue-collar factory man who can't make ends meet. Following his 9-year-old son's collapse at a baseball game it becomes clear that he will die without a heart transplant. Unfortunately, John's insurance isn't adequate enough and the hospital is sending his son home to die. For John this situation is unacceptable, forcing him to take the hospital's Emergency Room, including his son's cardiac surgeon (James Woods), hostage until his son is placed at the top of the waiting list for new hearts.

From the very beginning, the film is an up-and-down ride of emotions. An honest and hard working family is faced with more heartache than anyone could ever imagine yet I believed every scene. The filmmaker succeeds with his intention even though it involves perfectly placed, poignant moments meant to resurrect themselves during the final scenes of the film. Those final scenes will leave you bathed in tears but are sappy and at times a little contrived. The overall feel of the film, the message it delivers and the cast delivering it far outweigh its small downfalls.

With its ever changing moods `John Q.' places you in the hospital with a wide variety of characters, all coming together to either support John Q. or to fight against the decisions he has made and outside the hospital, where the police and the media battle each other's goals, reminiscent of `Dog Day Afternoon', in their own attempts to end a tragedy that's been set in motion with only the death of a boy, his father or a hostage to stop it.

Washington's performance in this film only reinforces the reason he's been nominated five times for an Academy Award. There is never any doubt that John Q. is willing to risk everything, including his own life, to make sure his son is given a heart transplant. The question that always surfaces when films of this nature are made becomes easy to answer as John Q. explains why it has to happen his way.

It may be a given that a film involving bureaucratic HMOs and a hypocritical government system lends itself to preaching and "John Q." does become preachy. But if you're willing to let the message of the film slide off of you, temporarily, what remains is a heartfelt plea from a father to save the one thing that means the most to him, his son's life.

1 out of 4

Audiences in search of a mind trip filled with mystery and suspense… need to see something else. Vanilla Sky takes you on a mind trip all right, but its ever-changing narrative and uniquely mysterious characters are only contrived elements in a story that lacks focus. After two hours of questions, the premise of the entire film is summed up in ten minutes of flashbacks and explanation physically ripping the wind out of any hope you may have had for it.

Tom Cruise plays David Ames a millionaire magazine publisher with the world at his feet. Beautiful women want him and success has never come easier. Julie Gianni (Cameron Diaz) is one of those women but is unwilling to share him with his new love interest, Sofia Serrano (Penelope Cruz). Julie causes an accident that leaves David with a mutilated face and ever-present migraines. His world is falling apart around him and nobody has the answers.

Cameron Crowe is generally a brilliant director. Say Anything, Jerry Maguire and Almost Famous are great rides into the lives of their lead characters… what makes them laugh and what makes them cry. That sense of direction is evident in Vanilla Sky but too little emphasis is placed on the relationships. Instead Crowe focuses on a mystery about murder and betrayal reaching outside of his comfort zone and failing.

Some of the performances are good but too many are awful. Cameron Diaz stretches well in a `Fatal Attraction' evil that transcends her `girl next door' persona and Jason Lee shines as David's best friend and confidant with a quick wit and irascible charm. Cruise gives us nothing new with his rich kid who can't seem to control his life character and the other Cruz is just downright unwatchable as an unintelligent waif riding on the coattails of everyone she meets.

If you're dragged kicking and screaming to this film you had better be prepared to sit through hours of strange and unengaging drama only to find that the wait was never worth it.

3 1/2 out of 5

Children's stories and fairy tales are rarely complicated. A simple moral, teaching kids (and even adults) life's lessons, is best told through unique characters and comical situations. Shrek has a good grasp of this concept making it a truly enjoyable film, one with a message.

Shrek (Mike Myers) is a large, green, ill-mannered and downright gross ogre who spends his time eating slugs, washing up in his stinky swamp and scaring the town folk who misunderstand him. His life is simple and that's the way he likes it. But things change when his humble home becomes a haven for fairy tale creatures banished by Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow). In order to regain his life, Shrek, along with unwanted help from Donkey (Eddie Murphy), must rescue Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) from the mighty dragon and bring her to Farquaad, a name which needs careful pronunciation in a PG film.

Missing are the wonderful Disney tunes you've come to expect from animated classics, but on the other hand Shrek's writers know their competition and do a fair job of making fun of what's expected. By mixing modern day culture (elevator music, parking lots and WWF wrestling) with classic fairy tale standards a cute and entertaining story is told. The best lines are given to Donkey where Murphy's comic nature allows him to steal the show.

Overall the animation was slightly wooden (no I'm not refering to Pinnochio's cameo) and I had trouble with the voice Myer's gave to Shrek. His higher pitched Scottish inflections reminded me too much of characters he's played in the past. Also be prepared for some off-color humor that will more than likely slip by the kids unnoticed unless it happens to be the bathroom kind. It's a must see for families.

The Caveman's Valentine seemed intriguing. In my mind Samuel L. Jackson has done a good job of picking his roles and by pairing up with Kasi Lemmons again I figured this one would be a success. Did I expect too much? I don't think so.

This film lacks any kind of reasonable plot development. The obvious twists and turns are cheap rip-offs of today's modern suspense thrillers. I can only assume the book is a wonderful telling of a man's personality disorder because the film is not.

What convinced these great Hollywood talents to partake in such a poorly conceived film is beyond me. Wait for the remake.

1 frame out of 5

4 out of 5

Sean Penn has a brilliant eye for film. Visually, Penn takes us into the mind of retired detective Jerry Black as he slowly becomes obsessed with tracking down a killer that everyone else believes has been caught.

Although The Pledge is being marketed as a high-paced thriller it may disappoint viewers to learn that its more of a character study of Black. Nicholson's performance is almost perfect. He takes the audience along with his character who never seems to realize how strong his obsessions have become.

Overall an interesting film that raises many questions about what makes a man become who he is.

3 out of 5

Julia Roberts and Brad Pitt were already busy making The Mexican (and quite possibly out of the film's budget), so the creators of Head Over Heels settled for Monica Potter and Freddie Prinze, Jr. The uncanny resemblance that Potter has to Miss Roberts is at times hard to believe. Her looks, actions and even her crying seem to be mirror images of Hollywood's most prolific actress, and if it sounds like I can't get over it - you try watching this movie and not think of Julia Roberts.

Although Hitchcock's `Rear Window' perfected the general idea, the film is creative. As Amanda and her newly discovered supermodel roommates (who are always a pleasure to look at) spy on their young attractive neighbor they quickly discover he may have killed a young woman. In her pursuit to discover the truth she decides this guy may be the love of her life. I guess in the world of love, murder is a trait easily gotten over.

The comic moments are plentiful and watching supermodels with IQs lower than their apartment numbers is always entertaining. Also much of the dialogue, involving mistaken word choices, leads to many embarassing moments for the characters and laughter for the audience. The excessive use of bathroom humor and the ease to which the story resolves itself are two problems that you'll have a hard time ignoring. In the end the casting may have been awkward but since big screen charm is a major factor in Hollywood, you can expect to see Prinze Jr, and Potter in many more films to come.

It's a cute idea. he's the super quarterback of the high school football team and she's the leader of the cheerleading squad and together they're a match made in heaven. They're also going to be parents at the ripe old age of seventeen. `Oh, what's a girl to do?' How about gather together your cheerleading squad and rob banks.

Cute it is, but since the bank robbing doesn't take place until the last half of the film you're left with another campy movie about naïve high school kids battling for popularity. There are a few laughable moments but most of the scenes are as boring to watch as actual cheerleading tryouts. Not even a rousing rendition of `We've Got Spirit' could breathe life back into this yawner.

The performances are all quite adequate but nothing more. Marsden is a cliched dope surrounded by swooning girls and ignorant jocks while Mena Suvari, as beautiful as she is, only recreates her role from `American Beauty' as a rebelious cheerleader.

The look and feel of the entire film carries a bit of cheapness to it, emphasizing the fact that this a first time director who may have a long road ahead of her. Only making it worse, many of the interior scenes look as if they take place in a cardboard box.

Sometimes a cute idea is only that... a cute idea.

2 out of 5

As a former film student the setting for the film had some appeal. Film students after the coveted Hitchcock Award strive to make the film that will secure them a spot in Hollywood, just like the honored alumni before them. Unfortunately the power of greed has someone taking out the competition.

It begins with an obvious film-within-a-film cliché to introduce us to all the principal characters/victims of the film. The cast, a slew of nobodies, lacks any true depth and continually stumbles through forced 21st dialogue. The only recognizable face, Joey Lawrence of Blossom fame, has matured in looks but not so much in talent. In fact, the most entertaining parts of the film are when the killer `urbanizes' his victims making the viewer happy to see them go.

The entire story is weak and too many standard horror movie conventions are tossed into the mix. Bumps in the dark, shadows in the background and masked characters that appear out of nowhere are tired repeats of films in our past. As expected, every character is given a reason to be the killer until the very next scene when they are exonerated because another character seems more deserving.

With many veiled references to Alfred Hitchcock's films, the filmmakers may have thought they were honoring the great director but in reality the idea is so poorly done that they only come across as cheap rip-offs. Stair climbing in a tower ala Vertigo and a weak wheelchair scene ala Rear Window are two that come to mind.

The whole scary movie genre was given life by Scream and now it ought to be put out of its misery with one swift swing of the ax.

2 1/2 out of 5

From the opening credits of Bless the Child, something isn't right. Twenty minutes into the film you start to realize nothing about this film is right. A simple, contrived plot is made even worse with terrible acting and some of the worst special effects ever put on film.

Kim Basinger plays Maggie O'Connor, the naïve aunt of Cody, a six-year-old child who possesses supernatural powers and is later kidnapped by self-empowerment guru Eric Stark (Rufus Sewell, quite possibly the only salvageable acting in the film) in order to help him rule the world alongside Satan.

Virtually everything about the film is poorly conceived. From the robotic actions of every member of the cast to a screenplay that is nothing more than a series of broken puzzle pieces used to justify later action. In an unsuccessful attempt to keep audiences intrigued, the filmmakers place Maggie in one overly dramatic scene after another, with her always escaping a life-threatening situation at the last possible second. Even the New York police are portrayed as bumbling fools who would be lost without the help of Jimmy Smits' character, an FBI agent specializing in the occult and a former seminary student. Credentials that never become necessary since Maggie continuously avoids help and pursues the occult group on her own.

The special effects in the film are even worse as spirits take the shape of glowing lights and a roomful of rats looks like a scene from an animated cartoon. The climax of the film is even worse with most of the film's budget going towards a five second look at Satan.

In a summer filled with movies that break the boundaries of creativity and special effects, Bless the Child is a waste of time and money and should have gone straight to video, if it has to go anywhere.

0 out of 5

Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000)

Starring: Eddie Murphy, Eddie Murphy, Eddie Murphy and Eddie Murphy

Plot: The entire Klump family returns as Sherman develops another body altering potion.

Quick Take: Definitely `nutty' but lacking much of a story.

2 out of 5

In Eddie Murphy's first Nutty Professor remake, the Klump family dinner was one of the most entertaining segments in the film. So its no surprise that he decided to create an entire film around this oddball group of characters and `technically' the film is a success. In some scenes, you have no choice but to believe that Eddie Murphy has been cloned six times in order to create the illusion you're seeing. In addition, the makeup guru of Hollywood, Rick Baker, has once again outdone himself with his near flawless creations.

But the flaws in the story are not so easily hidden. Sherman Klump along with the professor he has fallen in love with (Janet Jackson), have developed a new potion that will make its user young again. But his alter ego, Buddy Love (Murphy's most annoying character), decides to steal it for himself creating problems for Sherman and the entire Klump family. Predictable and tiresome, the script ends up becoming just another vehicle for Murphy and his creative characters.

Without an interesting story the characters have nowhere to go and we're left with a film full of bathroom humor and slapstick comedy which becomes old fast and too often skirts the line of its PG-13 rating.

2 out of 5

Following a provocative opening segment, John Singleton's film wastes no time in bringing us the main story. A wealthy young socialite, Walter Williams (Christian Bale), murders a black man in cold blood and since Williams has already influenced the only witness (Toni Collette), the police don't have enough evidence to contain him. Shaft (Samuel L. Jackson playing the younger nephew of the original 1971 character) won't give up until Williams is convicted even going as far as quitting the force to exact his revenge.

Although the story seems simple it does develop into a very creative drama involving two enemies and Shaft's desire to set things right for the black community. Overall though the film gets too wrapped up in itself and starts to lose its audience by the end. It also has a hard time defining itself as an action film, a drama, or a comedy, sometimes making it hard to decide how to feel in particular scenes. For instance, the death of a brother is forgotten within minutes after it happens, leaving you to wonder if you should feel sorry for his fate or just laugh it off.

However, a very talented cast supports the film. Bale (American Psycho) continues to perfect the role of a character you love to hate and the alternate antagonist, Peoples Hernandez (played by consummate actor Jeffrey Wright) is brilliant bringing an entirely different dimension to the art of the bad guy.

Much of the old film is resurrected including the lingo, the attitude, and the award winning Isaac Hayes music, but where the original film instigated an entire genre of blaxploitation filmmaking, this new creation only reinforces the idea that Hollywood is hard up for new ideas.

What's in a name? If the name is Jerry Bruckheimer expect it to be filled with action.

In producer Bruckheimer's latest film, Gone in 60 Seconds, its all about the nomenclature. With character monikers like Kip, Sway and The Sphinx and cars idealized with names like Diane, Sue and the elusive Eleanor, it's only the non-stop action that keeps you from wanting to just play the name game.

Not a deep script by any means, but it is a great vehicle for action as Nicolas Cage as Memphis Raines, along with Angelina Jolie and Robert Duvall, comes out of car-thievery retirement to save his brother's life by stealing a list of 50 exotic cars in one night. A remake of the 1974 cult hit, this film may not be destined for the same cult status but it is entertaining.

Surprisingly, it's the action that keeps you watching not the acting. Although loaded with stars, none of them have standout performances, including a very weak performance by one of my favorite up and comers, Giovanni Ribisi. Even Jolie, coming off her recent Oscar win, is just a token love interest with hardly any screen time.

Can a series of beautiful cars and the car chases they become involved in make a great film? I think so. The film is a pleasure to look at and although one particular scene takes you into the realm of unbelieveablity, the action is non-stop and the suspense is compelling. Just be wary of other drivers fighting for a pole position as you leave the theatre.

3 1/2 out of 5

For most guys, reminiscing about past lovers would stir up emotions better left hidden. For John Cusack's character, Rob Gordon, a look into the past creates an entertaining comedy . Although the story is creative and the filmmaking is adequate, its the performances by almost everyone involved that make this such a good movie. Cusack is top notch as he breaks the fourth wall to confide in the audience and Jack Black almost steals the show with his sarcasm and wit. If you're a fan of John Cusack and the great films "Say Anything" and "The Grifters" you'll love "High Fidelity". Note: Brush up on your pop music favorites before going and you can play along with Cusack and cast.