Reviews

Clearly, no one else should ever give Jackson $150M to make another movie. The Rings series was great, no doubt. But this movie was too much. Far too much. Someone should have reined Jackson in about an hour short of what the final length of this film finally clocked in at. Not a bad movie, but not a great, or even very good one, either. The effects are fabulous, and that seems to have been the very point of this movie, more is...well, more. The story is simply overblown from about the 45 minute mark (that's the length of the set-up of the film...coulda been done in 20 minutes, tops).

And, still, after all these years some humorous questions remain (to what is clearly a fantasy film, I grant you), such as: if you build a big, giant wall to keep a big, giant ape out, why put a big, giant, ape-sized gate in the wall that he can punch through? And how can the ape toss around three T-Rex's if a dozen men with ropes and grappling hooks can hold him down for a while? And if one harpoon and a bottle of chloroform can take him down, why send the army to blast him off of the ESB? Oh, well, it's just an ape movie. No harm done.

There, Mr. Jackson, you've had your one over-indulgence as a result of a 12-Oscar winning series (really, it was the whole series). You're cut off from the so-called epic's. Try making some real movies, now.

Casino is an excellent and very accurate portrayal of events that shape a part of the recent history of Las Vegas. For those of us who have been in Las Vegas for the last 30 years or more, we well remember Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal (portrayed in the film as Sam "Ace" Rothstein), the diminutive but brutally violent Anthony "The Ant" Spilotro (Nicky Santoro), casino front man Alan Glick (Philip Green), and the early days of the Stardust Hotel (The Tangiers). We also recall Spilotro's crew, "The Hole in the Wall Gang" who, as depicted in the film, were notorious for jewelry store heists wherein their method of entry was, yes, drilling holes in the walls. Rosenthal ran more than one casino at the height of his authority, including the Fremont, Hacienda, and Marina Hotels.

Of course, the time lines in the film have been doctored a bit for the sake of story-telling. For instance, the man (named Bill McCarthy) who's head Spilotro (Santoro) put in a vise and tightened to the point of popping an eye out of it's socket actually occurred back in Chicago, prior to Spilotro being sent to Vegas to protect Rosenthal and the Stardust's skim. Incidentally, Spilotro was first sent to Miami to function in the same capacity of protecting Rosenthal. In the film, Santoro's reputation was primarily built through the torture and murder of the fella in the vise. In reality, Spilotro's reputation was well in place, at least among the wise guys, by the time he arrived in Las Vegas. As for Rosenthal, we remember his awful television show after his first tangle with the GCB although, to this day, Lefty emphatically denies ever juggling on the show as Deniro did in the movie! Though, another truth in the film, once the increasingly power-hungry and reckless Spilotro became involved with Rosenthal's wife, Geri (Ginger in the movie), things were already going downhill. In 1986, the bodies of Anthony and Michael Spilotro were found buried in an Indiana cornfield. They had been bludgeoned to near-death prior to being buried. The amount of dirt in their lungs indicated they had been buried alive. Geri Rosenthal was, indeed, found dead in a California motel from a "hot load", a drug overdose. Alan Glick still resides in California (if memory serves) in a well fortified residence, likely still wary of retribution for his role, ignorance aside, in the downfall of the enterprise.

Nicholas Pileggi got a lot of it right, as did Martin Scorsese. Casino is a great film. It was an extremely interesting time in Las Vegas in the 70's and 80's, one that I am not likely to ever forget. If you're interested in any more, you can check out www.frank777.com.

Perhaps it's because when one sees, "MTV Films", in the opening credits, one's expectations then hit rock bottom. It's as if MTV lulled me into a false sense of security, knowing the usual "depth" of their projects. However, I was pleasantly surprised by this little film. It doesn't hurt that I could watch Scarlett Johansson sitting on a couch doing nothing and I'd be enthralled for hours. At any rate, I found the film, though cliched, quite cute. Roy, the obvious comic relief, played his role very effectively, I laughed at him often. The other characters were of lesser involvement, but several stereotypical demographics were adequately represented: the brain, the jock, the average joe, the stoner, the angry rich girl, and the decent good guy. It truly was as if MTV was trying to create "The Breakfast Club", twenty years later, for a new generation. If they succeeded in that is debatable, but at least the made a decent, funny flick.

Nothing more, nothing less. Not a religious experience and, frankly, not much a moving one, either. Simply proof that after you tell people what they want, you can shove it down their throats no matter how distasteful it is and the flock will smile and say, 'Thank you, sir, may I have another?'

Passion is just another Hollywood Jesus. With a laughable Hollywood Satan, to boot. Hollywood. For instance, curious how every Jew in the film – save Jesus, Mary & Magdalene – were of the proper skin tone for the time and region, darker than Caucasian. However, those three: nice white people. It's so sad how simple they think we Americans are. This just one of several artistic flaws in the film. Another of the more subtle were the thieves in the film crucified aside Christ were done so with nary a scratch on their bodies, to further illustrate the singular pain of Jesus. Now that's a wily director manipulating his audience, yet again. In truth, the Romans tortured thousands. Many thousands never made it off that torture rack alive. Sadly, Jesus' suffering was no different than that of any of those poor souls. A movie that will probably never be made (to such level of notoriety, anyway) would be one about how many hundreds of thousands of people the Christian church has tortured and murdered since.

On that note of notoriety, fulls marks for marketing with the movie being pushed as 'The film the Jews don't want you to see.' Aside from the false conspiracy theory, Gibson exploited yet another American fondness: our thirst for blood. He, himself, is obsessed with torture and physical trauma (see: Braveheart, Lethal Weapon, Road Warrior, and Payback – especially the scene with the sledgehammer that was absent from the original screenplay and inserted by Gibson himself). And Gibson knows Americans love blood. This movie is not much more than a car wreck on the freeway that drivers can't turn away from. However, the blindly devout can embrace this car wreck because it carries the guise of religion. Sure, there's a lot of blood in the real world, so what's the harm in portraying some of that? A better question is what's the benefit? This movie is not about the message of the man, Jesus. Not by a long shot. This is a two-hour snuff flick. And one that will gross the ridiculous Mr. Gibson around $300M. This film is historically, theologically, morally and artistically dubious, not to mention one of the worst films of this or any other year. Rating: 1/10.

Beyond a shadow of a doubt, Darkness Falls is one of the most ridiculous and pathetic films ever created. From top to bottom, this is a laughable production: the acting, directing, score, etc., are all utterly devoid of merit. To put it even more directly: Darkness Falls ranks with Battlefield Earth...

Though not pertinent to compare, but The Hulk is the best of the comic book adaptations. And that's saying something because both X-Men movies and Spider-Man were each very good in their own right (I've not seen Daredevil, to this point). The storyline for The Hulk, obviously, was altered. Modernized, if you will, and very well, at that. The acting was good, also. This is a film, greatly, about a madman; a scientist gone insane and the effects his work, in his younger days, has had on his son as it has come to fruition (with the aid of some good old radiation) some twenty-five years later. The rest you will have to discover on your own. It will not be time ill spent. This is a quality movie, well beyond the "comic book" label. 9/10. Cheers.

The film was good, the plot line well conceived (though not without flaw), but the acting carried this film. Liotta & Patric deliver some of the strongest portrayals in recent memory. Their characters are heavy and, certainly, over-the-top. But, nonetheless, their passion is tangible. There were some problems with the audio, some of the dialogue is washed out and could have been cleaner. However, this detracts little from the power of the film. 7/10.

Cheers to Nia for doing this on her own and making millions. Vardalos is a very charming woman who did the absolute right thing by casting herself in the lead. Sometimes that's not the way to go and the person who writes the flick doesn't look or feel the part. But, just as Stallone did in Rocky, Vardalos fits the part perfectly in Wedding. Again, support Indie flicks. This is a very good film. 7/10. Cheers.

Perhaps it's my fondness for strange indie flicks and comic books. And, had the studios not figured out some years ago that strange indie flicks had a viable following, "Ghost World" most certainly would have been one. Of course, "Ghost World" isn't an indie flick, though it has that feel; it's simply smarter than 99% of studio films. This movie ranks with some of the more clever and memorable indie flicks of recent years: "Clerks", et al. I had seen Thora Birch in a few other roles and, frankly, she hadn't made much of an impression on me (of course, she's quite young and really just getting started)...until now. Birch is brilliant, her character Enid is, simply, unforgettable. Buscemi is as good as he is, always, as we've come to expect from him. But it's Birch that makes this film. She was Enid, to a tee. Hats off to Zwigoff for the direction, as well. He's as much responsible for brining Enid to life as is Birch. That said, if you've not seen this film, go rent it asap. And let's keep an eye on this Thora Birch, I expect great things from her in the future.

It is not uncommon for a celebrity to be faced with the proverbial "wake-up call". And, should they survive this event, they come to a deeper understanding and appreciation of their particular good fortune. However, in the case of comedian's, they are rarely as funny after their epiphany as they were prior to it. Such is the case with Martin Lawrence. Frankly, I pay little attention to celebrities as I have much better things to do with my life than to spend it monitoring others'. So, I was unaware of the majority of what Lawrence had gone through prior to this film. It was interesting but, unfortunately, all too common. I was left with the larger impression that this guy's stand-up act just wasn't very funny. Save the big life messages for a book, just be funny on stage. If you want to see a funny Martin Lawrence, go rent some of the old Def Jams for which he hosted.

Don't rent Runteldat.

...that's okay. I tell you what, you don't think it can happen to you. I know I didn't. I'd had my PS2 for quite a while and hadn't become "addicted" to any games to the point of playing for hours on end. But after I bought this game, there I was...playing...hour after hour. It was a blast! At one point, I even found myself daydreaming at work of what strategies would work best against this foe or that foe. Pretty funny. And, yes, the thrill wears off a bit after any game is completed from start to finish. But, all in all, this is the most enjoyable game I've, yet, purchased. It has good excitement, action, frustration, everything one would look for in a game. Highly recommended entertainment!

A creative attempt at avant-garde film making which, for the most part, succeeds. Very quirky usage of both dialogue and sound, and the characters are well portrayed. It's obvious that Barry's bi-polarity can be, in no small measure, traced back to his relationships with his seven sisters, each of whom walk all over Barry as if her were a rug. Truly, every time one of them confronts Barry, he walks himself directly into the nearest corner of whatever room he happens to be in. Conversely, Lena is tragically lonely due, in part, to her being an only child. This aspect of her character was not explored sufficiently. However, the two manage to come together for the satisfaction of their own raging insecurities. The phone sex aspect of the film was quite funny, if not over done. Surely, there will be those who simply say, "So two losers end up with each other, big deal." But, not unlike in Sex, Lies & Videotape, these strange people find a way to end their solitude and find comfort in one another. That should be the moral of the story.

If I may interject on a personal note: Lena was obviously a fairly successful business woman. I mean to say that she was sent on a business trip to Hawaii and stayed in a nice, beach-front resort, and an employer does not send a dog employee on such a trip, she must have been good at whatever she did. (Which makes me wonder why she owned such a junky car). And frankly, cute, intelligent, successful, single women - if they exist at all =) - needn't go to such lengths as Lena did in this film (operating under the charade of a broken car) to find a man. They will come to her in droves. Trust me on this one.

I've not read the book, so the film is my first exposure to this work. It is not a "chick flick", as many have and will, undoubtedly, label this movie. Rather, it is a hard stare at the life of a teenaged girl with a strong, dominant mother, opinionated to the extreme. I have seen numerous films with Michelle Pfeiffer over the past 20 years and this is, in my opinion, her most powerful performance. Frankly, there are moments in the film where we witness her character's unkind machinations, where we can see in her eyes pure malice for all of us "cattle", and she is downright scary. The character of Astrid is ably portrayed, and the supporting cast, including Robin Wright-Penn & Renee Zelwegger, is solid. It is Pfeiffer, however, that propels this film as her character is ultimately responsible for convincing the audience that this story - and the events therein - is a result of her forcefulness, as her daughter begins, and eventually does, realize that there is a gaping difference between her mother's belief system and her own reality. Recommended, certainly.

I grant you, I've only been reviewing movies on IMDb for three years now. And, in that time, I've only doled out two 1's for movies that were utterly abominable in every way, absolutely without redemption. Well, make it three. Hard Cash, aka Run for the Money, is simply one of the worst movies I have ever seen. Everything in this film - from the dialogue to the acting to the action to the plot to the direction - on their own are embarrassingly horrid, but combine to make a complete flop, bomb, and any other derogatory adjective I could possibly conjure. What amazes even further is that the cast contains some actors of repute: Kilmer (who, admittedly, has been in decline since refusing the fourth Batman film, a disgrace of a movie in it's own right), Woodbine, Hannah, etc. I truly hope those three actors (all of whom turned in horrific performances) fired their respective agents after this career-killer. As for Slater, well, I'm sure he was happy just to be working. In conclusion, do not, under any circumstances, subject yourself to this mockery of film-making. It's 90 minutes of your life you will never, ever get back.

Frankly, this film is quite over-rated. I've not seen the original, so I may only comment on the Redux version. Three and a half hours...I'm thinking the film was better without all the extra footage. There's usually a reason some scenes end up on the editing room floor. And I could see several that deserved it in this version. This movie is just plain boring. Call it method film making, whatever, it's a snoozer. This film is considered a classic, but not by me. I waited 23 years to see it, and I wasn't missing much.

I must admit, I left the theatre wondering if there was anything else I could ask for in a film. I could think of nothing. Though I have always enjoyed the Star Wars saga, I consider myself difficult to please in regards to films. I found this film had everything I enjoy in entertainment: great characters, solid plot-line, brilliantly choreographed action sequences, a very human element, love. This is a fantastic film. Better yet, the Star Wars story just keeps getting better and better. The highest recommendation. Go have a blast. Cheers.

I admit I wasn't expecting too much, but was quite happy with the film. More so than most recent superhero stories, Spider-Man made much more of an effort at back-story and character development, which I appreciate. The casting was appropriate, and I was very pleased all the acting. Maguire portrayed the nerdy Parker and Spider-Man quite well. Kirsten Dunst's performance of the "girl-next-door" was pleasing. Though I wonder if Maguire ever really had to put on the suit until the ending, so much Spider-Man action was CGI! And worthy of note, my nephews (9 and 6) were thrilled with the movie, so everyone was happy!

"The Time Machine" is a good example of what happens when one takes something suitable for a three hour epic, and makes a 90 minute flick. This movie not only rushes it's way through an excellent story haphazardly, but then leaves the viewer with the undeniable sense that he or she was involved in the type of copy-room quickie usually reserved for lusty office co-workers, except without even the vaguest sense of satisfaction. Shame. Don't bother going to see this one. Verbiski & Wells will have created a time machine that's undoubtedly set to appear on dvd rental shelves in the very, very near future...

...hatred and revenge. I grant you, we all may have known what was going to happen. It must be a difficult thing to make a famous story into a film and still manage to excite it's audience. This film does just that. I was pleasantly surprised with this movie. Perhaps for it's own benefit it did not boast a huge cast, but then again that may have hurt it's box office numbers. However, the quality of the film is undeniable. I recommend it to anyone.

Nonetheless, this was a pretty good film. Yes, the garage band (or porn house basement band, in this case) rocker gets his shot at the big time, then falls into the abyss of excess, i.e. the rock star life. But the way he left the band was unforeseen, despite the fore-shadowing of Mats' story of his marriage. And the film then illudes to bigger things for Chris Cole as he ends up in Seattle playing with shorter hair and wearing plaid. Perhaps he rides the wave that bridges 80's hair metal to 90's Seattle scene 'grunge' rock. At any rate, that Chris ends up with Emily makes a big difference in the reconciliation of his personal journey, as if there were another possibility (though Hollywood does occasionally try to throw a curve our way, once a decade or so). I liked this movie, and though he's yet to show real versatility, Wahlberg lends his innate likability to every role he assumes. I also hope that Aniston's continued ventures onto the big screen bring her increased success. She's a rare thing: a beauty with talent.

This is not a great film, this is a Hollywood cash-cow. Meant not to be historically accurate, but rather, simple, bloated entertainment. It's not as terrible as Titanic, but not too far off. How far has Hollywood sank when they package movies obviously targeted for teenage girls in such lavish wrapping? How unfortunate that there are still a few poor souls, who survived that horrific ordeal, alive to witness this disgusting portrayal which is destined to become it's legacy in the eyes of this young generation. Hmmm, I should say something nice...okay, good special effects.