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EdCurtis
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Walk. Ride. Rodeo. (2019)
A story worth telling ... could have been told better.
As a wheelchair user myself, I had an interest in this story. I like seeing my fellow "wheelies" succeed beyond what society expects of them. Ms. Snyder's story is indeed compelling. Unfortunately, the overdone melodrama in this film actually undercuts it, in my opinion. And a couple of elements in this film make it clear it was done on the cheap. Still, I thought the lead actress did a good job. And I like that Ms. Snyder -- whom this film is about -- did stunt riding in this film. A positive step for including people with disabilities in making movies.
The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)
The intended moral of the story doesn't shine through well
The titular character is played well by Jim Caviezel. Nevertheless, I found the movie as a whole unsatisfying. The Count is, in the second half of the film, so consumed with getting his revenge, that it overshadows the moral apparently intended that God gives justice, and seeking revenge on one's own is ultimately unsatisfying.
I also learned after seeing the movie that the scene early in the movie where he and his fiance have sex outside of marriage is not in the original book. Was that really necessary?
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
Chemistry between Ford and Connery puts this film on top
"Last Crusade" is hands-down my favorite of the Indiana Jones films. What makes this one tick isn't the action, but the relationship between Indiana and his dad, which has a healthy mixture of humor and seriousness. You couldn't ask for a better Jones Sr. than Sean "James Bond" Connery.
The faith angle of the film will please Christians, especially in this day and age where so many films treat religion with disdain. Regarding the nitpicking below on the story of the Knights Templar, so what? Who expects this to be an accurate portrayal anyway? That's what you call dramatic license. Same goes for complaints about "unrealistic" action sequences...if they were completely realistic it wouldn't be an Indiana Jones movie.
Finally, memo to the person who was frustrated by the "tight" camera angles in the Young Indy train chase sequence...get the widescreen version that's out now, I suspect that will help.
Runaway Bride (1999)
In 2nd half, avoids becoming a one-joke movie
(Attn: Mild spoilers ahead)
The first half of "Runaway Bride" drags down the rating for me. It seemed a bit uneven. My initial impression of the first 15 minutes was that it was too rushed, like they wanted to get Richard Gere's character, Ike, out of New York before the audience has time to blink. After thinking about that more, though, it's not so bad. It's the rest of the first hour that particularly bugs me...once in Hale, we get so many episodes of Ike following Mags (Julia Roberts' character) around and interviewing her friends that RB threatens to become a one-joke movie. It just drags on the pace of the film. (I did like the priest's request to Mags that if she became Catholic, to confess to a different priest. :) )
Fortunately, once Mags strikes an interview deal with Ike, the film improves. The second half of Runaway Bride is funnier, and has a few good poignant/romantic moments as well. It's in their one-on-one scenes that Gere and Roberts are at their best in this film, and they show that they still work well together.
The romance element between Ike and Mags takes a while to really surface, and the last 20 minutes are rather predictable, but these are both forgivable because they are, in my view, necessary to do justice to the premise of the film.
Inspector Gadget (1999)
Yes, there IS a plot! Yes, it IS a good movie!
First off, let me say that I liked Inspector Gadget overall, and gave it a rating of 7/10.
In looking over the comments here, I was a bit puzzled to see people complaining about the "lack of plot".
WHADDAYA MEAN, THERE'S NO PLOT??? If there's no plot, there must be something wrong with my brain, because I had no trouble following the (supposedly nonexistent) plot. I'm left to wonder if people are looking for something more complex than what they got. Come on, this is a movie based on a kids' cartoon, of course the plot is going to be simple!
I will admit, there is one glaring plot hole that bugs me, namely, on the day of the final battle, Pittsburgh (starring as Riverton City) looks in pretty good shape for a city that was supposedly torched by the evil Robogadget the night before. I could also have done without the suggestive gag with Gadget and the eastern meditation guru....
About product placement. Yes, the Yahoo billboard and the Gadgetmobile's Coke/Skittles dispenser are blatant. But some of the reviews I've seen give the impression that they dominate and/or detract from the movie. Sorry, nitpickers, but they don't. (Although the Gadgetmobile's line about having the Skittles knocked out of him was BAAAAD....)
Aside from these few gripes, I thought the movie was very enjoyable. The important thing to understand is that it's basically a live-action cartoon. That was my attitude going in, and it paid off with lots of laughs at the cartoonish sight gags. Penny, though she doesn't get much screen time, still gets an important role to play in the films finale (contrary to what I heard, and therefore a delightful surprise); Gadget, though a bit smarter, is still as klutzy as ever; and the Pittsburgh backdrop is put to very good use.
And, it's about time Gadget got a girlfriend. :)
The Song of Bernadette (1943)
This is now one of my 10 favorite movies ever.
I recently bought this movie, and just finished watching it the first time. All I can say is, WOW! Why doesn't Hollywood make movies like this anymore? I know, there's more money in showing gratuitous sex and violence...at least that's what they tell themselves. But for my hard-earned dough, nothing tops a film about the purity and innocence of faith, and that's what 'The Song of Bernadette' is all about. It's also good for quite a few laughs, as you see the imperial prosecutor's scheming against Bernadette fail time and time again. :)
My only complaint is that toward the end of the movie, I found myself wondering what was left to tell. Thankfully, I liked the answer and won't be complaining next time I watch it.
This film is a must-see, especially for my fellow Catholics. It's made my top 10 list...why not give it a chance to make yours?
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)
Some people learn, others don't...
(Warning: spoilers for Superman II and IV ahead)
Alexander Salkind & co. wisely pulled out of the "Superman" franchise after the lukewarm reception of Superman III and the box-office failure of Supergirl. Alas, Christopher Reeve showed no such wisdom, and as good as he is playing Superman, the story he co-wrote for TQFP is abysmal. The "Superman loses/regains powers" and "Superman tries to convince Lois that he & Clark are different people" set pieces are recycled from Superman II, where they were both done much better. Nuclear Man seems to have been invented just so Supes has someone to fight, and the "Lois flying" scene also seems put in for its own sake.
What's the worst thing? The aforementioned crystal in this installment is introduced in the first 10 minutes of the film, and it's an obvious deux ex machina to pull Supes out of a jam later on. Granted, the one in II is also a deux ex machina, but it's nowhere near as blatant: when Kal-El lost his powers in that episode, you had no idea how he would get them back. In TQFP, you can see it coming from a mile away.
P.S. Supergirl is a much better film than this dreck, and I'm in fact looking forward to getting the full version available from Anchor Bay, based on what I've read from Amazon.
Tarzan (1999)
Disney's newest masterpiece
Ok, before I start, a quick disclaimer: This is the first "Tarzan" movie I've seen all the way through. Nor have I read the books, so I can't speak for the film's faithfulness to classic Tarzan.
With that out of the way, Disney's Tarzan is brilliant on its own merits. The animation, music and sound are some of their best ever -- make sure to see this on the big screen if at all possible! The story is totally engrossing -- I only looked at my watch once through the whole film -- and the aftermath of the final battle is touching and surprising.
Since this is a Disney film, the animals talk...BUT, this time there's a new spin on it.
We only hear the animals speak "English" when no humans are around (Tarzan excepted). So, when Tarzan has his inevitable meeting with Jane, he doesn't speak a word of English. The implication, then, is that the "English" the gorillas speak, is really gorilla-ese translated into English. This is much like a "Star Trek" episode where, to save subtitle work, the Klingons speak English on one of their ships, where in actuality they'd be speaking their native tongue. A very clever twist on a tried and true Disney cliche.
In the final analysis, I truly have no complaints about Disney's Tarzan. A perfect 10.
Alien Resurrection (1997)
Franchise is out of steam
Eh. I've seen A:R twice, and really wasn't able to get into it much either time.
One of the biggest weaknesses in my opinion is that I never had much sympathy for the group of 'protagonists'. Unlike the crew of the Nostromo in A1 who were basically a bunch of innocents considered 'expendable' by the greedy Company; unlike the confident Marines in A2 who find themselves in over their heads and looking to Ripley for help; unlike the inmates in A3 who've found God and, for all their flaws and foul language, see a spiritual side to the battle...this new group is basically a bunch of scumbag mercenaries. Charles Dutton's character in A3 frankly admitted his crimes, but at least he had scruples. This group seemingly has none. They're just unpleasant.
Another problem is a lack of suspense. Maybe it's the effect of three movies, but the 'in-between' sequences - when the aliens are off-screen - seem too empty to build much suspense. I watched "Aliens" on cable the other day, and even having seen it probably more than any other film in the series, I still got a feeling of dread when they showed the exoskeleton-looking stuff when the Marines were looking for the colonists. With A:R, I simply got *impatient* waiting for the alien to jump out from somewhere. And what is with that funky-looking hybrid alien at the end? It looked like Odo (from Star Trek: Deep Space 9) after getting splashed with acid. It didn't look menacing...just ugly.
Good points: Sigourney Weaver is excellent as usual, and she saves A:R from being a complete waste. The scene where she finds the failed clones is chilling.
But overall, the series ended for me at Alien 3. Though I'll still probably see A5 if it is made.
The Witches of Eastwick (1987)
Ugh.
I agree with Anonymous. I rented this from Blockbuster a few years ago, and after watching it couldn't believe I had blown $3 and 2 hours of my life on such disgusting tripe. The cast is the only reason to see this, and they've all done much better material.
Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)
Insurrection is pure Trek
Although overall not as compelling as "First Contact", "Insurrection" breaks, in my mind, the fabled odd-number Trek film jinx. It scales back the action and goes back to what Star Trek does best, the old-fashioned morality play. One can't watch this film and not think of one of the uglier parts of our American heritage: the forced relocation of the Native Americans. This film reminds us to learn from our past mistakes. Outstanding, and deserved a better take at the box office. The one gripe that keeps this from being a "10": didn't we just do the eternal youth thingy two films ago, in "Generations"?
Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
Picard makes it so...so very good
It's interesting that the two of the most acclaimed Star Trek films - this one, and The Wrath of Khan - are essentially direct sequels to TV episodes. In this case, "First Contact" picks up 6 years later from where "Best of Both Worlds" left off. Patrick Stewart, as Picard, gives what is easily his best performance in the Next Generation trio of films, and (don't laugh) could have snagged an Oscar nomination if Trek wasn't viewed as a "cult" franchise. Certainly he does no worse than Sigourney Weaver in "Aliens" -- and Ms. Weaver snagged an Oscar nomination for that.
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
The best Trek
"The Wrath of Khan" is more of a sequel to the original series episode "Space Seed" than it is to the first Star Trek motion picture, which probably contributes quite a bit to the prevalent opinion that it's the best. Yet even for those - like me - who haven't seen all of "Space Seed", TWOK stands at the top of the list on its own merits. Quite simply, no other villain in the Trek film series is as compelling as Khan. The interaction between him and Kirk is wonderful, and it's even more impressive when you realize they only see each other for a few moments in this film -- and then only through a viewscreen.
Event Horizon (1997)
Depressing ending kills this film.
A moderately suspenseful "Alien" knockoff, "Event Horizon" is done in by excessive ickiness and a real downer of an ending. Only for the cynical.
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
Come on TPM lovers, tell everyone how you feel!
First off, considering that according to IMDB's graph, about 3/4 of the voters gave SW I a 7 or better, why are there not more positive reviews in the comments? If you liked the movie, people, please share your thoughts!
Now that I'm done ranting, on to the subject at hand, Phantom Menace, which I saw for the second time today. This is a worthy addition to the SW saga and only gets better with repeat viewings. The lightsaber duel at the end absolutely rules! I watched the original SW (aka Episode IV: A New Hope) on video the other night and was surprised how disjointed the duel between Kenobi and Vader felt. TPM's duel blows it out of the water. Just goes to show how far the effects have come in 22 years.
Best points: 1. The effects, of course. Every cent of the $115 million Lucas spent is up there on screen. 2. Most of the leads turn in good performances. Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon is excellent. Natalie Portman gives a competent, albeit unspectacular performance. Episode II should be a chance for her to really shine. 3. The story. It looks tedious on the surface - political machinations about a trade embargo - but if you look deeper there are some more sinister things going on. (Hence the title)
My main complaints are: 1. Many of the supporting cast seem a bit flat. Ian McDiarmid as Palpatine and Ray Park as Darth Maul are notable exceptions to this, but Captain Panaka is probably one of the most unmemorable characters in the series. 2. The space battle at the end. It's not nearly as well staged as either of the Death Star battles, and nothing really of interest happens until Anakin shows up. Then again, maybe that was Lucas' intention. 3. People who complain about Jar Jar. :) He's not really that bad, and he has some moments which are genuinely funny.
My rating - 8 out of 10. Not as good as Empire, about the same as the original (oops, Episode IV).
Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988)
Stupid flick, but that's the point :)
I was rather pleasantly surprised to see KKFOS made the cut when I restricted my search to films ranking 6 or better. This is a dumb movie, but it revels in its dumbness. What other movie would dare to have a dumb but original idea of shadows that eat people, or capturing the Fear-Struck Heroine[tm] by putting her in a balloon (no, not the hot air kind...) SEE IT!
The Last Starfighter (1984)
Escapist fun
As noted by others, this was the first film to attempt CGI special effects on a large scale. Though it now pales in comparison to such fare as Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, it did well for its time. As for the story, it's a fun ride, if a bit hokey and predictable at times.
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Best of the original trilogy
Among all the Star Wars films to date, you can't beat ESB for suspense and chills. Impeccably written & shot. Also, this film's lightsaber duel improves tremendously on the original's - go back & watch A New Hope, you'll be surprised at how awkward the Kenobi/Vader duel seems. This film's duel is the first multi-level one, and the effects flow better. Bring back Kershner to direct Episode II!!
N.B. The adding of cityscapes at Cloud City in some scenes of the Special Edition is a very nice touch.