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clashcity19
Reviews
Night at the Museum (2006)
Eh.
Okay, I went to see this film one night by myself and I think that if I had been a child when I saw it, I would have really enjoyed it. The premise was cute, a bit mushy and original. It seemed really odd to see Ben Stiller in that role, though. I couldn't get his "Meet the Parents" character out of my brain, so I tried to picture someone else. I jest... sort of.
I thoroughly enjoyed Owen Wilson's part and the roles of the three night-watchmen. They made me giggle. Robin Williams is an actor who has almost always gotten on my nerves, but I guess he was a good choice to play Roosevelt. I think this is a great movie for kids, but if you are like me, you may go into it expecting at least partial adult humor as it stars Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson. Definitely no adult humor. If you want to see something light-hearted and kid-friendly, it is a good choice.
Briar Patch (2002)
Intriguing and Grimy
First of all, I really enjoy Dominique Swain in a very dramatic role like this one. Her emotions range perfectly from spastic to sultry to smart. I was very entertained by her performance in this film. I caught it on TV and found myself getting annoyed with the commercial breaks. I would love to see it unedited. The film reminded me very much of a Flannery O'Connor story. It was deranged and twisted, as her stories often are, and it had the Southern tragedy down pat.
I wish I had known of this film sooner. It didn't have a huge budget, I am sure. It was still very, very entertaining. I recognized many of the other actors such as Flowers and Edgar from other films and thought they were cast well for the roles they played. Strange and fascinating story that would seem unbelievable to most, which is what gives it such intrigue.
The Good Shepherd (2006)
Snorefest
What a disappointment! I was really hoping this movie would be a great one, but it didn't deliver.
The story line for this film was disjointed, confusing, and convoluted. The constant switching back and forth from year to year (past and present) was a nightmare! I found many of the characters and much of the dialog to be redundant and often of absolutely no consequence.
Some points: The film was just boring. It went on and on, with little excitement, little conviction. It was monotonous and slow. It got good too late. After 2 hours and 15 minutes, I was relieved to see things coming together, but was so frustrated and exhausted by then that I didn't really care. I didn't want to sit through those last 45 minutes. I wanted to go home.
Matt Damon did a fine job, though. He portrayed a soulless man with no real interest in anyone other than himself beautifully. It was not easy to like his character. I don't think that was the point.
Angelina Jolie was totally miscast, in my opinion. She just wasn't the right actress for this part. She did nothing good or bad for the movie.
My advice would be to rent it if you are really interested in seeing it. That way, when you get bored to death, you can pause it, take a nap, and finish watching the rest in increments. It is too boring to be that long. I was upset... an unhappy costumer!
Molly (1999)
Terrible!
While watching this film, I honestly thought it was a joke. When I realized that it wasn't meant to be a joke, I became sort of astounded at, well, everything about it. Elizabeth Shue should have known better. She capitalizes on every stereotype there is about mentally disabled people. I thought it was a very unfair and unrealistic portrayal of a person with autism.
The acting is terrible, the story lacks creativity, the characters are not well-defined. The ONLY reason I gave this movie two stars is because there were a couple of scenes that were amusing. However... they all tend to be ruined somehow by some over-generalization of autism.
Save your money.
The Basketball Diaries (1995)
Overrated
I saw this film as a teen. Back then, it was the most riveting portrayal of heroin addiction I had ever seen.
That being said... I recently watched it again and really thought it was rather awful. I cringed during Leonardo's whining and over-acting. I was unmoved by its begging for seriousness when the acting was truly not very good. Not to mention, Wahlberg sort of mucked this one up for me as well. I have never been a great fan of his acting (I hope he does something surprising in The Departed).
I have met and been around people addicted to heroin. I think this film paints a very silly picture and has a lot of stereotypes. I hope the book this movie was based on is quite different. I haven't read it and probably won't. Stick to Trainspotting.
Murder in the First (1995)
Very nicely done
I like this movie. It really is a very good and entertaining film in which Kevin Bacon gives a stellar performance as a tortured prisoner in Alcatraz. Christian Slater's performance is also absolutely one of his best.
One problem I have with this movie is that I was disappointed in how much it was manipulated from the true story it was based on. If I had not been so moved by movie, though, I would not have cared enough to look for facts about the actual ordeal. Henri Young is portrayed in the film very differently than the person he apparently actually was. I do not doubt the overall message, though. That message is that torture and cruelty will and do change people for the very worst. It shows you that a person can commit a crime, be convicted, and then become worse-off than they were to begin with. It reminds people that the goal of prisons in America are to "rehabilitate," but that is almost never what actually happens. It shows that abuses of power are as sinister as the actions of convicted felons.
I would still recommend this movie, by all means. Its story is warped from the facts and Henri Young is romanticized quite a lot, but that does not really change the overall message it is trying to convey.
I Am Sam (2001)
Tear-Jerker
I tried to get my brother to watch this movie for so many years. He feels that movies that depict mentally-challenged people often get undue acclaim. (Think: What's Eating Gilbert Grape, for example). One day, I popped it in and he sat down and started watching it. By the time it was over, we both sat there puffy-eyed and sobbing. I think this film proved its point to him. I absolutely loved it. And so did he.
The story, itself, is amazing. But the ACTING is so effective and so powerful. It is like a roller coaster in ways. It is so incredibly funny, then so incredibly sad. It leaves you feeling good, but upset at the same time. You get so connected to Sean Penn and Dakota Fanning's characters in the end that it is very difficult to abstain from emotion. VERY difficult.
Scenes that really got me: The scene where Sam and Lucy go to a different restaurant and Sam can't handle the change in routine...
The answering machine scene!!
The scene where Lucy sneaks out to go be with her dad.
Those are just a few that brought tears of sadness and joy to my eyes. All in all, I can't give this movie less than a 10. It was just that good.
Dead Man Walking (1995)
moving and powerful
I saw this movie many years ago and it has never left my list of all-time best films ever made. When I first watched it, I was just beginning what has become a life-long passion for justice. It gave an interesting perspective of the death penalty and also gave me a few things to think about.
When you have a cast like this one, you are right to assume it is going to be nothing short of fabulous. This is, by far, the best role I have ever seen Sean Penn play (along with I am Sam). He nails the role, doesn't glamourize his actions while doing so. He manages to maintain a level of debauchery throughout the movie that I think was very important. Up until the very end, he does not try to be seen as anything more than what he is. He is a sick man who regrets his past, but still makes excuses for it. He ends up able to redeem his sense of self-worth as much as a convicted (and guilty) murderer can through the aid of Susan Sarandon's character, Sister Helen Prejean. Her character taught me about good will towards others without making me forget how horrible a person's actions can be and without making excuses for them.
The supporting cast was also top-notch. I was surprised to see a small cameo of Jack Black in this film given the funny-man he has become today! I loved this movie for both personal reasons and just because it was a work of cinematic art. And, in my opinion, this is one of the rare exceptions when the movie far out-did the book.
Sling Blade (1996)
An excellent look at subculture
I watched Sling Blade this morning with my father's recommendation. I thought it was an amazingly well-done story about how a person's life experiences can shape who they are and also how circumstances beyond one's control can do the same. I was very touched by this film and wish I would have seen it sooner. I wasn't impressed by the acting so much (aside from Frank and Carl) but the story was incredible! I have always thought that Billy Bob Thornton was an amazing actor and this movie only confirmed that and also proved his amazing potential and versatility as an actor. The young boy cast as Frank was also awesome. I thought his performance was very genuine and talented.