kitt-3 Reviews

Space Cowboys (2000)

Better off renting "The Right Stuff"

[5/10 · 15 August 2000]

I was disappointed in this one. Its one bright spot is its lead cast: Clint Eastwood, Tommy Lee Jones, Donald Sutherland, and James Garner. Unfortunately, the movie spends an hour screwing around with the aged astronauts in training, and then when we finally get into space, everything is woefully ridiculous and predictable. And this is coming from a guy who's a softie for astronaut movies. I even felt a twinge by the astronaut self-sacrifices in the maudlin "Deep Impact". But no heart in this movie.

Rather than disappointing yourself with a poorly directed (Eastwood) fictional look at NASA, just rent "The Right Stuff" (which also doesn't monkey with history the way this one does) or "Apollo 13".

I also thought the movie was a comedy, but the laughs were regrettably few and far between.

Mansfield Park (1999)

bad directing, not at all "a wicked comedy"

[4/10 · 14 December 1999]

I didn't really like this movie. Like most Jane Austen books-into-movies I've seen, you know what the end should be right at the beginning of the movie. But this telling doesn't have the humor of the others, and is actually quite unpleasant, reminding me more of "Jude" (though not that depressing) than of "Sense and Sensibility". I thought the acting was fine, I just didn't really like any of the characters. I guess I'd have to chalk it up to bad directing.

I'd like to see the BBC miniseries of "Mansfield Park" and see if that's any more enjoyable. Actually, after having sat through the BBC's "Pride and Prejudice," which was quite enjoyable, but over 5 (!) hours long, I think I might hire someone to cut out all of the dancing and unnecessary scenes before I took it on.

The Straight Story (1999)

a simple heartwarming story. . . by David Lynch

[8/10 · 14 December 1999]

Based on the true story of Alvin Straight, a 73-year old man who traveled six weeks on a lawnmower to visit his ailing brother. A G-rated film by David Lynch, you say? Indeed. Lynch's style, including some long, disturbing shots, really amps up the tension in this film. I kept expecting some ear-slicing psychopath to show up in a Cadillac, but it never happened. The film is more G-rated than "2001" is, but it ain't for the kiddies, either.

This is a really fun and touching film. After seeing it, I felt like going on a walk down a deserted highway myself, just taking in the world one step at a time. Alvin meets an interesting assortment of characters along the way, some whom he helps and some who help him. Sissy Spacek plays his mentally disabled adult daughter, the most Lynchian character in the movie. And does a bang-up job, I might add.

It's refreshing to watch a simple movie where you're rooting for the guy to get his lawnmower into that barn by the side of the road before the rain starts. And lots of (to help you feel like you've been on a lawnmower for a few weeks) sweeping shots of beautiful farmland that make you want to move to Iowa and drive a tractor. If it's in your neighborhood, definitely take an evening or afternoon and go see it.

Anna and the King (1999)

a good Hollywood film

[8/10 · 14 December 1999]

I found this to be a very interesting and enjoyable film. High Hollywood production values and good performances by both Chow Yun-Fat and Jodie Foster, as well as a bunch of cute kids and an inherently interesting story give this a shot for several Oscar nominations.

Jodie Foster is great as the English teacher bringing modern thought into 19th century Siam, and Chow Yun-Fat does well as the cunning and thoughtful King. There's no singing, but there is some dancing, and there are some pretty cool special effects. The story is well told, and the only thing that kept this film from being an absolute winner for me was that the chemistry between Foster and Chow just wasn't quite enough. Still, definitely worth seeing. Chow Yun-Fat with a huge hat, riding an elephant and smoking cigars. Sweet.

Liberty Heights (1999)

interesting slice of life

[7/10 · 14 December 1999]

The three stories it covers don't really connect to make a whole picture, but I enjoyed each of them individually, especially the stories of the two sons.

The eldest son's love triangle has a very real sadness and desperation to it, while the younger son's lighter story of being a Jewish boy in love with a black girl keeps the film bright. The father's story feels like a supporting story to the younger son's, rather than a story I'd want to watch on its own. The movie drags a bit here and there, but all in all, I came out very pleased.

Felicia's Journey (1999)

an hour spent squirming in my chair

[7/10 · 14 December 1999]

I just got back from seeing this film, and it hasn't quite gelled in my head. It's the story of a very creepy man (Bob Hoskins) who "helps" an out-of-town girl find her boyfriend. The movie had me squirming in my chair for a good hour of it with the man's methodically manipulating the girl into staying with him. But like the other two films of Atom Egoyan's I've seen ("Exotica" and "The Sweet Hereafter"), I have a really hard time categorizing it.

Hoskins' character is a strange and disturbed man you can't really understand; he can't really understand himself, I'd say. The young girl does a great job, and I could virtually see the innocence being torn away from her through the film.

If you're a fan of Egoyan's, you'll want to see this movie. If you like disturbing psychological thrillers (heavy on the psychological), you might like it, too. It has a tension I'd liken to "Eyes Wide Shut," which I also liked.

The Green Mile (1999)

a good Hollywood film

[8/10 · 14 December 1999]

Another really good and really long film that will definitely be up for multiple Oscar nominations, too. All of the acting is very good; I especially liked Michael Jeter as the Cajun on death row. The movie's a bit unusual in that it has several different sub-plots along the way before the main story really gets cooking. But they do a great job of developing the world of death row as well as the characters kicking around there. The movie's bookended with present-day scenes that were probably in Stephen King's original novel, but just seemed kind of silly to me.

The villains in the film were a bit too Eeevil to be believed, but hey, it's death row, right? Still, I really enjoyed it and would even be willing to see it again, were someone else to pay for my second trip. And lots of sniffles in the audience, so you might want to bring a handkerchief to be on the safe side. Go see it. You don't want to be the last person in America who still hasn't seen it. ;)

Tumbleweeds (1999)

a very enjoyable film

[9/10 · 18 October 1999]

The acting and directing are excellent. The script is both touching and funny, and the performances are incredibly natural. It's a movie that will make you feel good but not cheesy.

The director (in his first feature) also plays the mother's truck-driver boyfriend, and does a very good job. Janet McTeer, who plays the mother, won a Tony a couple of years ago for her performance in "A Doll's House." She's also English, though you'd never guess it from her dead-on Southern accent in the film. The girl who plays her daughter, Kimberly Brown, is also very good, and the chemistry between the two of them is wonderful.

Three Kings (1999)

interesting story

[7/10 · 2 October 1999]

A good movie. The story of four AWOL American soldiers in the aftermath of the Gulf War goes through laughs, tension, violence, and boredom. The story gives an interesting look into the strange world created by America's defeating Iraq's military but not deposing Saddam Hussein and fundamentally changing the country's internal politics.

The director and cinematographer have a fun time with the film, from mini-shots showing what's running through a character's head or what happens when a bullet hits someone's gut. They also have some surreal overexposed and time-altered shots to add to the mix.

The movie is also unusual as a war film because many of the soldiers are army reservists rather than professional soldiers, and their inexperience and foolishness adds to the tension and threat of violence.

That said, I did feel like the movie dragged through the middle. And although I cared what happened to the characters, I didn't really empathize with them. I think part of that was caused by their bad decisions, but also the fact that I didn't really single out one of them to be the main character the audience is supposed to follow (though I believe Mark Wahlberg's character would be the closest approximation).

The acting isn't anything special, and the movie gets overly sentimental at times, but I think the story and filmmaking are enough to make it worth a look.

And not to forget, the babe factor: Clooney and Wahlberg, including one shot of Mark in his Calvins.

Pushing Tin (1999)

just doesn't deliver

[4/10 · 28 April 1999]

This movie just doesn't deliver. It gets too bogged down all through the middle as Cusack's life comes apart because of his determination to outdo Thornton's character. Also, Thornton's character (although he is the antagonist of the film) is way more interesting than Cusack's character, with whom we get frustrated and just wish he'd get his act together.

The movie does become more amusing towards the end once Cusack finally tries to do something about his sorry state. But too little, too late.

The film also uses the style of super-verite everyone-talk-at-once, which means that you can't hear the lines and it rarely does anything to add to the story. Seemed like the whole first third of the movie was there just to develop the "atmosphere". A number of scenes here and there that don't have any purpose in the story.

The acting's all fine and good, and the NJ/Long Island clothes and decor are fun. I blame the writer, director, and editor for the failure of this flick.

The Matrix (1999)

cool effects, but too many story holes

[8/10 · 14 April 1999]

I enjoyed watching "The Matrix." However, it's no "Blade Runner." The martial arts sequences were pretty cool, especially the very first fight sequence, which took me by surprise. The costumes were cool, and some of the lines were damn funny, those which were very specific to the weird world of the Matrix.

What kept this film from being a real winner for me were the slow pacing and the large character and plot holes riddling the story. The world of the film didn't seem to make any sense, and I question what goal our heroes are actually fighting for.

Surprisingly, I thought Keanu Reeves did a fine job in his role. He even made me laugh with him (as opposed to the usual "at him").

So see the film if you want to see good use of gratuitous special effects and the first real look at a "virtual reality"-themed film. But if you're looking for a mental twister, look elsewhere. Some holes really bugged me during the film, and once I'd left the theater and started thinking about it, the whole thing crumbled. Alas.

The Monster (1994)

classic comedy, but with story and editing handicaps

[5/10 · 14 April 1999]

The film had some very funny moments, those which used the same formula as some of the funniest moments in "La Vita E Bella" -- the set up is an innocuous event that pays off later. For example, Benigni's landlord is showing his apartment to potential buyers. As he walks from room to room, he trips over the base of the doorway. We forget about this until much later in the film when Benigni, chopping steak with a butcher's knife, trips over the doorway and flies at a guest, looking like a mad maniac.

The other formula is the running gag. In one case, Benigni is sneaking out of his apartment building to avoid encountering the manager. To do so, he squats down and sneaks by the manager's window. Another tenant leaving sees him doing this. To avoid rousing the man's suspicion, Benigni continues to walk while squatting after he has left the building. Again and again throughout the film, whenever he squats down, the same man appears and says hello.

But the movie suffers from the critical problem of a very weak story. The protagonist of the story really should be the policewoman, but instead, it's Benigni's character. They are supposed to be falling in love, but there is very little chemistry between them. And Braschi is not a good actor, so any scene which relies on her is rather painful. Also, the editing is extremely poor. The movie drags and drags; it's almost two hours long but could have been less than an hour and a half. A scene where Benigni explains to a friend how the (police)woman prances around his apartment naked, shoving herself upon him, is hilarious. Then we proceed to see everything he has just described; but his original telling has stolen the impact from the reality.

As long as you realize what you're getting into, this movie can be very enjoyable. From the reviews I'd read, however, I was led to believe that the film was fantastic. It's funny, but it's far from perfect.