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Reviews
Killer Bees (2002)
Very, very sad.
After watching "Killer Bees!" on television one night, I nearly decided to renounce modern technology altogether. The "bees" were just laughable as special effects go. Now, I understand that generating an effect that simulates the Brownian-like motion of a swarm is challenging, but the result here was very unnatural looking. The townspeople, in contrast, were very lifelike. Some of them almost seemed to be living, sentient beings. Amazing!
I think it would have been a better show if we had never seen the bees. Maybe there could have been some pack of dogs roaming the town, picking out the sick and the weak. That's scary. This was just sad.
What Women Want (2000)
What love story?
"What Women Want" is one film I could have lived without seeing. The characters are devoid of human feeling, and they have zero motivation. And its weak story could have made nearly enough material for a half-hour sitcom. I could barely stand watching Mel Gibson's performance as a man who obtains, through accident, an ability for understanding women. He learns to use his talent to spy on the private thoughts of women, essentially becoming a Peeping Tom, as it were. Helen Hunt did nothing to convince me there was any chemistry between principal characters, Nick and Darcy. Instead, I watched uncomfortably as these two stumbled and balked over what could have been very moving and romantic scenes. Director Nancy Meyers's approach was off target, and I never believed the two could ever hit it off.
Gibson, who has become increasingly credible in dramatic roles, seemed to be out of his element within this context. His mannerisms gave me the impression that some scenes were shot only once, and barely rehearsed. And the lack of chemistry between him and Ms. Hunt led me to believe they had only seen the script a few hours before shooting and had only just arrived on the set.
I was truly disappointed when the film dropped the ball on the relationship between Nick and Lola (Marisa Tomei). I thought this was a much better matchup. The audience is given a taste of something sweet, only to discover bitterness underneath. We are never completely satisfied.
This film was really a waste of time and effort. I do not recommend it. Perhaps Ms. Meyers's talents are better suited for production and writing; however, "Private Benjamin" is nothing to brag about either.
King of the Hill (1997)
Love this show
One of the things I like most about "King of the Hill" is the show's inclination to satirize elements of popular culture. I particularly enjoy references to a certain large discount retail chain as "Megalo-Mart". The primary characters are practically allegorical. For instance, Dale is the embodiment of Dissociative identity disorder.
Pay attention to sight gags and the occasional appearance of Chuck Mangione. This really is one of the funniest programs I have seen.
Kikujirô no natsu (1999)
A little Homer, a little John Hughes.
Kikujiro takes the audience on an odyssey through a countryside populated with colorful characters (literally in the case Octopus Man), as well as the wicked and the perverse. After "Mister" (the young Masao's appellation for his unscrupulous guardian) loses most of their money at the races, the two must resort to hitchhiking and sleeping in a bus shelter. They encounter many kind travelers who put up with Kikujiro's rudeness to help the child find his mother. His grandmother has told him she works in another city, intending to return. The title character emerges as a father-figure to the boy, forging a bond with him. He and the other travelers entertain Masao, who would otherwise have spent his summer vacation alone without his friends. He and his new friends, the bikers "Fatso" and "Baldy" and the Poet (whom for whatever reason, often loses his trousers) spend several days in a holiday of the absurd, creating some of the most interesting moments of the film. Much of this movie is softly melancholic, but otherwise it is very funny. The dream sequences are beautiful, even to someone who doesn't fully appreciate the art of Japanese dance theatre. This is an unusual film by American standards, and American audiences may not understand many of the cultural nuances of Japanese life, but this is an enjoyable movie. In the end all is well, or slightly better than status quo. Anyway, the kid had a good vacation.
Meet the Parents (2000)
Horrible!
I found this film so intolerable that I can not recommend it, even as punishment. The situations were uncomfortable to watch, and it wasn't even amusing. This was a terrible movie. I don't believe I even laughed once, which is to say, assuming this to be a comedy, Meet the Parents fails miserably to entertain.
Mifunes sidste sang (1999)
Teaching Hollywood a lesson...
Mifune is one of those films that has more to say about the industry than the subject matter in the medium. This was the first "Dogma" film I have seen, and I was very impressed by the use of available light, employing natural surroundings, and the acting, particularly that of Jesper Asholt (Rud) and Emil Tarding (Bjarke). Mifune shows that a film need not have the budget of "Titanic" to make good cinema. I highly recommend it.