Change Your Image
KateBrad
Reviews
Miss Congeniality (2000)
So much fun should be a federal crime!
I was afraid I would be disappointed with this movie. After seeing the hilarious preview for it 6 weeks ago, I had let myself get too excited with anticipation, and feared that like so many other movies that come out now, the good parts would have been spoiled by the previews. NOT SO with this one! There were a few cliches, but not overdone, as might be expected. The characters were endearing, a little wacky, and human. This movie wasn't an epic or a tearjerker, and isn't going to change the world. But it may give you a bunch of laughs and funny one-liners for your friends. And that is what I hope for everyone.... and also, of course...World Peace!
Locked in Silence (1999)
ugh
It is a shame this is based on a true story. I bet the real story would be so much more interesting. I felt no symapthy for anyone in this movie, except a little bit of concern for the boy. There was very little sensitivity throughout the entire movie. I was shocked at the approaches everyone took toward an obviously traumatized boy. It ocurred to no one that finding a young boy murdered might damage the kid? And that they tried to reteach him how to talk, as if he never knew how, instead of finding the root of his distress! Thrusting him into environments where he was subject to taunting and torture, without a voice to fight back, apalled me. And that everyone seemed to blame the troubled child without concern for his obvious distress. I bet the story could have been told better. I hope the real story hasn't been tarnished because of an inadequate portrayal of it in a TV movie.
The Rage: Carrie 2 (1999)
worst movie I've ever seen
I'd never walked out of a movie before this one. I'd entertained the idea a couple of times, but this time I did it, snuck in to see the end of another movie, but had to come back and see the end of the Rage while I waited for my friends. They told me I didn't miss much while I was gone, either. I was generally offended by the entire movie, in such a grand way that I can't even describe it. My gut instinct told me to get myself out of the theatre. It was a visceral reaction to a horrible movie. The plot centered around the cruel actions of some reprehensible teenagers against vulnerable and troubled others. There was no ray of light, no resonsible or likeable person to provide contrast. I found that even the "good guys" of the movie did nothing for me, were silly, stupid, whiney, or just plain ineffectual.
The repetitious, graphic suicide imagery was way overdone, unnecessary, and disgusting. (Not in a "I'm easily grossed out" way, but more in the portrayal of disregard for humanity way). And besides the repetition of that scene, in slow motion, from so many angles, the other visual aspects, (interesting camera work, etc) had potential, but just became annoying sometimes. I am a person who loves movies and tries to find good things about them. Usually I can find some good things to counterbalance the not-so-good of any movie. I'm not saying that this movie had nothing good, but I am saying that, whatever that may have been, I can't remember it with all the other crap that drove me mad. I'm really sorry about that, too. Maybe the best parts were the clips from the classic original.
Spice World (1997)
Just the fluff I needed
I happened upon this movie after a late night working, and it was just what I needed. Some people chalk it up to the fact that I was dreadfully tired and under stress, but for whatever reason, Spice World made me very happy. People criticize the movie, and the Spice Girls themselves, but I think they are expecting things that the Spice Girls never intended to deliver! Spice World wasn't intended to be a documentary, or a social commentary... just a bit of a laugh in the middle of a storm of pop culture!
So I'm standing up against the cynicism expected for my age group, the jaded, thrust into the world college students and beyond, and shouting to the world that I'm okay, you're ok, and Spice World is okay! And it is okay to have a little silly movie with a little cheese on top.
Double Happiness (1994)
Interesting and funny glimpse of Asian life in North America
This movie was an interesting look into the life of a Chinese family in North America. I think the characters were written and portrayed in a believable, sensitive manner. The subtle, reserved, underplaying of the parents I think is sometimes mistaken as one-dimensionality, but really reflects a traditional and reserved nature that they were trying to maintain. Their expectations for their now westernized children, and the dilemmas that arise, are also evidence of that. It is not a case of right versus wrong, but novel versus traditional. As for the conflict of introducing Jade Li's main love interest as a Caucasian, I also don't believe that was intended to pit white people as good versus Asian people as bad. I think that the juxtaposition of the two lifestyles presents Jade's two major conflicts: her desire to lead a more Western life, with freedom to make many non-traditional choices, and her feelings of love, respect, and loyalty toward her traditional parents, whom she would not want to bring shame or betrayal. A life with one of the Asian suitors would symbolize her choice to remain under the guidelines of restraint her heritage suggests and their families demand.
One aspect I feel especially overlooked about this film dealt with Jade's big audition with the woman from Hong Kong. While Jade was brought up in a Chinese home in North America, she could understand and speak some Cantonese, but had many Western interests. But because she could not read Cantonese, this duality did not bring the success one might hope having the benefits of two cultures would bring. As the child of an Asian father and American mother (but raised almost entirely American, I'll admit), I found that scene very interesting.
I think this film was wonderful, and that one need not have a particular interest in Asian families to appreciate the family and social relationships, conflicts, and hopes portrayed in Double Happiness.
The Joy Luck Club (1993)
simply wonderful
I can't add much more to what others have already said... except this: read the book, too. The movie does an excellent job telling the stories of the women. And if you crave more, the book will give it to you.
Beautiful tellings, both!!!