To start this critique off on a good note, let me just say that in the years since the making of Vampire's Kiss, Nicolas Cage has certainly improved upon his acting skills. Although this film has been classified as a comedy/horror movie, it is neither. To think that mental illness and hallucinations in the form that is portrayed in the film is comedic, is absurd. The script was not only violent, but extremely tasteless and the acting...well, to put it bluntly...there was none! It appeared as if Cage and Beals were doing exercises from acting class, and not very good ones at that. Sitting through this film was almost as uncomfortable as sitting in a 120 degree sauna for two hours without the aid of wet towels...it sucks! This film needs more than a wooden stake to kill it, it needs to be burned as well.
Reviews
11 Reviews
The Last American Virgin
(1982)
Those were the days...
15 July 2003
I must have missed this film when it was first released back in 1982, but I recently had a chance to relive some moments from my "teen" years. I must say that considering the time that this film was released, it was rather gutsy in the issues that it addressed...sex, drugs and alcohol, and pregnancy. In the artistic sense, it was refreshing and somewhat amusing to view young men and women in the flesh prior to the excessive use of surgical augmentation...it added to the realism of teen years. No matter how predictable some of the situations the lead characters found themselves in were, this is one of those films that will make you smile just remembering the past and thanking the powers that be, that those days are long gone!
Punch-Drunk Love
(2002)
Punch drunk to sit through this...must be!
10 July 2003
Perhaps it was one too many hits to the head, or the anticipation that any moment this film would reveal itself as a work of art, but unfortunately that never happened. Punch Drunk Love, is undoubtedly a high ranker on my list of pointless movies and major disappointments. What was Adam Sandler thinking when he accepted this part...to show his versatility as a dramatic actor complete with idiosyncrasies? One can only hope that Adam did this as a favor for the director...surely his manager did not advise him to take on this project! However, if Mr. Sandler was paid to perform, let's hope that he uses his money wisely and finds himself either a good acting coach or a competent therapist who will help him work through those "work" related issues so that he continues working in the medium he does best...comedy.
If you plan on sitting through this, have two aspirins and a cold compress ready...it will make your head hurt!
If you plan on sitting through this, have two aspirins and a cold compress ready...it will make your head hurt!
Just Married
(2003)
Just Married, just a waste!
4 July 2003
Perhaps I've lost my objectiveness or can't see the "Big Picture," but I honestly could not see the point of this film. Just Married, offered nothing in the way of endearing characters or plot! Would I classify this as a romantic comedy...hardly! Let's hope that Ashton Kutcher and Brittany Murphy find better vehicles to exhibit their talents...that's if they have any.
The Hot Chick
(2002)
Silly, but cute...
4 July 2003
Not wanting to dismiss this movie entirely after seeing the trailer, I decided to sit down and view this with an open mind. To my surprise, I actually found myself giggling at the antics of Rob Schneider trying to portray a teenage girl. Kudos to Rob...if he ever decides to find a new profession, he could always do one of those male reviews in full dress...but let's hope he gets a good wax job this time! This movie was silly, but enjoyable.
Alias Betty
(2001)
Would life imitate art?
4 July 2003
In the case of Alias Betty, I doubt that life would imitate art...what do I mean by this...well, crimes are committed everyday...murders, thefts, kidnappings...but do we ever feel empathetic with the criminal who commits these acts...in a word, NO! In this foreign film by Claude Miller, he managed to weave several story lines that showed dysfunction to the max. It was a bit difficult to feel any empathy at first with the main character's emotional pain as the character seemed so dispassionate. As the story evolved it was plain to see that the horrific crime committed by the character's mother in hopes of easing her child's pain, or perhaps her own might have been the best solution for all involved. Perhaps the moral of this story is that one doesn't have to be the birth parent to provide a loving and secure home for a child...anyone can be a parent, but not everyone knows how to parent. This film was extremely well done and will leave the viewer with much to think about.
Hulk
(2003)
It's good to be green...
3 July 2003
Move over Kermit the Frog, Bill Bixby/Lou Ferrigno and make way for the all new GREEN MACHINE, Eric Bana and his CGI counterpart as the HULK! I'll always have fond memories of the 1978 television show, "The Incredible Hulk," so it was with a bit of trepidation I wondered how this movie could improve upon the transformation of the diminutive, Bixby into his alter-ego, the Hulk, played by Lou Ferrigno. Fear not, as technology is wonderful and with the aid of computer graphics, Bana's strapping 6'4 frame bulks to ungodly proportions! Nick Nolte, cast as "David Banner," would not have been my first choice to play Bruce Banner's father, but if the director was going for the "mad" scientist look, then Nolte was right on target...he was definitely scary looking! Jennifer Connelly, as Bana's love interest was just a perfect mixture of brains and beauty-with a heart after all! Probably the two most memorable parts of this movie were the scenes focusing on the HULK's eyes...it brings tears to my own eyes just recalling this, and the scenes of the down-sizing...INCREDIBLE!
Overall, this movie was fun and leaves the audience just primed for a sequel.
Overall, this movie was fun and leaves the audience just primed for a sequel.
The Hours
(2002)
Prozac for everyone...please!
3 July 2003
What's this world coming to when Nicole Kidman wins a "Best Actress" award for a motion picture that epitomized the worst acting she has ever done? Nicole's performance in Flirting when she was just a teen was certainly more note-worthy than her rendition of Virginia Woolf...perhaps those who cast their vote were in a state of shock over her almost unrecognizable and dowdy, plain-jane appearance coupled with barely audible mumblings...about such a cheery subject, death. Concurrent story lines, albeit in different decades were confusing and it wasn't until the last fifteen minutes of this epic that the pieces of the puzzle finally fit, but by that time, who cared! Talented actors such as Meryl Streep, Ed Harris and "funny man", Jeff Daniels were wasted. This film was so boring that even Prozac wouldn't lift its spirits!
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
(2003)
Only in the movies...
3 July 2003
No, wait...there really are "high" maintenance personalities and "needy" individuals who do fall in love or get dumped all within ten days...but what can I say, as CHICK flicks go, this one left me smiling (as in OH, my GOD...I know someone just like that)! McConaughey and Hudson are perfectly cast...who wouldn't be able to resist Matthew's lean body and glowing smile, complete with dimples...and let's not forget that charming Texas drawl...and Kate, don't you just want to pinch her cheek...she is such a cutie-pie-so reminiscent of mom, Goldie. These two actors on-screen chemistry stole the spotlight so much it makes me wonder why there was any supporting cast. Perhaps this film won't win any academy awards, but it will make you grin...and that's a winner in my book!
An Affair of Love
(1999)
The course of love never runs smooth...
3 July 2003
This movie was an accident...that is, my viewing it was the accident. The title intrigued me, but I neglected to notice that this was a "French" film. Being rather inexperienced to the foreign film genre, I wasn't expecting much...sometimes, watching an actor speak in a foreign tongue and trying to read subtitles simultaneously causes me to miss the action, and facial expressions...something that would capture my attention...reel me in...not so with this flick.The acting, the script, even the flow of the French language was superb! Not only was I hooked, but I was devastated that the character's real emotions were never revealed to each other...if there's a sequel, I'll be watching!
Basic
(2003)
Basic not as simple as the name would imply...
1 July 2003
Although "Basic" might imply simplicity, this film is anything but! Imagine if you will, a 21st century military version of the game CLUE...just when you think you have it figured out, another twist. John Travolta seems to have found his niche playing renegade, former (perhaps) military officers, DEA agents or policemen who are arrogant, but personable, and have that killer smile. Connie Nielson, appears to be waif-like, but certainly does show some strength-however, not with any of her male co-stars, chemistry definitely seems to be lacking in this department. Maybe the setting might have been dreary, but the film was well acted and it did hold my attention.
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