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Reviews
Summer of Sam (1999)
Stereotypes, Cliche's, and Lot's of Sex
Spike Lee forgot to do one thing before directing this film; RESEARCH. Sure some of the details about the serial killer are correct. His name is David Burkowitz, and the other information about him is fairly correct, but lets see what else the film is made up of:.... A whole potpourri of offensive stereotypical characters, cliche's about the 70's (what 70's film could possibly be complete without a trip to Studio 54?), and the weakest representation of the Punk Rock Invasion to have ever been put on the screen. The band playing in CBGB's is named, L.E.S. Stitches(it says so on their Bass drum). They are a contemporary band. And the audience at the club is an entirely late-1990's goth crowd that was probably there to see a concert and in no way affiliated with the film. What Mr. Lee misses in this area he tries to make up for with Gratuitous Sex (as in many of his other films). Don't get me wrong, I don't mind a sex scene here or there, when needed. But Sheesh!.. enough's enough; we get the point, Spike.
Beautiful Girls (1996)
Another "Twentysomething" film with some good performances
Yet another "independent film" about young adults, love, relationships, and all that. It is however better written than many others of it's type. The script has some clever aspects, such as Marty, a 13 year-old girl next door, being the Voice of Wisdom to one of the main characters. Marty is wonderfully played by Natalie Portman, and her time on screen is the highlight of the entire