Reviews
Il conformista (1970)
A bad memory from my adolescence, as the companion of a homosexual brother.
This is a movie that my brother adored. My brother with his leftist tendencies liked to speak about it in some detail. The core concept being that men who hold the beliefs of mostly the right in politics, are closet homosexuals.
La vita è bella (1997)
Life is beautfiul without retarded games that powerful lunatics force us to play.
I dislike everything in this movie. I hate the story! Some game! As if survival were not difficult enought without the extra added torture that those who command us impose. Those characters should not have had to use up their lives playing that retarded game. Mental patients belong in asylums, not in power. I guess as a homage to good fathers, the movie is somewhat more tolerable. Many children of families with limited means grow up thinking that they are first class citizens thanks to protective fathers that sacrifice to give them that impression. But why should dad have to sacrifice so much?
It's a silly movie. I guess they are running out of angles to examine the holocaust from. I know eventually this will happen. It has to.
The movie itself is a competent offering. I thought the first ten, fifteen minutes were intolerably boring. It becomes more entertaining with the visually stunning party and street scenes. It certainly doesn't offer much hope for the Guidos of this world. I don't see any reason to nominate this film for Best Picture.
Shakespeare in Love (1998)
We don't get the opportunity to see many good films. Don't miss it.
This movie has a lot going for it. It seems to be developing into an extremely hyped up phenomenon like Titanic. "The best Shakespeare movie ever made!" Well I've heard that line regarding a few Shakespeare related films, for instance Romeo and Juliet, the Zeffirelli production with Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting. I remember seeing that at the Paris Theatre, by the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan, a favorite cinema when I lived there. It was a great film. I stood on line for hours and had to take a seat in the second row. Whenever I think of that film, I get severe neck pains.
This is not the best Shakespeare movie to ever be made, nor the best ever made even, a couple of years from now. However it is a most enjoyable film. It is lighthearted, and lots of fun. I could not help but think of it as some sort of Disney treatment of the period, after seeing Elizabeth the night before. The theatre scenes are quite good, I thought. Even though they take place in the old days, the scenes project the world of entertainment, where people mostly have a good time. Everything in the film contributes to that good feeling, the lovely custumes, the little theatre, the street scenes, the healthy looking young specimens... Their Elizabeth, though much older than in "Elizabeth", is bedecked and bejeweled beyond description, but has a sense of humor. She turns up at the theatre in the last scene to collect on the wager regarding whether the feeling of love could be adequately captured on the stage. In some surveys Gweyneth Palrow is the favorite, but I think that the actress that plays the lead role in Elizabeth has more of an opportunity to display a wider range of acting talent, and does throughout that film. It was kind of fun to see Joseph Innes in both films' title roles. He is a good actor.
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
A movie that I despised.
Why this actrees, so lovely, and so good, insists on making such dogs, I'll never know. This is a sick film. What is it about? I don't know. It's just a revolting film. Is it missing a piece? Her movies, both as an actrees and a director, seem to be missing essential pieces. I always feel like there is much interesting ado, but then in the end about nothing.
Jean de Florette (1986)
City fellow moves to the country to breed rabbits. Ill treated by locals.
This is the first movie of two, the second being Manon of the Spring. Although the second one should feel better to watch, the first one is better. If you haven't seen them, do rent them. Jean is about a man who moves to a farm in the country to breed rabbits. He is an educated man and has planned the rabbit farm from his research. He has a pretty detailed plan and knowledge of his subject. However, the locals, an uncle played by Yves Montand and his nephew, are interested in buying the land farm for a good price. In order to do this they block the passage of a stream of water toward the land making it unbearably arid. Depardieu, the city fellow, and his family log water all day and all night practically. The locals perpetrate other dirty deeds. In fact the Depardieu character died. But he left a child, Manon of the Spring, who returns to take revenge on Montand and nephew. Both films are very good.
Blade Runner (1982)
What a wonderful world this will be.
The replicants are everywhere, stealing everything. One's own memories, one's own life. And they are synthetic! Oh no! The future's here. They don't put you under hypnosis. They don't have a dosier. They just keep listening to you, appropriate your life and spice to taste. The replicant in this film looks Hispanic. I liked this film a lot. But I hope someone delivers a better future than the one the film portrays.
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Even the ride at Universal beats a lot of other films.
Great action film. Very funny! Great heroine! Harrison Ford! What more could one ask for? And on the side of truth and beauty.
The Shining (1980)
A movie in a class by itself. A great horror film... but so much more.
What a great work this is. How frightening! As a horror film this was extremely successful. But this of course is a much deeper film. This is a film about alcoholism; about child abuse; about domestic violence; and about "the shining". One feels strange about thinking of Jack as the victim in this film.
Jack was not obviously a great writer. All he could come up with was, "All work and no play, makes Jack a dull boy". He continued to type it on hundreds of pages, so that his wife would think that he was making progress with his book.
Jack was subject to "the shining" of the negro caretaker? That most proper, level headed negro, with the picture of the hot mamma in his room. Jack continuously hallucinated. Jack's son also hallucinated talking apparently to himself constantly. He thought he was talking to a little "imaginary" friend. Jack had probably been involved with the child protection state agency before, when he hurt the boy's arm while drinking. Wendy may have called them herself.
Truly a great film. Jack Nicholson's nonsensical movies are often quite meaty for the thinking person.
Manhattan (1979)
Most entertaining if you've lived in the New York area.
I liked this ode to New York City much better than the more acclaimed Annie Hall. Although Mariel Hemingway does get to be a bit of a drag. Watching this boredom that she fomments is necessary to appreciate the Allen character's feelings. She just got to be too much of a problem. I know one should be sympathetic towards her, but she is such a whiner, such a cute young one. One ends up wondering why he does not like the Keaton character infinitely better. Let's remark about the famous credits, since the film boasts one of the most famous credits in movie history. I have a copy of this one and have seen it dozens of times.
Being There (1979)
In spring, the garden grows. "Oh, Mr. Gardner, I guess that means the economic cycle..."
I have a site on the Internet of a political nature, where I have suggested that they test those running for public office, to see if they meet basic standards. Some of this people sound on TV as if they can barely speak, let along read and write. Tests are required for many other things why not for elected public office? What if Chancy Gardner comes along? With his wise economic maxims, "In the spring the garden grows"? This is an extremely funny movie. One of kind for Peter Sellers, unlike others like the Inspector Clouseau series. Chance the Gardner knows that clothes make the man.
Psycho (1960)
I've always wanted to say this.
I thought the ending was poorly rendered in comparison to the rest of the film. The ending is sometimes laughable if you are in the right mood. The rest of the film couldn't be better though. I think most people remember the shower scene vividly. But Janet Leigh is great as the thief. It's her movie as much as his.
The African Queen (1951)
We did not see these stars in color often before this movie.
Only these two pros could make this claustrophobic script work. This is an all time favorite in great color. I've always liked it particularly because of the fact that they both appeared in many black and white movies and they look good in this color film.
Here is a film that upholds good values; patriotism, religion, giving up the bottle. Bogey utters the famous "And you call yourself a Christian?" when Ms. Hepburn throws his booze into the river.
Some suspense and some laughs make this a perennial favorite. I also recall it as superior regarding technical things like cinematography.
Good Will Hunting (1997)
Detestable film about the strange people with brains.
Don't spend the entire time while you read this review catching my mistakes and defaming me. It won't change anything. I have an IQ of 140. Not extraordinary, but not so bad either. This is how intelligent people are represented in our society. Every film one sees about this subject touts the virtues of the retard, and deprecates and misrepresents the smart. The ultimate example of this stuff, The Mighty, last year's film starring Sharon Stone tells the story of her son (in the movie), who is a sickly boy who will soon outgrow his bones. His organ will be too large for the space between the bones and he'll die. And he does. The only mitigating factor is that he meets a boy his age who is all muscle and no brains. Together with this boy Stone's son can get about. It's like the old joke "Well, I'm the bum whole and if I shut down operations, you'll all be in torture, including you stupid brain! This movie Good Will Hunting is like so many movies from the kind of people who have given us things like child protection services, repressed memories suits, the abuse excuse in court, etc. America lives in an orgy of equalization, destroying everything and anything that looks better, let along outstanding. In a word intelligent people are all inbalanced and a constant problem. Only a mildly retarded social worker can help them.
The Godfather (1972)
Number one movie? It's madness I tell you... madness.
I'm voting and commenting about this film just to bring it down from its pedestal and invite everyone to do the same. I have nothing against Italians, the Mafia or any of the principals, but best film ever? Never. It was an entertaining film, which displayed some rather ridiculous acting, in a gross piece of defamation perpetrated on the Italians. I have nothing again violence and gore... even sex, on screen when appropriate, but this is a ludicrous consensus your readership has reached and it must be corrected.
Un homme et une femme (1966)
One of the best films of my youth, without a doubt.
This movie was of particular interest to me, because I had special circumstances in my life. I happen to be the younger sister of a homosexual brother. My brother told me about his homosexuality when he was seventeen, and I a younger teen. My brother had a great deal of influence over me. Our parents worked at night and we were left with each other during most of the day. In those days my brother and I got along famously. He complained about having to take me along, but he always asked me to come along. In those days there were many "art films", mostly foreign that made a splash with homosexual themes; Lucino Visconti's "The Damned", De Sicca's "The Garden of the Finzi Continis", Bertolucci's films, and a number of other films.
This film with its exclusively heterosexual theme stands out in my mind as an excellent evening that my brother barely tolerated. It's a perfect story because there's no mention of survival. They're both ok financially. No one has to live off anybody else. They're both relatively "free spirits" that do mostly what comes naturally. I guessed straight relations, not based on economics did exist, I said to myself looking forward to a brighter tomorrow. In fact I later dated a mechanic that tinkered with old classic sports cars, and always drove one. I'm convinced that his main attraction, was that behind the little sports car wheel, he reminded of Trintignant. Later on, I became Trintignant behind the wheel as I was assigned an office an hour and a half away from home. The only way to make it on time was to think of Trintignant and hum the tune all the way to the office. Tan... TanTan Taran... Tan Have anyone made more movies like this one? No. Another near and dear film from that period, when I tried to hang on to my straight identity against strong family pressures was "Two For The Road", with Audrey Hepburn and Albert Finney. I had searched for it, in vain, through millions of video stores. I finally found a copy of it a couple of months ago at Big Star. I have seen it about ten times since I got it. It is just as charming now. But it brings out the fact that straight females need to have more influence in their own destinies. It's serve very pleasantly since it's mostly a comedy. I guess movie reviews should address more closely, the films themselves, but films are so integral to some of us, it is difficult to isolate them.
Elizabeth (1998)
Does something happen to the human race when it crosses the Atlantic that prevents a woman from governing?
I guess there can be good government by women. In the modern day, it seems terribly strange to have all those queens ruling supreme battling each other. One wonders, if there had been countries on this side of the Atlantic would there have been female presidents governing here back then? Does something happen to the human race, when in crosses the Atlantic that precludes women from ruling?
This movie is "as good as any of its kind", as you'll find. Never having been a history buff, and preferring almost any other topic for a film, I was completely involved. Although the plot is simple, the film does keep one's attention with an excellent pace and breathtaking shots. The acting is excellent. Queen is outstanding. The costumes and scenery are fine. In a word, an excellent movie!
Fanny Ardant, is good as the other queen and makes Elizabeth's queen look like the virgin queen.
Gloria (1999)
She is rich, sexy, tainted, kind-hearted... with Puerto Rican child.
Why is this woman taking that little Puerto Rican boy with her? She never even liked children! I guess she had to. It's just like the story says. Everyone died, and she had to keep the kid. This is a strange story. Here's a woman that, even though she's on parole, is evidently in full control of her destiny. ...And now, with a little Puerto Rican, that says she's her mother, father, sister, girlfriend, everything. I guess is good if the boy does not swell the statistics of the child protection offices in the tri-state area. The kid could very well have wound up in Paterson, and part of the famous "corridor". She did nothing to cause the child's predicament. I guess she felt a kinship, also victimized. There are two things I liked a lot about this movie. The story is not one of them. I can think of other Stone films where the story was one I understood and liked better, for instance, Sliver. But this film is quite an achievement, I think. I often felt as if I was watching a very current film, directed by Hitchcock. A lot of sequences look quite a bit more artistic, than one would expect to go with the story, while simultaneously remaining perfectly current. I think Sharon was, as always, real good. Her fans will recognize her best as the great piece she is, during the first scenes, when she leaves the pen in NJ. But after that, everything takes a back seat to the problem with the Puerto Rican bundle of joy. I recognized Lyndhurst Castle, one of the oldest buildings in NJ, where the school scene was filmed. And although I have never been to any of those localities in the city, the film makes them look familiar but not so threatening. I wonder what happened next, did she become the little boy's mother? Did they live together in blissful domesticity? Well, in any case she did a great job with the boys I thought. I won't see this one seven times, like Sliver, but I'll see it again.