firefly-24 Reviews

Forrest Gump (1994)

There's a little Forrest Gump in all of us

[25 June 2003]

After a bout of depression I indulged in a moment of quiet self-reflection, and I remembered how Forrest Gump ran across the United States and simply rationalizes the trend he set: "I just felt like running." Some things are best done and for reasons we don't know why and I think a simpleton personality like Forrest's is something adults overlook and take for granted.

He represents a symbol of how losing self-consciousness is often the road to happiness and also that living is of just doing and not questioning "why?" all the time. Of course, it would be near impossible for the resume of events to occur in the life of one man, but the message reaches to everyone who got into decisions attributed to pure innocence and good heartedness and came out triumphant. Reminder that there's a little of Forrest in all of us- a balancer of the often-serious life society dictates the selfish messages of "survival of the fittest". Good messages to anyone who needs a little boost to a bad day.

Brimstone (1998–1999)

More than a detective show

[20 June 2003]

Don't view with eyes thirsting for the macabre- it's more than that. Brimstone is about a guy who gets to come back from the dead, metaphorically speaking. Many of the psychological elements, take the flashbacks that torment Stone, tell us a story about a fair man who's not perfect, like any person, yet has to struggle with the frustration of the reality that is his afterlife. He's gone, but Stone won't let go. Brimstone is more of a dead man's odyssey of seeing the fruits he missed out on had he lived on, as well as his regrets often cruelly reinforced by the Devil. The chemistry between the two is phenomenal! They nearly had the makings of the `textbook classic duo', perfectly complementary, opposite polars, and ironically comedic together. Intelligent scripts with line after line of worthy quotables, the dark tone of the pictures dictating its Hellish imagery, and the cleverness of the creators to add love to what would otherwise be a typical Sci-Fi flick make this motion painting a true cult classic!

Johnny Handsome (1989)

A piece consisting of a great composition of talent

[20 June 2003]

I pondered why Mickey agreed to do this movie. To work with the respected Walter Hill? Or because of the sincerity he saw in portraying a man resurrected? He plays his character with conviction, yet you know Handsome is emotionally wounded, a quality hard to project. You will be impressed by the film's monumental scene where Forest Whitaker reveals Handsome's new face, in turn revealing the jubilation he certainly has dreamt about his whole life. I believe that scene to be hallmark Mickey, very hard to mimic. He handles the role with a sensitivity you can believe about a man in his predicament. A good reason why casting is vital to a clichéd story! Walter Hill directs Mickey to his fullest. I also thought Liz McGovern to be a good choice as a clinging, excessive optimist with a heart for bad boys. It's a suitable choice that she's not lustfully beautiful- a regular, dull, secretarial girl puts the attention on Rourke, which would have detracted from the real element of the storyline had they cast a perfect 10. Freeman functions as a foil to the story and with a vintage performance of his obvious range.