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Reviews
Anastasia: Once Upon a Time (2020)
Emily Carey... and others
I'll admit I've been a fan of Emily Carey since she was on the British drama "Casualty"... and I see some of her excellence here, too. She is the only one to hold accent throughout the film, but the directing spoiled much of her talent.
The editing is choppy; Rasputin is not portrayed accurately and his costume changes several times; there are scenes in the trailer that were apparently cut from the film. It's a lot of 1980s fluff with little plot to be found. There's no historic accuracy and this must be viewed as a fantasy (as it is justly billed).
I wish I could give it a higher rating, but this just wasn't worth the two year wait. Sorry, Emily.
Left Behind (2014)
Not the book and not the dramatic audio
I was hoping that with Nicolas Cage and Lea Thompson this movie would bring some star power to the Left Behind movies and kick-start a fresh and better-developed franchise than LaLonde's first attempt. My hopes were dashed. This movie was contrived, the dialog and acting were predictable (and not because I have read the book), and worst of all, there was no Gospel message. If you want to find a good dramatic version of Left Behind, search for the dramatic audio which is available as "Left Behind: An experience in sound and drama" on Amazon or for free on YouTube. The voice actors do a much better job than any of the screen actors have done so far. At the end of this movie is a line that should strike the hearts of everyone who watched the movie... something to the effect of "I think this is just the beginning." Oh, God, please, no.
Riding the Bus with My Sister (2005)
Read the book
This movie is based on a biography (book) by the same name. If you're reading this review, you should go read the book whether or not you have seen the movie. Once you've read the book, you can better judge the screen adaptation. It will give you an idea of why Rosie acted the way she did. Beth's mannerisms and speech patterns were similar to those portrayed in the book. Her boyfriend is portrayed similarly, perhaps a little more introverted. Someone else has written in their review that this is a movie about autism. Beth is developmentally disabled in some way, but neither the book nor the movie ever specifically mention autism or Asperger's disorder. The sisters, bus drivers, and other characters in this movie are all real. Enjoy your reading.
50 First Dates (2004)
Sensitive, funny and moving
For an Adam Sandler movie, this is uncharacteristically sensitive about a true medical condition. I'm actually glad I saw it. When I rented it, I was expecting a lot of stupid jokes, people taking advantage of Lucy, and finger-pointing. Instead, it's a comedy that includes a caring community and family who watch out for one in need.
The video that Henry makes is a real "intervention" that would be done by nurses or medical personnel helping brain-injured people. His sensitivity and caring, working with Lucy's family, and changing his lifestyle immediately instead of coming to a sudden conclusion after hurting her, give light to a well-researched script. Lucy is not portrayed as ditzy or stupid. Nobody makes light of her injury. Amazing.
I have to give this movie an 8 because it treats Lucy so well. I hope Sandler can build on this type of comedy in the future.
United 93 (2006)
Powerful and realistic, agonizing tribute
This movie is not only a tribute to the passengers aboard United Airlines Flight 93, but also to the people who are charged with Air Traffic Control and defense of the United States. It shows in brutal detail how unprepared our "defense systems" and "liasons" were to maintain communication and confirm accuracy of information in a time of crisis.
I was touched as much, if not more, by the people who came back and portrayed themselves in the Northeast Air Defense Sector (NEADS) as by the actors who portrayed the passengers aboard the doomed plane. Here is true patriotism: the willingness to remember the mistakes of the past and to admit them in public so that change for the better is possible. These people showed us the chaos that they endured as they tried to follow their training and protocol and yet failed to get cooperation or permissions from their superior officers or counterparts at other agencies.
I am glad that Mr. Greengrass decided to make the movie in real time for the events that occurred aboard United 93. It shows how quick and decisive action was taken even in the midst of chaos and crisis. No matter how much artistic license was taken, the end result was the same. The hijackers did not make their mark. We had a small victory that day.
10/10
A Beautiful Mind (2001)
*POSSIBLE SPOILER* Good portrayal of mental illness
This movie is a touching portrayal of the difficulties of mental illness. I think that Ron Howard did a wonderful job of leading us as viewers into our own delusional world of schizophrenia, and then shocking us with reality in the same way as Nash himself was faced with the truth. "A Beautiful Mind" is in the same league as "As Good As It Gets" -- on my A-list of movies which portray mental illness in an accurate and compassionate manner.
Rat Race (2001)
Not bad... Not great, either.
I went to see the sneak preview of this movie on August 11, 2001. I was a bit wary going in to the movie because I've been burned so many times by previews that show ALL of the good jokes in a movie (and then I have to sit through two hours of bad jokes.) This movie has quite a few good jokes and some that fall flat on their face, too. As far as I can remember, I laughed hysterically at only one joke but most of the rest just made me giggle or smile. This was not a roll-on-the-floor-splitting-my-sides movie but it was good enough to be worth a matinee ticket. I must say, though, that some of the jokes do poke fun at politically incorrect subjects such as the mentally ill. In my mind, that's not funny. The ending falls flat as well -- I was left wondering whether there was going to be a parting shot. Still, for having a plot that's a farce in itself, this movie is OK.
Swept from the Sea (1997)
The eyes have it
I rented this movie because I was trying to watch as many Rachel Weisz movies as possible (inspired by her acting in The Mummy Returns). I must say this movie is a gem I would have otherwise missed. I think this movie is all about subtlety of character. The whole enigma around Amy Foster exists only because people don't appreciate the subtleties of her personality and interactions with others. As Dr. Kennedy says in his narration, her silence was not out of inaction or stupidity; rather it was a way of communicating either disdain, disinterest, or disapproval for how others were treating her. Amy's main way of communicating, aside from her silence, was through her eyes. Even though Yanko learned to speak English, he also appreciated and learned to communicate in Amy's own language. I liked Vincent Perez's acting in this movie. His Russian accent was pretty authentic. The other British accents seemed to be mixed between various regions. I'd say this is probably the best acting I've seen out of Rachel Weisz in the five of her movies I've seen. However I notice that those expressions which I felt were so striking in this movie for this character are rather stereotyped expressions that she uses in general. I don't know whether that is what the directors are looking for or if this is one of the few acting flaws that Ms. Weisz might yet overcome. Overall score: 8/10
Left Behind (2000)
Read the book, you'll understand the movie
I've read all of the comments posted before mine and I have to say I agree with most of them. There are moments which are very touching and well done (such as Rayford's entrance during Barnes's conversion) and other parts which are, well, dragging compared to the book (Carpathia takes charge.) Unfortunately there's no way that a script could cover all the detail in the book and still be condensed into a less-than-three hour movie. Someone suggested it would make a better mini-series and I agree. However, as I've said above, there are some shining moments. I support a wider release. Let those who have ears, hear!
Charlie's Angels (2000)
Not the original, but still a thrill
This film seemed more of a parody of the original "Charlie's Angels" (1976) series than a sequel. I liked the real fight scenes and the strong-willed women, which did seem to be a good update to the play-fighting and girl-bait which was apparent in the original series. Unfortunately near the end the plot was blown up with the rest of the picture. Still, unless it's really, really bad, anything with "Charlie's Angels" in the name gets my vote.
The Perfect Storm (2000)
The Inside Story
This movie is not just about "the perfect storm." It is about the struggle to win battles and win wars, internally and externally. While we don't know what exactly the crew of the Andrea Gail did in those last fateful hours, Sebastian Junger and Wolfgang Peterson have done a wonder to piece together what *might* have happened. In their hands, the men fight amongst each other for honor and then fight together for their lives. The battles they win against the sea are triumphant and with the special effects it is easy for the viewer to feel as if he or she is right there on the boat pumping fists along with them. Unfortunately for the Andrea Gail this was a case of battles won and the war lost. However the movie itself is a moving tribute to the men, even as they remain in their watery grave.
Drop Dead Fred (1991)
Yuck.
I saw this movie when it first came out. I was a junior in high school, so my boyfriend and I thought that the "sophomoric" humour would be most appropriate for a date. We were wrong. We both hated the movie. Drop Dead Fred is just a bunch of outrageous and disgusting gags (pun intended) which might amuse a six-year old one second and have his parents covering his eyes the next. The idea of an imaginary playmate becoming flesh-and-blood is quite amusing but the plot of this movie (if there is one) keeps Fred nothing more than "someone to blame" and a troublemaker. My imaginary playmate was much more caring, sensitive, and mature than Fred will ever be...
Airspeed (1999)
spoiled, spoiled, spoiled
This movie is about a spoiled 13 year old girl who likes to insult, needle and whine at everyone around her -- that is until she realizes she needs them, of course. If you want to have any chance of being surprised, don't read the letterbox, because the summary is really a spoiler. Though I don't think it was much of a stretch for a young actress such as Elisha Cuthbert to play a whiny teenager, her acting was probably the best in the entire movie. Add in a couple of over-dramatic parents (or are they over-dramatic actors?), a weird looking guy who swings between despair and brilliance each moment, and minor characters who merely speak their lines, and you have a movie which might have had potential if it wasn't so overdone.