Change Your Image
rastaban3
Reviews
A Beautiful Mind (2001)
Excellent
Very good film. It did have a sad story line, so you can call this a "tear jerker". This film also drills home the point that some of the best minds of our time are sometimes a little crazy. Also, that behind every great man, there is a great woman (or vice versa). This film shows that. The ending would never have happened, it is not likely that Nash would have made it without his wife. The only thing I did not like about is the way it was presented. It did make the film a little confusing for a while. The confusion was cleared away later.
Over all very good, 9 out of 10.
Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)
Good addition to the Star Trek Universe
I liked this one. I thought the plot was strong and was much better than the last installment (Insurection). I was very pleased when the Romulans were brought back into the mix. They have not been in the mix for some time. If you like Star Trek, you will like this one. I have liked all of the movies. I would rate this one as one of the better ones. The effects are first rate.
Overall, 8 out of 10.
The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
Great affects, complex at times
Matrix Reloaded has just about everything a Sci-Fi fan could want. This one has some of the best affects you want in a great Sci-Fi film with a strong plot. The fight scene between Neo and the many Smiths is excellent and the highway scene is awesome! However, I caution there are some parts of the film that can be very difficult to follow. There is a lot of "double talk" in this one and you will have to pay close attention at times. There also a few slow periods in the beginning. Most of this time this is due to the director setting things up but in this case, some of it just seems to be a waste of time. However, this is made up for later in the movie.
Over all, rather good (8 out of 10)
X2 (2003)
Good Affects, Decent Plot
To put is simply, this is a pretty good film with some excellent special affects and an pretty good plot. There is nothing really special about this film. If you like science fiction with mixed in this is a good one for you. Plot was sold and did not seem to have any weak points.
Overall, 8 out of 10.
Windtalkers (2002)
I enjoyed this one.
Windtalkers was a good war movie. I didn't glorify the war but it did show how the US did turn to a people that we had in the past ignored. I also don't belive the that movie depicted exactly what had happened but I do belive it showed how much of a valued contribution the Navajo Indians did provide the US military during World War II. I belive it was a film that should have been made a long time ago.
The effects were good and the acting strong, although it could have been improved some. Plot line was also strong and I did not see anything in the film that was not possible. This one is not for kids though as it does have some graphic war scenes in it.
Over all, worth your while (8 out of 10).
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)
Great movie with an good historical parallel.
I was very pleased with Star Wars Episode II. The action scenes were very good and the special affects were first rate. Everything fit very nicely with the other films. It was very obvious that Lucas has taken great pains to make sure the film fit with the rest and did not contradict the each other. This made the film very enjoyable. If you are a stickler for detail, I would advise that you see all of the other Star War's movies again before you see this one and concentrate on the small things. There are a lot of little hints here and there that you may not pick up if you don't have the other films fresh in your mind.
The acting generally very good. McGregor was excellent and he looks much older and wiser with the beard. Portman is also good and she carriers her strong willed character well. Jackson is very good as the thoughtful and wise Master Windu. He and Yoda make it very clear they are the primary thinkers and decision makers of the Jedi council. Christain plays the older and rather wild Skywalker. He plays the emotional Jedi student well. The character I was very pleased to see introduced was Lee's character of Count Dooku/Darth Tyranus. I really enjoyed his character of the strong and charismatic evil leader. The only part of the moive I did not like was the writing of the love story. I know it was required to make this movie fit but I thought it dragged some.
WARNING!! POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD!!
I don't want to give the film away but I will give you a brief summary of what this film does. Of course, this shows how Skywalker and Amadala fall in love, but it also shows how Skywalker starts down the path to the dark side. The film also shows the beginnings of a rift between the Jedi council and the Senate. As I said in the title, there is a historical parallel here. Well, I did not realize it until the end of the film where it shows how Palpatine starts consolidated his power. It reminded me of what happened in Germany in the 1930's. A leader who uses a catalyst to get people to put him in a position of absolute power. I dont' know if this was intentional or not but I thought is added a nice new flavor to the series.
Overall, excellent (10 out of 10).
The Last Castle (2001)
Good one.
I have to admit, this is the bets Redford movies I have seen in a while. I really liked this one. I liked Redford's character of Irwin. The way he slowly realizes that he has to take the lead an then takes it to give the other prisoners some hope and unity is very good. The jealousy of Gandolfini's character, Winter is also portrayed very good. He played it well.
The plot is strong and solid, and plays out well in the end. It also makes for some very interesting finale.
Over all, very good, (8 out of 10).
Ice Age (2002)
Really good comedy.
I really liked this one. The affects are first rate and are a really asset to the film. This give the a bit of realism to it. The chemistry between the characters is also very good. The interaction between Manfred and Sid are very good.
The comedy of the film was very refreshing. I enjoyed it a lot. I found myself laughing with my kids in the theater. Some people may think it was a rehash of some cartoons of the past but they expressions of many of the characters is what made it much better and kept the film humorous.
Over all, Very good (9 out of 10)>
Bandits (2001)
Okay but could have been better.
I guess this one was okay. I guess I was expecting something a little better than it was. I thought there was just a little too much fighting between Willis and Thorton. The end scene was good and almost had be fooled for a moment. I liked the way they robbed the banks as it was pretty good idea.
Over all, okay (5 out of 10).
The Musketeer (2001)
Bad!!
This one got on my nerves! The classic story is completely corrupted by this version. The stunts don't fit the period and are so unrealistic it is sickening. I actually got tired of them. They only thing good about them is that they were put together well. However, they don't fit the time period, or any time period for that matter. It was as if they belonged to different movie.
The other part that really bothered me was Justin Chambers character of D'Artagnan. His "bad boy" attitude also got on my nerves. It was so bad you really don't want to route for him. By the end of the film I really did not care who won the final fight scene.
If you are looking for a good film about the Musketeer's, don't rent this one. See the Disney version, its better than this one. This is not very good (3 out of 10).
A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
Disappointing.
I was disappointed with this one. I like the premise of the film but the story was just told in the wrong way. It was also way too long. If you took about 40 minutes out of this one it would be much better. This is unusual for me to say that about a film but this is a special case. There was not enough story to take the film past 2 hours. As a result, the film really began to drag.
The special affects were first rate. Lucasfilm did an excellent job on them. That was the only part of the film that kept me watching. That I liked.
Over all, okay (5 out of 10). This rating is also rare from me for a Sci-Fi film. I love Sci-fi. This one was not very good though.
The Score (2001)
Pretty good.
The Score is a smart crime drama. I enjoyed this one for the most part. It was very detailed and believable. DeNiro was excellent as Nick but at times he seemed a little arrogant. However, that holds with his character. Edward Norton's character, Jack was very well played. However, he was a idiot. It seemed he felt he already knew everything he needed to know but at least he got his in the end. Marlon Brando's character was also a good addition. However, they should have casted someone else in that role. I felt they could done better with a different actor.
The planning for the big score was well done. However, they could have made it flow a little better. I also felt the planning stages seemed to drag a little just before the final heist began.
Over all, pretty good (7 out of 10).
Rat Race (2001)
It has its moments.
Rat Race is not that bad but also not that good. I have a hard time enjoying comedies with crude humor in them. I just don't find that very funny. However, there are some moments in the film a are good. I like the Cuba Goodings Jr. part on the but with the I Love Lucy club. I enjoyed that part to name a moment.
The cast is well chosen and helps the film. John Cleese is very good and has some of the best comedy lines in the film. Otherwise, the film does suffer from some crude humor which I feel takes away from the film a lot.
Over all, not too bad and it does have it good moments (4 out of 10).
The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas (2000)
Surprisingly good.
I saw the first live action Flintstones film and I did not like it at all. It was completely unoriginal as it took directly from one of the episodes of the cartoon. So when I heard the prequel was coming out I did not want to see it. However, my wife brought it home as a rental for the kids and they wanted me to watch it with them. So I did. I have to admit, this film surprised me. It had a very original plot and a different view of how they all got together. I found that very refreshing. Granted, this one did not follow the original cartoon series story line too well but that is forgivable when you begin to realize what this film is about, finding the right person you should marry.
The plot line is solid and is generally presented well. There are a few painful spots in the film and there are some good comedy scenes as well. The oversized props are generally good and Dino as a puppy just remined me of my Labrador when she was a puppy. Full of life and hyper!! Just the way a young puppy is. The other special affects were also rather good.
However, the choices of Mark Addy as Fred and Kristen Johnston as Wilma I have to question. They did not seem to have the personality to match their characters. John Goodman did a better job as Fred Flintstone and I feel would have been a better choice. On the other hand, the choices of Stephen Baldwin as Barney and Jane Krakowski as Betty were excellent!! They seemed to fit their characters well.
I was also surprised as how low this film was rated by other users. I thought this to be disappointing, considering how bad the first one was. This prequel was far and above superior to the first.
Overall, worth your while (7 out of 10).
Kiss of the Dragon (2001)
Good martial arts, but rest is not very believable.
I was a little disappointed with this one. I was hoping for a better plot and story line. The story line of Kiss of the Dragon was predictable and not presented very well. The martial arts were generally very good and only a few areas where the choreography was problematic. This only occurred in the most complex scenes. This is the only part of the film that kept it from getting a rating lower than 5 from me. What really hurt the movie was the French inspector, Richard played by Tcheky Karyo. I normally like the characters he plays but either he was not directed well or he just chose a bad script. His character was not believable. I don't care what country you are in, you are not going to be able to kill as many people in the open has he did and still be a cop! You simply don't have that much power, especially in a western nation like France. Your superiors will catch on and will remove you. Some may say he could but not to this degree.
I like Jet Li and was hoping for more with this film. I am glad I waited until it came out of video.
Overall, okay, but it has some significant problems (5 out of 10).
The Fast and the Furious (2001)
Point Break meets racers.
The Fast and the Furious is not too bad. The plot line is predictable but is presented in a way that makes it entertaining. There are some scenes that are not believable and could have been better. The most glaring are the robbery scenes. It is just a miss match that is so obvious the director ignores until the end of the film.
The acting of Pawl Walker as Brian O'Conner and Vin Diesel as Domminic Toretto are not bad. There are few difficult scenes that will make you wince but overall it is workable. The chase scenes are generally good but the opening scenes is painful to watch. It just does not appear plausible and does not make much sense.
Overall, not bad (7 out of 10).
Hart's War (2002)
Disappointing
Hart's War is a complex drama with two very strong plots. Both plots ran at the same time with one right out in the open and the second being covered up by the first. The plot that is out in the open is events that lead up to a murder and trial of a black aviator in a German POW camp. This takes most of the film and becomes boring as this is a plot line that has been shone many times before. I feel this would have been much more entertaining if they had chosen a different set of events to cover up the hidden plot.
This film did have some entertaining segments but overall, this film was a disappointment. What made it even worse was the ending was lack luster and also occurred behind the scenes. I would have liked to have seen how it was done (I will not tell you want it is. You will have to see it for yourself. I don't like to spoil major parts of films). This film could have been helped by a little more action.
Over all, entertaining but very forgettable, (6 out of 10).
Black Hawk Down (2001)
Gritty account of a messed up Somali mission.
Black Hawk Down presents the problems of the mission to Somalia and graphically portrays its consequences. Our mission to Somalia was to bring order and feed the hungry. That sounds great but we attempted to do that in the middle of a civil war. That was the same mistake we made in Vietnam. Black Hawk Down showed the consequences of that mistake.
I have to admit, I was expecting a long period of character building in this one as Bruckheimer and director Ridley Scott are in the habit of doing. Pearl Harbor is an example of this folly. It was so bad in Pearl Harbor it was a real distraction from the film. This was not the case in Black Hawk Down. There is about 30 minutes of character building so you know who they are, which is done along with some of the events that lead up to raid on the Olympic Hotel in Mogadishu. After that time, the remaining part of film was about the raid itself. How the raid started, how it went wrong and how our men got out.
The combat scenes were first rate. Realistic and graphic. I could find nothing wrong with the affects or the stunts. Everything seem realistic. The chaos the film projected is accurate and shows just how messed up and unorganized these raids can become when they go wrong. I have to admit, even though I did not agree that our soldiers were over there in Somalia, I was proud of them. I have also seen the commentaries from the soldiers that were actually there and found that the film stayed very close to their accounts. I could only find a few small variances. The film showed that our soldiers preformed very well and professionally in this battle. They showed they knew what they were doing. If you think about, our soldiers were out numbered nearly 100 to one. We only had about 150 men and a few choppers and the Somalis had more than 2000. The fact that only 19 of our were killed speaks well our the training our soldiers receive.
One the best parts of the film occurred after the first team returned to base with the prisoners they captured. One of soldiers said he did not want to go back in there. This scene shows the difference between bravery/courage, cowardice and out right foolishness. I have family members how have been in combat before, some in WWII and Vietnam. They all have said that "Bravery/courage, cowardice and foolishness all deal with fear. Fools have none and end up dead or getting others dead in the process. A coward is one who is afraid and runs away. A brave man/woman is one who is afraid, but goes anyway." This scene shows that clearly and I feel it is a point that needs to made.
Back Hawk Down is graphic and some of the scenes are not for the squeamish. Some people have made it comparable to Saving Private Ryan. In some aspects yes, but for the most part, no way! The presentation of Black Hawk Down is powerful and has a great deal of impact. However, it does not have impact that Saving Private Ryan did. I did not leave the theater shaken as I did with Saving Private Ryan. I left with a sense of pride of our soldiers that fought there. This one is not children as some of the scenes are very graphic.
Overall, nearly perfect and definitely worth your while (9 out of 10).
Snow Dogs (2002)
Not bad, I enjoyed it.
Snow Dogs is a typical Disney Film which is really designed for kids. The film kept with that and I could not find anything in it that would give reason not to let a child see it. I saw this one with my son and both of us enjoyed it. I have to admit, this is the first film I have seen Cuba Gooding in in which he is just a normal "guy". He is not the hero that is out to make equal rights for everyone. I do like some of those films too but this one he is just a normal person trying to get some answers about his true identity. I liked that.
The story line was very predictable and so was some of the comedy. However, it was presented in a way that kept the film entertaining. I found myself laughing several times with this one. If the plot had been more original, it would likely have been a better film. However, I don't think that was what the director was looking for. I think he was just looking to make an entertaining film. I think that is just what he did.
Over all, pretty good, (8 out of 10).
The Princess Diaries (2001)
A good one
Princess Diaries is a good comedy with a somewhat original plot. The story reminds me of King Ralph with John Goodman. However, unlike King Ralph, this one has the newly discovered royal as a high school girl who it not very popular. The comedic scenes that follow are great as this student struggles to find out who she is since she has discovered she is now, which proves difficult since she now must get involved in the world of the aristocracy.
The acting by Julie Andrews and Anne Hathaway is first rate and really makes the film enjoyable. The plot is a little predictable but the Director, Gerry Marshal, did a great job with that short coming with some good dialog. This on is good for all ages to see.
Overall, worth your while (8 out of 10).
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
Good affect and extremely strong plot.
This one was a real treat to see. It is not often that I have been truly entertained by a good story. Lord of the Rings is on of those few films that does this. The plot line of this film is was kept me glued to it. It did not have any weak points that I could tell. It moved along well and only had a few points where the plot dragged a little. I also have to admit, at times the film did seem to be taking a very long time but it also seemed to move quick. I also feel that the film stopped at a good spot and it seemed to be a natural break in the story. I wonder what more could be coming in the next films.
The acting was strong. I was surprised by how well Elijah Wood preformed in his massive role. I was very grateful the director did not allow his character or dwell on indecision which tends to bog down other films. The supporting actors and actresses was also very good and really helped the film move along. These two things combined really make for a good entertaining experience. I have not read the books and I am not very familiar with this type of movie so I did not really know what to expect. I have to admit, this was good and well worth my time. The only draw back would be some of the fight scenes. They may be a little too violent for children.
Over all, the best film of 2002 I have seen so far, (10 out of 10)
Swordfish (2001)
Not too bad.
Swordfish is a pretty good action flick. The plot line keeps you thinking and you don't know what will happen until the end unless you are really good and figuring things like this out. However, this movies starts toward the end of the plot then starts over. Kind of a "half" flashback type of thing. This really hurt the film and could have been left out all together! John Travolta is and excellent villain. Halle Berry is pretty good and his accomplice. However, she could use a little more practice in this type of role. There were a few times where I felt she was working a little too hard on this attempting to play the secret agent or under cover agent at times. Overall she was able to carry her character well. Hugh Jackman was down to earth and smart. He carried his character well.
The affects were pretty good and for the most part realistic. However, the bus scene with the cargo chopper sticks out. The cargo chopper could lift the bus but once two of the lines broke, the two remaining lines would have would have yanked the hard points on the bus right out. The bus is just too heavy for suspended by two hard points. Three maybe, but two, no way. This one is not kids as the language and some of the violence is a little much for children under 15.
Over all, worth your while (7 out of 10).
Ghosts of Mars (2001)
Okay I guess
Ghosts of Mars not very good and not too bad. The plot was predictable and not very interesting. However, I would liked to have seen more about the origin of this spirits. I think that might have helped the file some. I really did not like the uses of the flashbacks. This is an over used method to present a story. It is way over used in fact. I have seen too many films today. In fact, I feel it has been so over used that it takes away from the film.
The affects were good for the most part. I did not see any real problem with them. The fight scenes were okay and could have been better. Character development really could have used more work. The worst part of the film was the ending which did not make any sense and was reminded me of some old Chuck Norris flick.
Bottom line, if you like Science fiction, this one you can rent if you have not seen it and your are bored (5 out of 10).
Legally Blonde (2001)
Surprising
This one is a good one. This one surprised me from the start. I was expecting a dumb blonde stereotype fill film with no real direction. Legally Blonde is actually a very smart comedy which is refreshing. The comedy is is original and is clean enough to most of the family to watch. I would not let small children see this one until they are a little older. I found myself laughing through much of the movie. This gives a good lesson to never judge someone on the first impression alone.
Over all, this one is worth your while (8 out of 10).
American Pie 2 (2001)
Good Comedy
American Pie 2 is one of the best comedies I have seen a long time. The humor is original and it feeds well off of the first movie. The interaction between Stifler and Paul Finch are some of the best scenes in the movie. The band camp scenes are also very good. This is a comedy that is breath of fresh air. It is ten times better than some other comedies that have come our recently. Scary Movie and Dude Where's My Car are two that American Pie 2 just blows out of the water. My only word of caution, leave the kids at a friends house or send them to bed early. This one is not for kids. It also only have a few weaknesses. There are a few scenes which don't flow two well but they are minor.
Over all, a good comedy for a change (8 out of 10).