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johnnewyork
Reviews
Ben & Arthur (2002)
oh-my-god!
If an auteur gives himself 2 credits before the main title and about 15 more credits before the movie starts, and the first shot shows the auteur rolling around on a bed in lycra bike shorts, it won't be a surprise to observe that said auteur has the kind of body that should never be seen in spandex. The kind of look that might be useful to a homosexual aversion therapist.
Others have given this thing the dishing it deserves. For me the most pitiable moment came when the trip from LA was signified by a plane landing at what appeared to be LAX; and the return was signified by a shot of a Fedex cargo plane.
Julius Caesar (2002)
Republic and political friendship go south
As a sucker for history-based spectacle, I disagree with 'real channel-switcher'...the miniseries is a reminder that there is a fascinating story to learn more about: in this case, how friends and allies, Pompey and Caeser (if indeed they were) could become deadly adversaries. And the image of a great republic becoming a dictatorship is relevant at all times, not just now. It has a great cast: was that Allan Richman as Julia's tutor? the always interesting Chris Walken, Chris Noth, Richard Harris. It's true that the role of Caeser really called for more than good looks.
Under Suspicion (2000)
Gene Hackman and Morgan Freeman should stick to acting
Two of my favorite actors, Gene Hackman and Morgan Freeman, were also executive producers and thus responsible for making this film. The ending is so pathetically bad that I felt totally ripped off for my time after watching several hours of red herrings, only to have this turkey end abruptly with the announcement that someone else did it.