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Reviews
This So-Called Disaster: Sam Shepard Directs the Late Henry Moss (2003)
Interesting Look at Acting
This So-Called Disaster basically documents the pre-production of Sam Shepard's 2000 play, `The Late Henry Moss', from about the third week of rehearsals to opening night. The movie is overall very engaging in its presentation of the featured actors involved, and because the visual style makes the viewer feel as though they were in the audience during the play's preparations.
Because `Henry Moss' is partially autobiographical, this movie provides some scenes of Shepard providing anecdotes about growing up with his father. I liked these scenes very much, because Sam Shepard's relationship with his father did was not typical of some relationships that alcoholic fathers had with their sons. There is a sense that Shepard accepted the way in which his father acted while drunk, and did not seem to have too much of a problem maintaining a relationship with him.
But the parts of Disaster that I particularly liked were everything involving the rehearsals of the play. It is very interesting to see the contrasting styles of preparation seen in the different actors, such as Nick Nolte, Sean Penn, Cheech Marin, Woody Harrelson, and John Gammon. It was amazing to see that these actors were able to nail their performances every time they rehearsed their lines.
Along with their preparations, I was able to see these people in a much different light than I ever had before. In this movie, I wasn't seeing Sean Penn, bad boy actor, or Nick Nolte the oddball (though he does have his moments). The actors in the play are presented in this movie as people who are actors, not Hollywood movie stars.
Michael Almereyda does the viewer a favor by keeping the camera pretty much stationary throughout the picture. Early on, I thought I had to prepare myself for some sort of home video visual style, which is very amateurish in that it shakes all over the place and never settles down. But thankfully, the camera allows the audience to see this movie as though they were in the theater, watching people like Penn, Nolte, and others get ready for their performances.
Starsky & Hutch (2004)
The basics: Just an average movie
Before I get started here, why don't we just throw two things out the door here. One, plot explanation. In a movie like this, does it really matter? Absolutely not. Two, the whole hoopla about this being a remake of a 70's TV show, and the current onslaught of such movies. Who cares about that, let the movie be what it is, not what it's from, or what it should be about, or anything like that. Once again, for those two facts, it does not matter.
Ok, so it's just an average movie. Why? Well, for starters, this movie suffers from the same problem as just about every comedy of the past 5 years. When the trailer comes out, and even during its TV spots, all of the funny moments from the movie are included, thus leaving the movie viewer with not much in the line of fresh comedic moments when seeing this movie. But I'm not saying that Starsky and Hutch is void of any comedy, just that the moments in the advertisements weren't so funny the second time around.
There were, however, some very funny moments. The scenes involving Will Ferrell and his exchange of information for...'favors'...were hilarious. If Ferrell says anything in any movie, I nearly die laughing every time. The funniest moments other than those, and other than the always reliable (despite what some say) Vince Vaughn, were towards the end of the movie, when Ben Stiller reprised his "No no no" guy from his short-lived TV series, as well as the cops at Starsky and Hutch's precinct mistaking cocaine for artificial sweetener, followed later that night, when Starsky decides to use the stuff in his coffee. Quick spoiler, it ain't sugar, folks. I'll leave it at that.
So, if I were to recommend this movie, it would be for the reasons just discussed. Now, about the reasons I wouldn't recommend it. It just takes a very long time to start to get interesting. I said earlier about how the plot doesn't matter, because I think it doesn't really matter. Those who made the movie did. Though I mentioned some of the funny moments, they are generally few and far between. The movie is pretty dull until it gets to the halfway points. Not what you want to have happen in a comedy.
There you have it, just an average movie. Not good, not horrid, just...there. Acting is fine, though I don't really care for Snoop Dogg. Just because a rapper can read his lines clearly doesn't make him a good actor. Or a mildly-decent one, for that matter.
The best thing to do with a movie like this is wait until it comes out on video. Do it. Do it. No no no, seriously...DO it.
The Big Bounce (2004)
Hawaii is nice, this movie ain't
To be absolutely honest, I don't know about this movie. I just don't know. I don't know if it's supposed to be a comedy, I don't know if it's supposed to be a heist movie, and I don't know if it's supposed to be a romantic comedy. The one thing I do know about this movie is that it was not what I thought it was going to be; good.
Usually in a heist/caper/money stealing movie there is a plot that is set up, sometimes it's even done well. Apparently they forgot to do this for 'The Big Bounce', because as I sat in the nearly packed (for some reason) theater, I wondered often as to what the big score is going to be. I.e., what are they after? Who's getting ripped off? Who's doing the planning? If the movie viewer wants to be sure, the trailer does a much better job than anything in the movie does. Because of all this, the final scenes, which involve the actual 'heist', are more than anti-climactic, considering there's no real way of knowing what's happening.
Then there is the comedy, or...lack thereof. Amusing moments are few and far between in The Big Bounce. Sure, there are a few gags that work, and Owen Wilson is the kind of actor that naturally causes a snicker or two because of his delivery. But other than that, many moments are just plain stale. The timing in this movie is horrible; secondary characters have pretty bad delivery, and there are way too many pauses for audience laughter, which is unfortunate, because when a joke doesn't work in a movie theater....yikes, know what I mean?
The one saving grace this movie has going for it is Owen Wilson and Sara Foster. Foster, as the female lead, does well enough in the fact that she doesn't have to do much other than look good. And Owen Wilson is just...Owen Wilson. All the other actors either sleep-walk through their parts, or just don't care.
Yes, the movie was bad. About 2/3 into the movie, I looked over at a buddy of mine and said "What's going on with this movie?" Bad (or no) plot, lousy characters, no climactic moments, horrid resolution, but nice scenery. The only reason you should go to see this movie is if someone buys you a ticket in advance.
Well...on second thought...maybe not
The Matrix Revolutions (2003)
Does not Disappoint
Basically, this movie is better than `Reloaded', but certainly not better than the original `Matrix' or '96. When I think back to `the Matrix', I remember that at the end of the movie, I could make my own conclusions as to whether or not Neo saves people of the Matrix and the real world. If he does save the world, I could also imagine my own scenario of Neo saving everyone. With `Revolutions', all that is taken away from me.
With that said, I think that maybe a downer ending would've suited this franchise much better. But hey, I'm just an idiot who's writing down thoughts about the movie. I didn't make em. A happier ending may appeal to some (perhaps wider) audiences, and I'm fine with that. The ending to `Revolutions' isn't what I thought it would be, but it certainly is not a let down.
Whereas `Reloaded' felt rather redundant; as the audience was almost 100% sure that Neo would live to see another movie, `Revolutions' makes the audience fear for him, especially since most of the time in the movie, he is in the real world. He has special powers, but he is also human.
The battle scenes inside Zion's walls obviously look a tad on the virtual side. But come on now, we're talking about a bunch of flying machines invading an underground city, protected by giant machine-gun capable robots, controlled by humans. Do you have the stock footage of this in your vault? I didn't think so.
I thought these scenes were very thrilling because I'm usually the one that really puts myself into the shoes of the characters on screen. When the machines breach the wall, I hope to God that they are stopped. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to lose a battle like that.
There are other chill scenes besides the one I just described, but I don't think any one raised the hair on the back of my neck than when Trinity and Neo fly above the dark skies of the real world, and finally see the sky the way it was meant to be seen. I can't really describe it well enough; it was just a great moment as far as this story goes.
Thankfully, in this movie, there isn't much in the line of monotonous line reading by the architect. For the average movie going herb chuck, that was a monumental detraction of `Reloaded'.
I don't care if there is a message hidden beneath all the blabbing of the Architect, the greatest movies work on both the entertaining and intellectual levels.
But, while also getting back to my original problem with this movie, there was almost no sign of an original, intelligent idea in this movie. Sure, there are moments that will make audiences go `Huh'? But they're easily figured out when thought about for a second.
I am no way endorsing, deep, thought-provoking, intellectual, philosophical dreck that usually occupies the `Best Picture' category, I'm just saying that all action isn't that great outside of a Sly Stallone flic (No, not Over the Top').
Overall, I think the only thing I can say about this movie is that it was ok. I don't think it was a landmark feature like `The Matrix', not by a long shot. This movie was just a detailed description of how Neo does in fact save the real world. To some, it will be a let down, others it'll be a little exciting. For even others, it will be a little of both. But what `The Matrix: Revolutions' will not be, is as great as the first movie in the series was.
Possessed (2000)
What the hell is this bo-snap?
THis movie is clearly the work of an idiot, writing-wise Why anyone would ever watch it is beyond me HOrrible story, written by an idiot, regardless if i already wrote that If you have a choice between doing nothing, and watching this movie, do nothing THis movie DID have promise, until the screenwriter became attatched, in the form of Michael Lazarou, what a stiff
DO NOT SEE THIS MOVIE!!!! WATCH THE PEST!!!
The Pest (1997)
What kind of freakazoid?
Would let anyone watch this movie. THis movie is terrible in every way, shape, and form. I hear that it is funny, but then again, i hear that these same people are all mo-rons. Avoid this movie any way you can.
THE PEST!
Big Shot: Confessions of a Campus Bookie (2002)
The Money, The Money, The Money
Although this film is a product of the MTV generation, with its hyper-speed cuts to go with the sex, drugs, and money, it actually is a very entertaining movie. The story is about Benny Silman (David Krumholtz), just a normal college student, who gets a taste of making lots of money and becomes addicted. He becomes a bookie, making small time bets on sporting events with the local college kids. After a while, Benny is approached by a big time bookie (Nick Turturro), who tells him that there is more money to be made. Soon after, Benny becomes friends with the starting point guard for the college basketball team, and convinces him that he could make a lot of money if they were to fix games. Benny now is making big time money, but is he too deep into the lifestyle that, if trouble brewed, he couldn't get out?
As I said before, a very entertaining movie, very well placed, at the time of the NCAA Tournament, to let people know the dangers of getting into serious gambling such as this. Ernest Dickerson does a good job of setting the mood with his wild camera work and settings. Since it was on FX, I'm sure that it will be played 50 times in the next WEEK, so check it out
8 out of 10
Pulp Fiction (1994)
One of the Top 10 Films of the 90's
An Incredible cast teamed with an incredible writer/director to make one of the most original films of the 90's. Film is actually 3 different stories intertwined together in some way throughout the movie. I won't tell you the stories because you should go and see the movie...then see it again later in the week. This movie was thought out to the very smallest detail by director Quentin Tarantino, which is why a first time viewer may seem lost. Although it's hard to say if this film was better than Forrest Gump, it definitely falls into the category of one of the most influencial, cool, and of course, BEST movies.
Soundtrack kicks major tuckus too!
Happy Gilmore (1996)
Who Hasn't Seen It...
Loved it...and, of course, tried out the Gilmore swing at their local golf course. Very Influential, I'd say it single handedly changed the face of golf and introduced the game to a very different group of people. Great performances all around, especially by a select 3. Ben Stiller as the dictator-nursing home attendant/coodinator, that Jaws guy from the Bond movies, and of course Chris MacDonald, who will be forever known as Shooter McGavin; not that that's a bad thing. If you're a golfer, you've seen this movie.