fiera121 Reviews

Summer of Sam (1999)

Worst movie I've ever seen

[1/10 · 9 April 2004]

I've seen more than a few really bad movies, but this is probably the worst of them all. I rented it thinking it was going to be about the Son of Sam killings, but it wasn't. Instead, it's nothing but a thinly disguised porn movie -- a boring view of the ridiculous carryings-on of a group of morons whose only thoughts seem to be about cheating on or beating up their wives. There is very little plot and even less social value to this piece of trash. I was thoroughly embarrassed that I chose to put this movie in the VCR in front of a date -- it was so full of nudity (male and female) and sex scenes that I couldn't help but wonder what my date must have thought of me! Don't waste your time.

K-9: P.I. (2002 Video)

Truly funny, even if the plot is full of holes.

[5/10 · 28 September 2002]

This film had me laughing out loud. No, it's not one of the all-time great dramas. In fact, the plot is weak, juvenile, and full of holes -- almost a parody of a real cop movie. But none of that matters because it's hysterical! Run to your local video store now, and rent it!

The Sweetest Thing (2002)

More cliche than funny -- a waste of time. Don't bother...

[4/10 · 27 September 2002]

I didn't care much for this movie. The humor was weak and the three tramps (sorry to be so blunt, but that's exactly what they are) are so shallow as to be ridiculous. They seem to have nothing in their lives to do but pick up men in bars. One of them decides to pursue a guy across the state who she (naturally) met at a club and spoke to for a few minutes, but when she tracks him down, she finds out that he lied to her. Of course, she forgives him and everyone lives happily -- if sleazily -- ever after. There are so many good movies on the market, I wouldn't bother with this one.

The Mothman Prophecies (2002)

Weak plot, weaker acting. Waste of rental $$$

[3/10 · 23 September 2002]

I had high hopes for this flick after reading all the good reviews here. But after seeing it, I wish I had saved my rental money for a movie that actually had a coherent plot and some real actors. I am totally stunned that this movie has such good reviews!

Seriously, the plot was so weak as to be nearly nonexistant -- John Klein, who lost his wife 2 years earlier to a brain tumor after a car accident, finds himself in a strange town and hears several similar accounts about a mothlike creature with glowing red eyes that seems to appear right before bad things happen. Coincidentally, his late wife also saw this creature before her fatal accident -- surely there must be a tie here? (There is not, except that the Mothman appeared before something bad happened.) All this sounded like the beginnings of a great plot, but unfortunately, that's as far as it ever went. The viewer is left with all sorts of unanswered questions at the end of the movie, the main one being "What the hell was THAT all about?"

For example <possible spoiler ahead>, what's with the scene when Klein first goes to a home for help and is told by the residents that he was there three nights in a row? That was one huge string that was left to hang in space!

As for the acting, well, Richard Gere has never shown much talent. In every one of his movies I've seen, he is all eye candy, no substance, and this flick is no exception.

All in all, don't waste your money on this one. There are lots of good horror movies out there. This is not one of them.

The Juror (1996)

Great movie, strong plot, good acting.

[8/10 · 23 September 2002]

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and am at a total loss as to why it scored such a low vote. I guess these days a movie just can't be a big hit unless it has lots of fancy special effects and sex scenes. 'The Juror' has a strong, easy to follow plot and some really great acting; Alec Baldwin's role was terrifyingly real! I'm no fan of Demi Moore, but she played her part very well. And the kid that played her son was equally great -- I remember him from the TV series 'Third Rock from the Sun' and always liked him. To anyone thinking of renting this flick, I say pay no attention to the naysayers and go for it!

The Hitcher (1986)

Good thriller!

[7/10 · 23 September 2002]

I made the mistake of watching this movie late at night, home alone. It's a definite thriller, with fast-paced action and decent acting. One is left wondering what John Ryder's motivation was; my guess is that he just enjoyed the thrill of the chase. All in all, this one's worth renting, but try to watch it during the daylight hours! :-)

Manhunt: Search for the Night Stalker (1989 TV Movie)

Interesting story, but very poor acting

[4/10 · 13 September 2002]

I live in El Paso, Richard Ramirez's (The Night Stalker) hometown, so this story has a special interest for me. But I was disappointed in the very poor acting throughout this movie. The only acting that was at all believable was that of one witness, an older lady who discovered one of the bodies. It's a shame they couldn't have found some better actors, as this could have been a decent movie if they had.

On the bright side, I commend them for making this film without the blood and gore that we usually see. I guess that's because it was made for TV, but it was a refreshing change.

I wish they would have focused more on Ramirez and his crimes (absolutely nothing was said about his background or motives). This movie was really only about the two detectives who investigated the crimes and not about the crimes or suspect at all.

Blowback (2000)

Predictable, but entertaining

[5/10 · 10 September 2002]

I tend to agree with most other reviewers on this page that this movie's plot was predictable, but I stop short of calling it boring. Yes, there are lots of mediocre cop movies out there about good cops that get too personally involved in a homicide case and get kicked off the case by their superior, then continue to investigate on their own. But this one has a somewhat new twist in that the killer seems to be a man who's already been executed for similar crimes. Another new twist is that his latest choice of victims are the jurors who voted to execute him. These two new twists keep the movie from being overly predictable, and keep it entertaining. However, I think the script should have kept secret until the end whether or not the killer is actually the executed man or not; the answer is revealed early in the film, and I think they should have made use of the suspense they would've generated by not telling us so soon. All in all, this is not a great movie, but it's not a total waste of time.

Monsters, Inc. (2001)

The Best Animated Movie Since Toy Story! Wonderful!

[8/10 · 8 September 2002]

This is the best animated movie since Toy Story, absolutely wonderful from the opening credits to the closing credits. Every character comes to life for the audience.

Buy it today, for your kids or yourself. Don't miss a second! I loved every bit of it. :-)

Aftershock: Earthquake in New York (1999)

Good movie, reminiscent of the 70's disaster films!

[7/10 · 8 September 2002]

For those of you who enjoyed the 'disaster' movies of the 70's such as The Towering Inferno and The Poseidon Adventure, you'll love this movie. Although it's quite long (just under three hours), my attention never wavered. It had several sub-plots going on simultaneously, including a love story, the resolution of an old rivalry, and a parent's fight to absolve herself of guilt over a two-year accident. Yet the storyline was never blurred or confusing and the characters seemed real to me. Perhaps most importantly, not all the little sub-plots had fairy-tale endings; some ended happily and some did not, but you don't know which is which until it happens. All in all, this is a movie well worth seeing!

The Apostate (2000)

Too far-fetched to be convincing...

[8 September 2002]

Richard Greico can't act. He's good-looking, but he can't act. Dennis Hopper, however, CAN act and that's why I was so surprised to see him in such a bad movie. The basic premise of this film is that an art expert can use his knowledge of art and what a 'painting' tells him about its artist to help track down a killer, even with no other clues. Believable? No! This one is not worth your time.

Planet of the Apes (2001)

Stop trying to compare it to the original. This is a good movie!

[8/10 · 8 September 2002]

I am at a loss as to why so many reviewers disliked this movie so much. I wonder if it's because everyone seems to be comparing it to the original, and that's probably not fair, as the original is one of the world's all-time classics. I think this new version deserves to be judged on its own. I rather liked it. It did get off to a bit of a slow and predictable start, but the second half of the movie was excellent. I must, however, agree with some of the other reviewers here in that I did not understand the ending!

About the ending (MAJOR SPOILER TO FOLLOW): At first I was thinking that something Davidson did somehow changed the past, and hence he returned to Earth to find the apes in charge. But on reflection, Thade's face & name replacing Lincoln's has its own meaning -- not just the apes in charge, but Thade in particular. When and how did Thade come to Earth? Or was the other planet really Earth, too, just in the distant future? I am still confused about this. I would welcome hearing anyone's theories (my e-mail address is shown above).

All in all, I think this was a great movie, and very undeserving of all the criticism I'm reading here. Give it a try with an open mind and don't try to compare it to the original, and I think you'll enjoy it!

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

The best movie of all time, and the only "10" I've ever voted!

[10/10 · 8 September 2002]

This is the only movie I've ever given a vote of 10 to, and I'll probably never give another, unless The Two Towers and The Return of the King live up to its high standard, and I have no reason to think they won't.

I am counting the moments until December for the next movie, and I have no idea how I'll get by until the final film, which will be over a year from now.

Let me go on record as saying that I've been a fan of all Tolkien's work since the early 70's. I remember the animated film they tried to make of LOTR back in 1978, which was rather poorly done, in my opinion. At that time, I thought there would never be a decent film adaption of this trilogy, due mainly to its complexity. The fact that Peter Jackson has done so now, and done it without animation, is astounding indeed!

For those of you who haven't yet seen it, click your way over to your favorite shopping web site and buy yourself a copy of this on DVD. Don't bother to rent it because you will undoubtedly want to watch it over and over. I promise... You will NOT be disappointed!

Mister Frost (1990)

Movie stinks. Goldblum is the only bright spot.

[3/10 · 8 September 2002]

This movie just doesn't work. I love Jeff Goldblum and thought he was very sexy in this movie, but overall, I found this film to be a waste of time and a $0.99 rental fee. The acting is pretty bad and the basic storyline is silly. The plot limps along and the attempt at a surprise ending (if you've managed to stay awake this long) is downright lame. Surely you can find more interesting things to do with your time... like having a root canal.

Lock Up (1989)

Great movie, strong plot ~ very entertaining!

[7/10 · 8 September 2002]

I often find myself disagreeing with the critics, but in this case I am in agreement with the other reviewers on this page... This is a terrific movie, pure entertainment. I am frankly tired of so many modern movies that are nothing but violence, nudity and special effects. Well, this movie is not one of them -- it actually has a good plot. Oh, what a rare treat!

The best acting is not Stallone's (no surprise there) but that of Donald Sutherland's portrayal of the sadistic and bloodthirsty prison warden. And the scene with the Mustang nearly made me cry.

If you haven't yet seen this film... What are you waiting for? You're missing what is probably Stallone's best films! Run, don't walk, to your nearest video store! :-)

The Lord of the Rings (1978)

They took a terrific story and turned it into a kid's cartoon.

[4/10 · 8 September 2002]

I have been a huge fan of Tolkien's work since the early 70's, and I saw this movie when it hit the theatres around 25 years ago. I remember being terribly disappointed at the time. They turned a wonderful, complex story into a childish cartoon comic. Tolkien fans, don't waste your time on this -- go buy the new version!

Easy Rider (1969)

It may be a classic, but it still needs a plot!

[4/10 · 8 September 2002]

I grew up in the 60's and have heard about this movie for decades, but for some reason, I never saw it until recently. And when I finally did, I was very disappointed. Even though I myself love to ride and anyone who knows me will quickly agree that I'm a nonconformist, I just didn't like this movie much. It was boring, probably because it lacks a plot. And to be honest, the acting wasn't much good either, with the possible exception of Jack Nicholson. The LSD scene was just too weird, even for someone who's dropped acid in the past. The music and the photography are the only good things about the movie. And the ending, which is as close to a plot as it ever came. Still, I recommend seeing it if you're into Harleys or 60's rock, but just rent it, as you're not likely to want to watch it again.

American Psycho (2000)

Expected a horror/thriller, but got a rather lame comedy. :-(

[3/10 · 7 September 2002]

I rented this video based on all the good reviews I read here, and was sorely disappointed. American Psycho is listed as a Horror/Drama/Thriller, but it's clearly more of a comedy than anything else. And not a very effective comedy, either. My advice... Don't waste your time.

Mother's Boys (1993)

Interesting role reversal for Jamie Lee Curtis

[5/10 · 3 September 2002]

What's this? Jamie Lee Curtis is the bad guy, not the victim? Yes, she really can act (not just scream). This movie can be summed up in one word: predictable. If you've ever seen Fatal Attraction, The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, or any other film of that ilk, then you've pretty much seen this one, too. Still, it's worth watching, if for no other reason than to see Jamie Lee in the role of the psychopathic killer.

Unbreakable (2000)

Disappointing. Boring & far-fetched.

[2/10 · 2 September 2002]

Spoiler Alert As so often happens after a megahit, the principals want to capitalize on its success and decide to toss out another for public consumption, but "Unbreakable" just doesn't stack up to "The Sixth Sense."

The plot summary sounded good at first (the sole survivor of a train wreck that is unscathed slowly discovers that he has some sort of gift for never being injured) and the buildup (for example, his injury in college), but this whole thing about comic books is just too far-fetched to buy into, in my opinion.

To be honest, I found it boring enough that I dozed off several times and had to rewind in order to see what I missed, but I just didn't get the point. Don't waste your money.

12 Monkeys (1995)

Terrific film! Be prepared to rewind & start it again! :-)

[9/10 · 2 September 2002]

I loved this movie, especially the superlative acting (as always) by Brad Pitt. Bruce Willis is also fantastic -- very human and believable. I did find the music to be a bit overwhelming & intrusive in one or two scenes, but that seems to be the trend in today's movies.

The plot is complex and convoluted enough that after the first viewing, I found myself confused about a few details, so I settled back on the couch and watched it again. The second time around I picked up on several details and the ending came together for me. I love movies with an unexpected twist at the ending, and this was one of the twistiest!

My only real complaint is the lack of any real discussion about the heart of the plot: the virus. I think some basic background on the virus and its effects would have been appropriate, along with some explanation as to how the 1% of the population survived and why they have to live underground.

Also, it should have been revealed to the viewer what crimes James Cole was in prison for; I mean, he is the 'good guy' throughout the movie and it seems hard to reconcile that with what we're told in the beginning, that he has a history of violence.

All around, this is an utterly fantastic movie. A must-see!

I Spit on Your Grave (1978)

Entertaining, if you like that sort of thing.

[6/10 · 2 September 2002]

I saw this movie many years ago, and recently bought the DVD, so I must have liked it. It's one of those movies that, after watching it, you're not sure if you loved it or hated it. Certainly there are some rather gruesome scenes, and certainly it deals with a morbid subject, yet one cannot deny that it has entertainment value. At least, for many people. Not for the faint of heart!

Bringing Out the Dead (1999)

Lots of symbolism, but no plot.

[2/10 · 31 August 2002]

I was very disappointed in this movie. Nicolas Cage's acting was superb, as were several other's. But there was no story to this movie; it was just a 'day in the life' sort of thing, and way too artsy for my taste. Call me old-fashioned, but I like a movie to have a plot.