Change Your Image
Andrew_Bassett
Reviews
Stealing Sinatra (2003)
Weak
(Only light spoilers in here)
Stealing Sinatra is a half-slapstick comedy about dimwit kidnappers, dimwit victims, and a few other side-stories thrown in to eat up some time.
You will see some poor performances all around in this movie. The drama is forced, and the humor makes no sense. Whether you're watching the kidnappers threaten the victim who won't shut up, or a victim's father responding to the criminal's death threat with "Care for some tea?", none of it is believable. This quite comfortably fits into the "wannabe movie" category.
You will also be listening to a repetitive goofy music track throughout pretty much the entire movie. It's quite unprofessional, and adds nothing. It's really just a sad attempt at making an achingly unfunny movie seem somewhat witty.
However, if you're able to look past all of this and suspend a lot of disbelief, you might be entertained by the adequate storyline.
I voted 4/10.
The Chamber (1996)
Poor Actors
The acting in this movie is skin-deep, with almost all the characters, especially the lead character, reciting their lines and motions as written. The actors aren't putting enough thought behind the words they say. And it's the director's fault for allowing it.
Because of this, all other factors are spoiled. It has the story to be an interesting thriller, but this is a fine example of how poor, forced acting can completely ruin a movie.
I voted 5/10.
Domestic Disturbance (2001)
Quite Poor
This is your ultra-formulaic emotional drama thriller that is not thrilling and does not convey any believable emotions. Everything that happens in this movie is forced. Few events really make any sense.
Dumb kid witnesses his stepfather murdering someone. Kid tells family and police. Nobody believes him except his father (John Travolta), who is the only character in the movie who isn't pathetically dumb. Said "dumb" kid goes through series of beatings and threatenings until dad barges in to save the day.
The acting is bottom of the barrel. The fear, anger, upset mother, it's all incredibly forced and unrealistic. Because of this, it's impossible to care about what happens to any of the characters, and so it ends up being 90 minutes of unimportant events.
I voted 3/10.
The Wonderful World of Disney: Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House (2002)
So bad, it's funny.
(Minor spoilers inside, not that there's anything in this movie to spoil.)
There's nothing like a bad, high-budget movie. This is about as extreme as such movies get.
First of all, to even call this movie "Home Alone 4" is a joke. It doesn't even qualify as a sequel to the lowly Home Alone 3. It has none of the original actors, writers, or producers. It does, however, have the original character names. That's right. An obnoxious, bad-acting little boy with the name of Kevin McCallister. He's not even blonde.
The acting is horrible, by everyone in the movie. The story and script looks and sounds like it was written by the boy playing Kevin. Every little detail in the movie is bad. From the laughably clean, shiny, and hi-tech house, to the exaggerated amount of water gushing out of bathroom, to the supermodel family members wearing tuxedos, makeup and earrings in the comfort of their home, to the FEMALE supermodel burglar who trots through Kevin's front yard in broad daylight wearing makeup and pants so tight she can barely walk, to the exaggerated facial expressions from the worst actors you will ever see, and it just goes on and on...
It sounds like I'm just bashing the movie, but honestly, I swear I'm not exaggerating one bit. This movie is every bit as bad as I describe, and many times worse. I'm not exaggerating. I'm not being bash-happy. I'm being totally honest and accurate about what this movie is. Yes, it really is this bad.
The amazing thing is that if you took this movie and made it the absolute opposite of what it was, creating a bizarro-Home-Alone-4, where everything was done the opposite way, it would probably be one of the best movies ever made.
I'm still stunned. The producers of this movie must be a concentrated group of some of the richest, dumbest people in the world.
Escape from the Newsroom (2002)
Bizarre; Acting is the high point.
I won't reveal any spoilers to the plot of the movie.
It's a strange movie that you have to watch beginning to end, or you'll find yourself completely lost. Based on the Toronto-made TV series "Newsroom," this made-for-TV movie has many well-recognized Canadian actors and comedians. It's a modest comedy that has its "short chuckle of laughter" moments, but the real highlight is similar to the highlight of 12 Angry Men. They obviously endeavoured to make the acting look as real and natural as possible when making this show, and most of the entertainment comes from listening in on their conversations and being convinced by the good acting. This is the similarity to 12 Angry Men.
However, the TV movie is really nothing more than a 2-hour episode of Newsroom. Whether you like it will likely depend on whether you like the TV series or not.
Escape from the Newsroom (2002)
Bizarre; Acting is the high point.
I won't reveal any spoilers to the plot of the movie.
It's a strange movie that you have to watch beginning to end, or you'll find yourself completely lost. Based on the Toronto-made TV series "Newsroom," this made-for-TV movie has many well-recognized Canadian actors and comedians. It's a modest comedy that has its "short chuckle of laughter" moments, but the real highlight is similar to the highlight of 12 Angry Men. They obviously endeavoured to make the acting look as real and natural as possible when making this show, and most of the entertainment comes from listening in on their conversations and being convinced by the good acting. This is the similarity to 12 Angry Men.
However, the TV movie is really nothing more than a 2-hour episode of Newsroom. Whether you like it will likely depend on whether you like the TV series or not.