This is truly a heart-wrenching film illustrating the plight of the uninsured and underinsured in the US. It is a film packed with fine actors (Robert Duvall, Ray Liotta, Anne Heche, and of course Denzel Washington), who, with the exception of Washington, turn in rather mediocre performances. Denzel gives his usual superb performance as the desperate father of a young son needing a heart transplant. But times are rough, he's been reduced to part-time at the plant, and his medical coverage was reduced. The doctors and hospital admin. are unsympathetic, so he....well, I don't want to spoil it for anyone. I rated this as a 6/10, mainly because of Denzel's performance. The other characters were so stereotypical as to be ridiculous. The story seems well put together, but comes dangerously close to being a political ad for socialized medicine in the US. But if you like Denzel, go ahead and shell out the $15-$20 for the DVD. It's one you will want to see more than once.
Reviews
12 Reviews
Rambo: First Blood Part II
(1985)
Disgusting
30 May 2004
As an Army veteran, I was deeply offended by this film. In my opinion, it is a disgrace to those who fought in the Vietnam war. To say that the real SF soldiers I knew were offended by this crap is an understatement. If the film were presented as satire or even as a cartoon (it was), it would have been better received. But it was taken seriously my many people, especially overseas. Silly as it sounds, wherever I went in Europe in the late 80's people seemed to judge me and Americans in general by this film. Unrealistic? Hmm, let's see. A monosyllabic, muscle-bound cretin is pulled off a prison work gang to go on a secret mission to SE Asia to free some American POW's. In a running battle he kills about 500 enemy soldiers with an M-60 machine gun that never runs out of ammo and never overheats. And he never misses, running with a 32lb gun held up with one arm. I could go on, but I'm getting a headache. I gave this a 2/10 only because it's slightly better than Rambo III.
Soul Man
(1986)
Ridiculous but worthwhile
25 May 2004
What can I say? Some trashy movies can become addictive. This is one of those movies. With each viewing, you discover something new. It's definately a thought-provoking film, at times preachy, at times heart-warming romance, at times slapstick, and at times blatantly racist. And yes, at times painfully stupid. C. Thomas Howell may well have done the poorest job in film history of impersonating a black man, and black people nationwide were justifiably offended. The epiphany Howell undergoes toward the end of the film only partially redeems his character. The wonderful performance by James Earl Jones as the dour Professor Banks, and of course Arye Gross as Howell's hilarious sidekick Gordon go a long way toward's salvaging what could have been a preachy, sentimental mess. Well, almost. From me it get's a 4/10. But like I say, it's addictive. Somewhat like popcorn. Final verdict: Not a bad rental, and if you can find the DVD at Walmart for under $10 go ahead and buy it.
Billy Jack
(1971)
Hooray for the underdog!
25 May 2004
"If you make it, they will come". In America, we love heroes and underdogs. A movie depicting the triumph of the underdog generally can't miss. Well, this one did, at least at the box office. But it has become an undeniable cult classic. Why? The misunderstood lone wolf hero type has been beaten to death in low budget films before and since. The acting in this film is beyond terrible. The plot is on a 6th grade level. The villains are caricatures of themselves. Technically speaking, it's a mess. So what is it that makes me watch this about every 3 months? Simply stated, it's junk food for the brain. It's a cinematic Big Mac. When you feel life is getting the best of you, you can check out of reality for a couple hours and watch Billy Jack "Just go berserk!" on some stupid racist rednecks, and for a brief time, all is right with the world. That, and the fact that it resonates with the liberal 60's generation, is the reason for it's cult status.
Freeway
(1996)
A serial killer picks the wrong victim.
19 May 2004
I've heard this described as a remake of the old children's tale "Little Red Riding Hood". Maybe. All the elements of the old classic are here. Reese Witherspoon gives possibly her best film performance as serial killer Kiefer Sutherland's seemingly "innocent" victim. As the film progresses, Witherspoon's character, Vanessa, becomes ever more violent and unpredictable, while Sutherland's character, Bob the killer, becomes comically pitiful, and almost even sympathetic. The backstory of the film is dark, violent, and depressing, but the film itself is often quite funny. It's the kind of film that makes one laugh out loud, but then look around guiltily to see if anyone heard you. That said, I can't in good conscience rate it higher than a 6, and only because of Witherspoon's and Sutherland's performances. Still, it's not a bad way to spend 102 mins.
Dahmer
(2002)
Watch this at Thanksgiving: It's a turkey!
10 May 2004
Curiosity led me to this "masterpiece". Unfortunately, I didn't rent it, I bought it! The most disturbing thing about this film is that it's not so disturbing. For reasons known only to them, the makers of this film set out to show the human side of Jeffry Dahmer. Are you kidding me? The man gave new meaning to the term "finger lickin' good"! And with all the flash-backs and flash-forwards I had trouble following the story. All in all Jeremy Renner's performance wasn't too bad. You can catch him in "S.W.A.T.", in which he plays a disgruntled ex-cop. Anyway, I would rate this as a 1/10. It only got a 1 because of Renner's so-so performance. There are plenty of books and tv documentaries out there that do a much better job of covering Dahmer's crimes. Avoid this one.
WarGames
(1983)
Another 80's "evils of technology" film
10 May 2004
Ok. So a kid with a home computer can bring the world to the brink of nuclear armageddon? Yeah, right. This wouldn't even make a good cartoon. Starring brat-packers Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy, the film progresses from implausibility to outright stupidity as the same two kids save the world by getting a computer to teach itself the futility of global thermonuclear war via a game of tic-tac-toe. Uh huh. Without exception every character is stereotypical and one-dimensional. One bright spot, though, is Barry Corbin's portrayal of the gruff, cigar-chomping General Jack Beringer. This was obviously a film intended for very young people, so I'll rate it at 4/10, which is being generous.
The Blair Witch Project
(1999)
A good rental, but not much replay value.
8 May 2004
There is a certain amount of "evolutionary baggage" inherent in human nature. We as humans all have "buttons", that when pushed just right can evoke a strong emotional response. Stephen King has referred to these as "psychic pressure points". Examples: fear of the dark. Fear of being lost in the wilderness while being stalked by unseen enemies. Fear of the supernatural. Fear of old abandoned dwellings. This film deftly presses on these pressure points, and the result is a fairly frightening movie. The amateurish cast adds a bit of realism to the story, and is the reason for the big box office draw. The cadence of the story lacks consistency, but the last 5-10 minutes will have any but the most jaded horror fans on the end of their seats. Sadly, though, once you've seen it once, you can never quite regain the feeling of white-knuckled suspense you had the first time you saw it.
Goodfellas
(1990)
One of Scorseses best
8 May 2004
From the film's opening to it's conclusion I was hooked. What at first appears to be a glorification of the gangster lifestyle gradually evolves into a cautionary tale, graphically depicting the violence and treachery of this way of life. Based on the experiences of real-life ex-gangster Henry Hill, one-time associate of New York's Luchese crime family, the film gives an inside look at organized crime as it really is. Joe Pesci as the murderous Tommy DeVito absolutely steals the show. It is worth the price of the DVD just to see this talented and versatile performer in action. Ray Liotta gives a good performance as Henry Hill, but is overshadowed by Lorraine Bracco, who plays Henry's over-the-top wife Karen. Robert DeNiro's performance is so-so. Overall, I'd rate this an 8.5/10.
Schindler's List
(1993)
One of the best films of the 90's
2 May 2004
Initially presented as capitalistic and crude, Schindler's character gradually evolves into one of benevolence, and finally, humility. The film is shot entirely in black and white, with the exception of one character. A little girl wearing a pink jacket, which we see only twice in the film. It is that little girl, and the thought of what surely must happen to her, that sticks in one's mind. The two fleeting glimpses we get of this girl are more heart-wrenching than anything else in this film. This is not only an historical film;it has modern relevance as well. There are monsters among us, and poverty and ignorance are their life's blood. Overall,I give the film a 9. It's truly hard for a film to rate a 10 with me, which is the way it should be.
The Silence of the Lambs
(1991)
The "Casablanca" of horror films.
2 May 2004
This is quite possibly the scariest movie since "The Exorcist". Metaphorically speaking, Hannibal Lecter appears to be The Serpent to Clarice Starling's Eve. Hannibal is a member of elite society; a representation of the best our civilization has to offer. His Jeckyl-Hyde persona is a mockery of that civilization, and thus Satan-like. Starling, the would-be savior of the "lambs", is inexplicably drawn to him. This is without a doubt one of the best good-vs-evil stories ever filmed. The cast, from Anthony Hopkins, to Jodie Foster, to Anthony Heald as the creepy Dr. Chilton, to the unforgettable Ted Levine as Buffalo Bill, was remarkable. It would have gotten a 10, but certain plot elements weren't very plausible, such as the FBI assigning a student to the case. Otherwise it was a great film.
Maximum Overdrive
(1986)
Poor adaptation of Stephen King short story.
2 May 2004
This is probably the worst film adaptation of a Stephen King story yet. The AC/DC music in the sound track is the only positive thing about this film, and the only reason I gave it a 3. The film is a commentary on greed and the evils of technology. In a sense, it is reminiscent of The Sorcerer's Apprentice, but badly done. The plot, script, and acting are uninspiring and lame. It's a mystery to me how good actors such as Emilio Estevez and Pat Hingle could become involved in this mess. The well-equipped "armory" in the truck stop basement was unbelievable enough, but how did the characters so quickly learn how to use the automatic weapons and rocket launchers? And why didn't the weapons, being "machines" themselves, turn on the characters as well? Final verdict: 3rd rate drive-in fare.
Tell Your Friends