sublime501 Reviews

American History X (1998)

Amazing, upon first glance.

[8/10 · 25 July 2004]

AMERICAN HISTORY X is the powerful story of a proud skinhead named Derek Vinyard (Edward Norton), who gets sent to jail for 3+ years after murdering a couple of young black men who invade his property. When he gets out, a reformed man, he finds that his younger brother Danny (Edward Furlong) is following in his old footsteps--and even turned in a school paper entitled, "My Mein Kampf." Danny's school principal, Dr. Sweeney (Avery Brooks), tells him to rewrite this paper and instead focus it on his own brother. After Derek attempts to flee from his old skinhead gang, and embarrasses Danny in the process, he tells Danny of the story that led him into jail, and what happened once he was there... which Danny then puts into his paper, in the process known as passing it on.

AMERICAN HISTORY X is one of those movies that, upon first glance, is really amazing; but upon repeated viewings, it becomes easier and easier to notice its glaring flaws. The main flaw here is the script. It is awfully written, although there are several humorous moments and also several powerful ones (probably due to great acting and direction, though). Truly, the only interesting parts of the movie are the ones telling of Derek's past (filmed in black and white for an interesting contrast)--the current events, filmed in color, are rather boring and are most specifically when the terrible script shines through. And, though it's a pretty unrealistic movie for the most part, it's made up for.

Then there are the aspects of the movie that you can't really win or lose with. The acting is the most obvious of this category. Edward Norton is GREAT in his starring role (and, kind of oddly considering he plays a skinhead jerk for most of the movie, very attractive), and really holds the movie together. Edward Furlong is also great, though he receives the brunt of the bad lines in my opinion. Among the supporting cast, Fairuza Balk is good as Derek's girlfriend Stacey; Ethan Suplee is good as Derek and Danny's friend Seth; Jennifer Lien is great as Derek and Danny's sister Davina; and Guy Torry is also great as Derek's fellow inmate Lamont. However, the rest of the cast is pretty bad. Beverly D'Angelo stands out in particular as Derek and Danny's mother Doris, as does Avery Brooks as Dr. Sweeney. The former is very melodramatic and has awful delivery, while the latter is completely monotonous and expressionless. Elliott Gould (as the mother's boyfriend Murray) has bad vocal delivery, but he also appears in one of the most heart-breaking scenes in the film.

There are some very good and powerful moments, though, which can all be credited to Edward Norton's marvelous acting. The dinner scene is very sad and unnerving, while the smiley/arrest scene is almost unbearable to watch because it's so horrific and well-done. Even the second time that I watched the film, and I knew what was coming, I found myself cringing when Derek orders the burglar to put his mouth on the curb. The prison scenes are pretty unnecessary and badly carried out, however. And the ending totally shocked me--I could feel my jaw drop and stay there until the credits rolled.

After first viewing, I was ready to give AMERICAN HISTORY X a 9. After my second viewing, though, I was less impressed (maybe because I wasn't so shocked and amazed by the disturbing and distressing ending), and was ready to give it only a 7. The average of those two: 8/10.

North by Northwest (1959)

Very enjoyable and captivating.

[8/10 · 23 July 2004]

NORTH BY NORTHWEST is the story of a man named Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant), who is mistaken for a government agent by a gang of henchmen. They kidnap him one night and drug him with bourbon, then leave him in a car destined to run off the road into the crashing waters below. Fortunately, he comes to and tells this story to the police, who investigate but find that the facts Roger give them are no longer true. He soon finds himself on the run from the police, and hides in a traveling train, where he meets the mysterious and glamorous Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint), who ultimately leads him to trouble... though he does just fine getting into it on his own.

This is a very enjoyable thriller, much different than most of Hitchcock's other films. The plot is pretty interesting if kind of confusing, and the execution is great. It starts off pretty slow-paced, but quickly gets very interesting and captivating with some great and classic chase scenes. The helicopter scene is unforgettable, as is the final chase scene on Mount Rushmore, which impressed me greatly.

The acting is pretty good, if in that old-fashioned, melodramatic style. Cary Grant starts out kind of bland and stiff, but livens up and is great and very funny as the leading man. Eva Marie Saint is also great as the somewhat conniving, somewhat sweet Eve. The rest of the cast is good and wonderfully overdramatic in the way most actors used to perform. Of course, direction is great.

NORTH BY NORTHWEST isn't quite one of Hitchcock's best, but it's very enjoyable, exciting, and fun. A deserved classic. 8/10.

Mallrats (1995)

Pretty funny... if you're into that stuff.

[6/10 · 22 July 2004]

MALLRATS is the story of two college kids, T.S. Quint (Jeremy London) and Brodie Bruce (Jason Lee), who have just gotten dumped by their girlfriends, Rene (Shannen Doherty) and Brandi (Claire Forlani). To console themselves, they head to the local mall. There they find that Rene has gotten together with Brodie's archenemy from Fashionable Male, Shannon Hamilton (Ben Affleck), and the competition between Shannon and Brodie begins. They also discover that Brandi's father is hosting his game show, Truth or Date, at the mall that day, and T.S. decides to go on the show to win Brandi back. Do our heroes Brodie and T.S. succeed in their quests?

MALLRATS is a pretty typical movie from director Kevin Smith. It's about dimwitted characters doing stupid things, and it's pretty crude, but it's funny. It's pretty slow-paced and the humor comes in odd moments, but it's an entertaining movie. Jay and Silent Bob steal the movie and have the funniest scenes. The actors all do well with their roles, even though the bulk of them don't have good jokes to deliver.

There's not a lot to say about MALLRATS. It's entertaining and pretty funny... if you're into that stuff. 6/10.

Napoleon Dynamite (2004)

Hilarious stupid humor.

[8/10 · 18 July 2004]

NAPOLEON DYNAMITE is the charming story of a small-town boy of the same name (Jon Heder), who is, by definition, a bonafide geek. He doesn't have any real friends and his schoolmates enjoy laughing at him. One day he meets a new student named Pedro (Efren Ramirez), and the two become friends. Napoleon and Pedro go on many adventures, including trying to go after the same girl, Deb (Tina Majorino), and trying to help Pedro win the title of Class President against the popular Summer (Haylie Duff). The two form a great friendship and an inseparable bond.

Okay, so the last part is exaggerated. But NAPOLEON DYNAMITE is a very enjoyable, feel-good comedy that is just jam-packed with laughs. Of course it's incredibly silly, and it's not trying to be a great film. It's meant to be one of those films that you can just sit back and enjoy, not having to think much. And it's one of the best of those kind. It's so silly, but with a very sweet undertone.

Almost all of the jokes are hilarious, and it's cast perfectly. Jon Heder is perfect in his role as the geeky, awkward title character--halfway through the film, you won't be able to even look at him without cracking up. You also won't be able to picture anyone else in his role--he captures it perfectly. Aaron Ruell is also hilarious in the same way as Napoleon's brother Kip, whose only source to the outside world is the chatrooms he visits daily. Jon Gries is okay as Uncle Rico--not really funny, but more pedophilically creepy. Efren Ramirez and Tina Majorino do very well as Napoleon's friends as well.

NAPOLEON DYNAMITE is a very silly movie, but very funny and very enjoyable as well. Most people will probably dismiss it as stupid before they even see it--and while a lot of the humor is stupid, it's hilarious. 8/10.

Ocean's Eleven (2001)

Very fun popcorn movie with a lot of flash.

[7/10 · 18 July 2004]

A remake of the 1960 Rat Pack version, OCEAN'S ELEVEN is about eleven men involved in robbing a Las Vegas casino vault on the night of a big boxing match--when the vault's contents will be at their highest, around $150 million. The leader of this heist is Danny Ocean (George Clooney), fresh out of jail, and his right-hand man is Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt). Things become more complicated as we learn that the owner of the casino in question, Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia), is involved with Danny's ex-wife Tess Ocean (Julia Roberts). The plan unfolds bit by bit, and ultimately unravels in a thrilling conclusion.

*possible spoilers*

OCEAN'S ELEVEN isn't really meant to be a thinking movie, but it does what it comes to do very well. It's a fun popcorn movie, that's really slick and very stylish and cool. Aside from the fact that this could never happen in real life, the movie makes the heist and all of the details of it seem brilliant. Of course the outcome of it is entirely predictable, but the fact that the whole plan unravels perfectly is very impressive. The movie is a ton of fun to watch.

Though this is a big ensemble movie (and with a great cast, too), there's no definitive star. There are a lot of big names, but one of the biggest, Julia Roberts, doesn't get a lot of screen time and has a minor role (an unnecessary and irrelevant one, as well). All of the cast does excellently, though. They aren't given a lot to work with except sit back and look cool, but they pull it off perfectly. Brad Pitt has probably the coolest role, with George Clooney in second.

OCEAN'S ELEVEN won't provide many twists in the plot or even real substance, but there's a lot of flash and it's very fun to watch. Excellently cast and a great ensemble. 7/10.

Snatch (2000)

MAN--Guy Ritchie is a f***ing genius!

[10/10 · 18 July 2004]

SNATCH has two main plots. The first is of an unlicensed boxing promoter named Turkish (Jason Statham) and his sidekick Tommy (Stephen Graham), who get ordered by Brick Top (Alan Ford) to arrange a fight and then throw it. After Turkish and Tommy's original fighter, Gorgeous George (Adam Fogerty), is made unable to fight by the gypsy Mickey (Brad Pitt), the pair convinces Mickey to fight instead. When Mickey fails to go down in the fourth as Brick Top instructs Turkish and Tommy to make him do, he puts the two in a potentially lethal position if he doesn't come through the next time.

The other plot is about a diamond heist. Franky Four Fingers (Benicio Del Toro) and his men steal it initially, but then the diamond is stolen by Vinny (Robbie Gee), Sol (Lennie James), and Tyrone (Ade). Soon Avi (Dennis Farina) and his men, who were supposed to receive the diamond from Franky Four Fingers, come looking for it, putting Vinny, Sol, and Tyrone in potentially lethal situations as well.

Got all of that? I know, it's a lot for just one movie.

But man... SNATCH has to be one of the best movies I've seen recently. I saw it on TV one night and was blown away even then, and knew I had to rent the unedited version. I was very, very impressed. The four main things that make SNATCH so good:

1. The screenplay. It's absolutely hilarious and very well-written. For the most part it's very lighthearted and fun, but there are a couple of really powerful scenes as well (the burning of the caravan and after Gorgeous George gets knocked out). And, might I add, the plots and the way they, and the characters they involve, interact... is genius.

2. The acting. All of the actors are brilliant and perfect in their roles, adding the right amounts of humor and seriousness at the right times. It's hard for me to pick out any standout actors, because they're all terrific--but, if I have to: Jason Statham and Stephen Graham, who make a great pair; Robbie Gee and Lennie James, who also make a great pair; and specifically Brad Pitt as Mickey. Every Brad Pitt movie I see, he proves himself to me more and more as an actor--but this film really sealed the deal for me. Everyone is terrific in this one. The characters are tough and yet wimpy, and there is no definitive good or bad guy, which I really like.

3. The style and creativity. Honestly, from the moment I learned there was a character named Turkish in this movie (by far, the coolest character name I've ever heard), I knew I would think this was an awesome movie--so, from the first line, basically. And this hunch was confirmed by the sequence in which all of the characters are introduced. It's such a slick, stylish movie, and you can tell it's not trying too hard either.

4. The direction, cinematography, and editing. The reason I lumped these three together is because they work so well to complement each other. There are three examples of how well they work together: The diamond heist occurring across the security cameras; the sequence of all the characters being introduced; and the hare coursing scene. Even when I look at any of these scenes individually, I think, "Wow! They're so stylish and well put-together. It's amazing." And it really is. Guy Ritchie is, in my opinion as of now, a f***ing genius.

The only real complaints I can make about SNATCH are that the accents are really, really hard to understand. Although maybe they were made that way to add to the humor, which they certainly do. But I, for one, had to turn on the closed caption if I wanted to understand a bit of what they were saying. Also, there's so much going on and so many characters to keep track of that it can get confusing. I know a couple of details were lost on me, but repeated viewings fix this flaw.

I reserve perfect scores for films that really blow me away, and I don't have a problem giving a perfect score to SNATCH. After watching it, I just sat there shaking my head at how creative and well-done it is. It's an amazing heist movie. 10/10.

Cry-Baby (1990)

Painful.

[3/10 · 17 July 2004]

CRY-BABY is the story of a hoodlum named... Cry-Baby (Johnny Depp) who is your typical stereotype of bad news. He hangs out with his group of friends, whom are called the "Drapes," and has clashes with the other, rich group, called the "Squares." One day, he sees a Square named Allison (Amy Locane) and decides to pursue her. Of course, this causes a big controversy, as two people so different should not be together. Will the love that surfaces between them in their first (and only) night hold them together?

Oy... I really don't know what to say about CRY-BABY, other than that it is a painful movie to watch. I guess I'll get the flaws out of the way first, since there are more of them. The story is incredibly overdone and has been done much, much better. It's full of stereotypes and almost forces you to root for Johnny Depp's character--even though, by the end, I wasn't rooting for anybody. The "jokes" (aka, the things that are supposed to be funny, if this movie confused that meaning for you) are hardly ever chuckle-worthy, and most of the humor is crude and even disgusting. Case in point: the French-kissing scene. It starts out kind of funny at how ludicrous it is, but quickly becomes disgusting and unnecessary. The screenplay is so ridiculous and full of cliches that it's hard not to cringe or roll your eyes at every other line. And, to top it off--the acting is terrible. It was so bad that it almost seemed like it was being done intentionally; and if it was, that should have been made clearer. If this movie was a parody on bad old movies--fine. I'd like it a lot more. But I don't think it is. It's just trying to be one of them.

The good? Well, Johnny Depp has his moments and shows some hints of the greatness to come, but even he is awful in this movie. (He looks absolutely gorgeous though! Wow! I would watch the movie again on mute just to see him, but unfortunately the tracking on the tape I rented is so bad that I can't.) It's fun to see Johnny so young and so long ago, and it's kind of amusing to see Ricki Lake pregnant as Cry-Baby's sister Pepper. And I do have to say that the musical scenes were very good and very well-done, even if it wasn't really them singing. But, on that note--when the hell did this become a musical?

Ultimately, CRY-BABY would never be thought of today if Johnny Depp hadn't starred in it. It has great musical scenes, but God-awful everything else. It was literally painful to watch and I couldn't wait for it to end. It's almost worth it to see Johnny lip-synching, dancing, and impersonating Elvis though... almost. 3/10.

Red Dawn (1984)

Okay war movie.

[5/10 · 17 July 2004]

RED DAWN is set in the time of war, when the Soviet Union takes over the United States. When they capture many of the parents of one city's youth, the teenagers band together to fight back against the Soviets and try to win their country back. The teenagers' unofficial leader is Jed (Patrick Swayze), whose brother is Matt (Charlie Sheen). Other members of the guerrilla squad are Robert (C. Thomas Howell), and Erica (Lea Thompson) and Toni (Jennifer Grey), two girls picked up from friends to keep custody of. In such a rough time as war--how will they all survive?

Let me start off my critique by saying that the plot is absolutely ridiculous. The Soviet Union invading America? Okay. The soldiers capturing parents and leaving teenagers alone on their own? Fine. But those teenagers forming a GUERRILLA army to fight the Soviets? It's unbelievably unrealistic. You can't even fathom any possible way that this could happen. Other than that--the script is awful except for a few great one-liners (most of them given to the character of Robert). The movie is much too long and gets incredibly boring after a while. But, there's some good in everything...

A few of the scenes in RED DAWN are incredibly powerful. The opening sequence of the soldiers sailing down onto the school campus is amazing, and I'll never be able to forget the scene where the boys are driving away in the truck and one of their fathers is left behind. The boy shouts, "Papa! Papa!" And the father is calling out to his son, but the soldiers get him before the boy can. That's heart-wrenching stuff right there. Also, after Jed and Matt see their father in the military camp, and basically any scene involving the teenagers' parents, is great. It's very touching and relatable, as well as the fact that is displays some fine acting. The acting is pretty good for the most part, but the actors really aren't given a lot to work with. The action scenes are all pretty great, but unfortunately more of the focus is on the characters, which, in this case, is insanely boring.

RED DAWN is an okay war movie. If it had instead focused on the characters and them coping with the loss of their parents, that would have been a good movie, given that the elements I described were continued. But instead, this ridiculous plot is thrown in and drawn out. By the end, I really didn't care what happened to the characters. There's a couple of good displays of great acting (C. Thomas Howell in particular does very well, playing the best character in my opinion), and the action scenes are good--but this probably won't interest most people. 5/10.

Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004)

Surprisingly hilarious.

[8/10 · 10 July 2004]

DODGEBALL: A TRUE UNDERDOG STORY is the surprising comedy about the owner of Average Joe's Gym, Peter LaFleur (Vince Vaughn), who finds his gym wanting to be bought out by fitness mogul White Goodman (Ben Stiller) to add to the monolith that is his GloboGym. The only way to prevent his gym from being bought out is to somehow turn up with $50,000--which, needless to say, is quite a stretch. In a moment of genius, one of the gym's attendants, Gordon (Stephen Root), suggests they go to the Dodgeball Championships in Las Vegas and try to win the grand prize of (coincidentally) $50,000. The Average Joe's team assembles and, though they are lousy at first, win the required regional match and are in. With the help of retired dodgeball champ Patches O'Houlihan (Rip Torn), the team improves and goes on to the Championships--where Goodman and his bunch of goons are also playing to try to stop Average Joe's from winning the prize.

Why is DODGEBALL a surprising comedy? Because it's actually hilarious. From the previews, I wouldn't have thought so. But they were misleading--this was an extremely funny film. The main credit should go to Ben Stiller, who was truly hilarious as Goodman. The facial expressions he makes in this movie are classic. Vince Vaughn is given what is, in my opinion, a boring role with few jokes, but he does great with it, as does the rest of the supporting cast with their roles. One of the best comedic ensembles I've seen in a while.

As for the comedy itself... the majority of the physical stuff is stupid. That's what made me think that it looked stupid from the previews--all that they showed was physical stunts. The getting-hit-in-the-balls gag is completely overdone, and used at least 10 times in this movie. The training scenes and the dodgeball games don't strike me as very funny; instead, it's the jokes and particularly Ben Stiller's character that made me crack up. My particular favorite scene involved the painting of the bull--the way it was painted made me almost fall out of my seat with laughter.

The story is overworked, but charming and cute. The outcome of the final dodgeball game is entirely predictable, but still manages to pose as a happy and satisfying end to the movie. The hookup between Peter and his lawyer Kate (Christine Taylor) is completely predictable as well, but this movie adds a funny spin on it. It does well with its plot and doesn't make it boring or uninteresting.

After seeing DODGEBALL, it may have just replaced MEAN GIRLS as the funniest movie I've seen recently. Surprisingly hilarious, minus the overdone and cluttering physical stunts. 8/10.

Highway (I) (2002)

One of the weirdest movies I've ever seen.

[4/10 · 10 July 2004]

A few nights ago, I was in a mild state of insomnia and found that Fox was airing HIGHWAY. I began to watch. The movie is about two insane men, Jack Hayes (Jared Leto) and Pilot Kelson (Jake Gyllenhaal). They flee to Seattle one day after Jack sleeps with the owner of a pool he cleans and her husband's friends ("Miranda's Pandas," Jack and Pilot call them) come after him. Along the way, they encounter Cassie (Selma Blair) being abused by her friend (or more), and decide to pick her up and bring her along for the trip. Meanwhile, Miranda's Pandas learn from Jack and Pilot's stoner friends where they are headed and set off after Jack, intent to break his feet. Johnny the Fox (John C. McGinley), Pilot's stoner friend, comes along for the ride to attend Kurt Cobain's memorial. Will Jack evade Miranda's Pandas?

Usually I would go into more detail about the plot, but I really don't know what a lot of it is about. There were several scenes that were absolutely lost upon me (the scene where Johnny the Fox and Pilot are spinning around, high on drugs, and there's some nonsense being muttered, in particular). And above all, I really don't know what to make of this movie. I wouldn't call it a drama by any means, but I wouldn't necessarily call it a comedy either. I would call it a mixed bag.

There are a few scenes that are pretty funny--the beginning, mainly, and some of the part about the sideshow feature the Alligator Boy. But most of the scenes are just incredibly weird. It's a pretty entertaining movie for the most part, although by the end I found myself not really caring what happened to the characters (though that could have been sleep calling to me).

The oddest thing about this movie was the characters and the actors who played them. All of the characters were insane in their own way, though Pilot is a definite standout as the weirdest. The main thing I wondered while watching HIGHWAY was what possessed Jared Leto and Jake Gyllenhaal to do this movie. They were both in versatile and great projects prior to this--why this movie? The fact that they were in it was quite a shock to me, to say the least.

All in all, HIGHWAY left me completely baffled. The story's pretty entertaining, but the characters and the majority of the scenes are completely insane. This is, without a doubt, one of the weirdest movies I've ever seen. 4/10.

The Outsiders (1983)

Doesn't quite pack a punch.

[7/10 · 10 July 2004]

THE OUTSIDERS is the tale of different classes growing up in Oklahoma (I think), divided into the Socs and the greasers. The Socs are upper-class, snotty, and arrogant; the greasers are lower-class, humble and typically nice, but more than willing to fight if provoked. One night, Ponyboy Curtis (C. Thomas Howell) and Johnny Cade (Ralph Macchio) find themselves being chased by some drunken Socs. When they try to drown Ponyboy, Johnny stabs and kills the leader Bob (Leif Garrett) in an attempt to save his friend, causing the rest of the Socs to scatter. When Ponyboy comes to, the friends realize what they've done and run to Dally (Matt Dillon) for a place to hide out. He sends them to an abandoned church in a nearby town, where they stay for a few days until the heat dies down. In the midst of this, the two become close friends.

When Dally returns to tell them that the news is quieted down and they have Bob's girlfriend Cherry (Diane Lane) testifying for the greasers, Ponyboy and Johnny decide to return to town. When they recede to the church to collect what few things they had there, they find that it has set fire and several kids are trapped inside! Ponyboy, Johnny, and (reluctantly) Dally step in to help them. They save all of the children successfully, and Ponyboy gets out all right, but Dally has some burns and Johnny's back was broken by a falling beam. The three return to their hometown (though Dally and Johnny are in the hospital) and find themselves rendered heroes. Meanwhile, the two groups are about to have a rumble to settle their differences once and for all, and everything boils up to a tragic conclusion.

I used to love THE OUTSIDERS, but re-watching it recently, I wasn't quite sure why. It's a pretty good movie, but it definitely has its fair share of flaws. Though I read the book and loved the story, it's definitely not expressed as well in the movie (though that's to be expected). Many of the moments that could be viewed by many as symbolic and touching, I view as cheesy. And there are a lot of these moments--they're almost cringe-worthy. There's one flashback sequence that is quite unnecessary and very corny--but only one, which is good. It's not nearly as powerful and sad as it could have been, but I'm unsure who to blame this on. The other main flaw is Matt Dillon's acting in this one--he was great at playing an insensitive jerk, but he was terrible whenever he tried to show emotion.

However, with the bad comes the good. The story is great (though the deleted scenes of the Curtis brothers' bond would have added a lot to the movie), and executed quite well. Most of the other actors are great in their roles, namely C. Thomas Howell and Ralph Macchio as the two leads. The supporting cast is great too, namely Patrick Swayze and Rob Lowe as Ponyboy's brothers Darry and Sodapop--though their characters were underdeveloped. Diane Lane was great as the greasers' "spy" Cherry, and Leif Garrett was as well, surprisingly. It's fun to see famous actors of today back then--especially Tom Cruise in a small role.

THE OUTSIDERS is a pretty good movie with a great storyline and great acting (for the most part). It has a great display of cheesy moments (far too many), and a great tragic ending, but it doesn't quite pack a punch. 7/10.

Giant (1956)

Dean's best performance... too bad the movie doesn't match up.

[7/10 · 6 July 2004]

GIANT is the tale of a man named Jordan "Bick" Benedict (Rock Hudson), who visits Maryland one day to look at a horse to bring back to his ranch in Texas. There he ends up meeting his future wife Leslie (Elizabeth Taylor), and brings her back to his homeland. At first she has a hard time fitting in and seeing the ways of Texas--instead of going along with being arrogant, selfish, and old-fashioned, she tries to help the sick Hispanic servants on the Benedict land. Leslie and Bick are both set in their ways--Bick just goes along with believing that these "wetbacks" are no good, while Leslie believes that they're people too and deserve that right. Also caught up in this mix is Jett Rink (James Dean), who works for Bick but is disliked by him. Jett becomes infatuated with Leslie from the beginning, but is considered only a friend by her and must accept that.

After Jett is given a piece of land through a will, he strikes black gold on it one day and becomes a high-profile billionaire. Meanwhile, Leslie and Bick recover from a brief separation and raise their three kids. Bick is upset because his son (Dennis Hopper) does not want to inherit the Benedict land and continue in that tradition, and Leslie is upset because her daughter Luz (Carroll Baker) wants to attend Texas Tech, a "man's school." Leslie is conforming to the close-minded beliefs of the Texan people. However, when the Benedicts learn of Jett's plan to open a hotel nearby, they go to show him that the Benedicts are doing too badly for themselves either. The tension mounts, boils over, and ultimately comes to a thrilling conclusion.

GIANT, for me, is a mix of good and bad. Maybe I'm biased in that this is a James Dean movie, and I adore him, so maybe I make more allowances for this movie than I would if it didn't star him. Anyway, since I'm from New Mexico myself, I liked the scenery and atmosphere of the film and it gave it a nice familiar feeling for me. The acting is spectacular, as expected--James Dean is fabulous as always, delivering what I consider to be his best performance. Rock Hudson is also wonderful and Liz Taylor really impressed me as Leslie (I loved her character as well). The supporting cast is good as well and everyone seems to hold the film together. The whole subject of racism and sexism was pretty taboo at the time this movie came out--of course now it's much more talked about and less common in that right. I like that this movie was that adventurous and daring in its subject matter.

Now, the bad. This film is much too long. Many of the scenes seem entirely unnecessary altogether. Some of the actors don't do so well in parts, and much of the dialogue is inaudible. I had to turn the closed caption on, in fact! I'm not sure if this is the result of bad technology or just mumbling. The ending was pretty lame, and some scenes are so cheesy and fake that it almost makes me cringe. And most importantly, many parts are rather boring.

Maybe I am just biased, but GIANT is probably held on a higher pedestal than it would be solely because it stars James Dean. He does a great job as usual and the most memorable (and best) scene of the movie focuses on him. (The scene to which I refer is when Jett discovers the oil and runs to the Benedict house, covered in it, to gloat.) And though GIANT has its share of good points, it's not a terrifically great movie. Dean makes it happen. 7/10.

Secret Window (2004)

Smart psychological thriller made fun by Johnny.

[7/10 · 5 July 2004]

In SECRET WINDOW, Johnny Depp plays Mort Rainey, a slightly eccentric author in the midst of a divorce with his wife Amy (Maria Bello), and who lives with only his dog Chico in a remote lake town. One day, a man named John Shooter (John Turturro) shows up and claims that Mort stole his story and claimed it as his own. At first Mort ignores Shooter's threats, but Shooter proves that he is not one to be toyed with--targeting first Chico, and eventually teasing Amy and the man she left Mort for, Ted (Timothy Hutton). Mort is shaky about Shooter's actions, but refuses to let his guard down and willing to fight with him till the end.

This movie is a pretty smart thriller. Though most of the scares in this movie are highly predictable, the tension is built up incredibly well. In fact, even in moments in which I knew what was coming (i.e. Chico), I found myself nervous and tense, awaiting the exact moment it would come. And I can honestly say that I didn't know about or expect the twist in the plot until it was spelled out to me--that may be pathetic on my part, but I really didn't see it coming. The pinnacle of the film is very thrilling and unsettling, and a great conclusion. The rest of the scenes following the twist are very well-crafted and spooky, namely the ending, which managed to be funny and freaky all at once.

SECRET WINDOW is a pretty good psychological thriller. Of course anything with Johnny Depp in it is going to be fun, and this is no exception. Though his role is pretty dramatic, he manages to capture Mort Rainey's complexities and add a lot of personality to the character, delivering many good humorous moments as well. It needn't be stated that Johnny Depp is a fantastic actor. John Turturro is also good and genuinely creepy as John Shooter, Mort's pursuer. Maria Bello and Timothy Hutton both do well in supporting roles.

The direction and cinematography are both great as well. I noticed a lot of Hitchcockian references in the camera angles (like the angle of Mort climbing the stairs), which I liked. The scenes are all put together well, I thought. I don't quite understand why people seem to be so down on this movie. Or maybe I'm biased in thinking that Johnny Depp can do no wrong.

SECRET WINDOW is a fun, spooky, smart psychological thriller. Johnny Depp makes it much more fun than it would be with any other actor in the lead role. 7/10.

Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)

Unbelievably biased, but it makes its point.

[7/10 · 3 July 2004]

FAHRENHEIT 9/11, Michael Moore's new documentary, focuses on the happenings prior to and following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. More specifically, it focuses on Bush's actions concerning the attacks and how shady it all seems to be. It seems to be a pretty unnecessary documentary, considering half of America (or more) already knows this and feels this way. But it is already, needless to say, very popular and making tons of money--somewhat ironically.

I think Michael Moore makes great documentaries, even if they are incredibly biased. This film is no exception--nearly every scene is trying to exploit the opinion that Bush is an idiot who never deserved to be elected. And while I agree with a lot of the opinions stated in the movie, I can see that these same opinions would upset a lot of Bush's followers. I won't state any of my own opinions here, because this is not the place, but the movie is certainly convincing in what it chooses to debate. And there certainly are a lot of facts that have been overlooked by many (including myself) and will make a lot of the people in the audience think, "Huh. Never knew that. How interesting." It really is remarkable some of the links and ties that are pointed out in FAHRENHEIT 9/11--but this could just be the use of clever editing and bias.

I think Michael Moore's last documentary was much better than this one--although, BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE also had a lot less to be biased about and it wasn't on a subject as touchy and uncomfortable as our president and one of the most awful, high-profile terrorist attacks on our country in history. FAHRENHEIT 9/11 does not disappoint though--it has its fair share of good points and powerful moments (a lot of the scenes involving the mother of a dead soldier in Iraq are very heart-wrenching and moving), and even throws in some good humorous moments. But it's very one-sided (as is to be expected), and almost pretentious in its delivery.

FAHRENHEIT 9/11 is likely to be a huge hit, and though it's incredibly biased and will be hated by many for this reason, it makes its point. 7/10.

I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998)

At least mildly entertaining--but not much else.

[3/10 · 25 June 2004]

I STILL KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER, the follow-up to I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER, has even less to offer than the original. This time around, only Julie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) and Ray (Freddie Prinze, Jr.) survive of the original group of four teens. The other two are replaced by Karla (Brandy) and her boyfriend Tyrell (Mekhi Phifer). Julie and Karla win a trip to the tropics from a radio station, and bring Tyrell and another friend Will (Matthew Settle) along for the ride. Little do they know, that the killer that haunted Julie a while ago is back to terrorize the group some more.

While the original was pretty bad, the sequel is flat-out ridiculous. The script is even more pretentious and cheesy, and the new characters are even more wooden and flat than the old ones. While the scares in the first one were pretty predictable, the surprises in this one are entirely predictable--virtually no surprise whatsoever. There is one thing that is mildly shocking, but that happens at the very end, right before the group gets off the island. To go that long without a good scare is almost a disgrace. In fact, I would consider this movie a disgrace to the horror genre. But there is one genuinely creepy moment--when we find out who the killer is. The look on the killer's face at that point in the movie is kind of scary, but that's literally where the scares end.

The acting is decent, at least. Jennifer Love Hewitt's one display of true talent comes at the very beginning in her dream sequence, but it's not her fault. There's just no room for talent to be displayed. She does all right in the rest of the film. Brandy does a pretty good job of acting scared, as does Mekhi Phifer. And Freddie Prinze, Jr., revives basically the same role he had in the original movie. The various unnecessary side characters do okay. Look for Jack Black and Bill Cobbs giving cameos in the movie's most stereotyped and unnecessary roles.

In short, I STILL KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER is a disgrace to the genre, and even to the original. It offers virtually nothing--but it's at least mildly entertaining. In parts. 3/10.

I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)

Ridiculous, but one of the best teen slasher movies.

[5/10 · 25 June 2004]

I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER is one of the first of the teen slasher genre, and it's probably one of the best. But that's not to say it's a good movie. It's the story of four teenagers: Julie (Jennifer Love Hewitt), Ray (Freddie Prinze, Jr.), Barry (Ryan Phillippe), and Helen (Sarah Michelle Gellar). On the 4th of July one year, they drunkenly hit a man crossing the road and dump his body in the lake so as to hide the evidence. But a year later, someone begins sending Julie threatening notes stating that they "know what she did last summer." Whoever is sending these notes begins to stalk the four of them with one thing in mind--vengeance.

Considering that the teen slasher genre is a rather simple and shallow one, calling I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER one of the best of the genre doesn't say much. The premise is a lot more clever than those of most of the genre, but it's not carried out very well. The majority of the movie is the four teens trying to solve the mystery of who is doing these things to them, while the actual slashing is only a feature of the movie. That's a good thing, but the actual detective work isn't very interesting in itself. And the slashing... well, let's just say that it's very predictable and timed just right, with only one or two scares/surprises throughout the whole movie. The score lets you know exactly when and where the parts that are supposed to be scary come in. And the script is almost ridiculous.

Almost everything is overacted and very melodramatic. Jennifer Love Hewitt is actually a good actress, but her role is very limited and doesn't require much. She seems to get the brunt of the corny lines and moments. Ryan Phillippe is actually pretty good as the arrogant and brash Barry, even though his role is very limited as well. Freddie Prinze, Jr., and Sarah Michelle Gellar deliver pretty wooden performances, though you can't really blame them as they're given very little to work with. Anne Heche does all right in an unnecessary cameo.

I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER is a pretty ridiculous film, but if you're into the genre, you can't get much better. 5/10.

The Princess Bride (1987)

Truly magical.

[9/10 · 25 June 2004]

THE PRINCESS BRIDE is the story told to a sick boy (Fred Savage) by his grandfather (Peter Falk) one day. In it, a woman named Buttercup (Robin Wright Penn) and her love Westley (Cary Elwes) are separated by cause of him having to go out and seek his fortune. Buttercup is led to believe that Westley is dead, but he returns five years later, dressed as the Dread Pirate Roberts, and rescues her from three thieves. Westley defeats the first, Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin), in a fencing duel; the second, Fezzik (Andre the Giant), in a battle of strength; and the third, Vizzini (Wallace Shawn), in a battle of wits. He then claims his prize and they head off to marry, but there is one problem: Buttercup is already arranged to be married to Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon). Westley is captured by the Prince's men and held captive for the ten days prior to Buttercup and the Prince's wedding. Does Westley defeat the men and get the girl?

THE PRINCESS BRIDE is one of those movies that is essentially perfect. The story is amazing and romantic, all of the characters are developed and acted to perfection, and all of the other creatures are just fantastical and scary enough to seem real. There are literally almost no flaws in this movie. Just the right bits of humor, romance, action, and fantasy are mixed in, and the result is spectacular. The love story is one of the most romantic and realistic I've ever seen, while the fantasy bits are practically unmatched. Nearly every scene is considered a classic in some way, and the build-up makes the end thoroughly satisfying and amazing. My particular favorite scenes include all of Westley's battles with the men, the ROUSes and the rest of the Fire Swamp, and Mandy Patinkin's classic scene: "Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." Rob Reiner is a marvelous director.

As for the acting, everyone is... well, perfect. Mandy Patinkin plays probably the most famous character, Inigo Montoya, to perfection, and Andre the Giant is wonderful as the big, but kindhearted, Fezzik. Their accomplice Vizzini is brought well to life by Wallace Shawn. Robin Wright Penn is spectacular, as is Cary Elwes as probably my favorite character of the movie. Wonderful cameos are made by countless celebrites; among them, Billy Crystal, Christopher Guest, and Peter Cook. The cast is virtually perfect--every part is acted to a tee and brings the story more to life than you'd expect was possible.

THE PRINCESS BRIDE is a delightful movie. Hilarious, fun, romantic, charming, thrilling, magical... in a nutshell, almost perfect. It's not the best film I've ever seen, but it ranks right up there and is pure enjoyment in what filmmaking should be. 9.5/10.

Beetlejuice (1988)

Mild dark comedy.

[6/10 · 24 June 2004]

BEETLE JUICE is the tale of Adam and Barbara (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis), a couple who die but don't really know it until they discover a new family moving into their house. This family consists of dad Charles (Jeffrey Jones), stepmom Delia (Catherine O'Hara), and daughter Lydia (Winona Ryder). Since Adam and Barbara are confined to their old house by the powers of the afterlife, they call upon "bio-exorcist" Beetle Juice (Michael Keaton) to try to get the new family to move out. However, the spirits simply appeal to the family and hence, they don't want to leave. Does Beetle Juice succeed in his mission?

This movie is probably considered by many to be Tim Burton's best. It's certainly one of the most popular. But I have to disagree. Though Burton is a master director and is very stylish, BEETLE JUICE just doesn't sit well with me. It's supposed to be a dark comedy, and it is indeed dark, but I definitely don't find it to be very funny. It's not that the idea of making fun of death offends me or anything (actually, quite the contrary); I just don't find the jokes, for the most part, to be humorous.

Also, the special effects are incredibly cheesy by today's standards. The Claymation scenes are almost ridiculous, but add a certain charming campiness to the whole film. Burton does set up many classic imageries, however (i.e., the snake, the faces Adam and Barbara put on to try to scare the family, the entire waiting room and its occupants). And there are a few timelessly classic scenes as well--namely, the wedding, the "Day-oh" dinner party, and the dancing sequence at the end.

The acting is decent. Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis are both good, if miscast. Jeffrey Jones and Catherine O'Hara are also good and occasionally funny as the parents of the family, while Winona Ryder puts in a solid and humorous performance as the depressed Lydia, in one of her first acting roles. But I think it was Michael Keaton, in the title role, that completely ruined the film for me. He was certainly charismatic, but I found him to be rather annoying. I also think he got the brunt of the jokes that were supposed to be funny, but aren't. Or maybe it's because of him that they aren't funny.

I thought BEETLE JUICE would be a pretty enjoyable dark comedy, but I didn't like it much. A lot of the jokes fail, and Michael Keaton puts in an extremely irritating performance. But, Tim Burton is an excellent director and manages to execute many memorable scenes and visuals. 6/10.

The Sandlot (1993)

Very enjoyable feel-good movie.

[8/10 · 23 June 2004]

THE SANDLOT is quite possibly one of the best "family films" ever made. In it, a young, studious, unpopular boy named Scotty Smalls (Tom Guiry) moves to a suburb just before school lets out for the summer, and concurrently has a hard time making friends. He frequently sees kids playing baseball in a sandlot in his neighborhood, and wants to make friends with them. He figures the best way to do this is to join in on their baseball games--but alas, Scotty has almost no baseball skills, while the other kids are very experienced and good at the game. One day, the neighborhood hero Benny (Mike Vitar) approaches Scotty and asks if he'd like some pointers and to join in on their game. Scotty agrees, and slowly improves, while making friends with the other boys in the neighborhood.

But one day, Scotty foolishly takes his stepfather's baseball autographed by Babe Ruth and knocks it into the adjacent backyard. This backyard, as Scotty is informed, is home to The Beast, a monstrous dog that, as legend has it, ate the only other boy who was daring enough to go after a baseball in that yard. The boys devise a plan to get the ball back, one way or another.

I watched THE SANDLOT several times growing up, and remember always loving it. When I watched it again recently, I realized exactly why--it's a great movie. Just the right balance of childhood innocence and experience is captured, and this movie is bound to make any adult remember his childhood and all the different aspects of it. The summertime atmosphere and almost all of the scenes are terrifically nostalgic. Some of the scenes involving The Beast are hilarious, and everything has a nice familiar feel to it. It's a wonderful feel-good film.

All of the actors put in at least average performances. Most of the child actors are just okay, with a few exceptions. Tom Guiry is good as the awkward and naive Scotty, as is Patrick Renna as the outspoken and witty Hamilton. I think the real standout of the actors, though, is Mike Vitar as Benny. He was excellent as the kindhearted, but still very cool hero of the neighborhood, the guy that everyone loved. He showed real promise, and it's a shame that he didn't continue with his acting career. The cameos from James Earl Jones and Denis Leary are also nice.

I always loved watching THE SANDLOT growing up, and now I remember why. It's a great family film that is very entertaining and enjoyable to watch. I'm sure I'll watch it again years from now and remember just why I loved it. 8/10.

Say Anything (1989)

A perfect romantic comedy.

[8/10 · 23 June 2004]

SAY ANYTHING... is the story of a charming, well-liked guy named Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack), who ends up falling for a girl very different from him--the Valedictorian of his graduating class, Diane Court (Ione Skye). Lloyd doesn't even know what he wants to do now that he's out of high school, while Diane has it all figured out. She even received, and accepted, a fellowship to attend college in England. Though they both know this, Lloyd and Diane begin to get pretty serious, and end up falling in love. However, Diane's father James (John Mahoney) soon becomes wound up in financial problems, and Diane decides that, with all the trouble and her leaving soon to England, it would be best for her and Lloyd to split up. This decision devastates the both of them, but maybe it ends up being for the best... or maybe not.

SAY ANYTHING... could very well be the best romantic comedy I've ever seen. It's actually more of a romantic drama than a comedy, but whatever. Instead of most modern romantic comedies that are about nothing more than puppy love, this film instead focuses on real love and strong bonds and relationships. The story is extremely sweet, almost so much so that it would have made an inevitably cheesy movie, but it didn't. It's carried out perfectly, and I literally can't find a single flaw in the execution. There are tons of memorable scenes, namely the classic boombox scene, which is incredibly sweet and touching and even made me cry.

The acting in this movie is exceptional. John Cusack is absolutely perfect as the hero Lloyd, creating the movie's most likable character, and I'm sure he made many women wish they could find a guy just like him. Ione Skye and James Mahoney also put in wonderful performances, and many of the members of the supporting cast are good and fun as well. But I definitely think Lloyd steals the show.

In short, SAY ANYTHING... is, in my opinion, one of the best romantic comedies made so far, and certainly the best one I've ever seen. The story is timeless and sweet, and hopefully will hold up as the definitive classic it has been regarded as. 8.5/10.

Urban Legend (1998)

A basic teen slasher movie that's just slightly above the rest of the pack.

[5/10 · 20 June 2004]

URBAN LEGEND is the story of a college campus invaded by a serial killer. (Sound familiar?) Among the students at this college are Paul (Jared Leto), Natalie (Alicia Witt), Brenda (Rebecca Gayheart), and Sasha (Tara Reid). However, this serial killer has a bit of a different intention. He/she kills people by way of old urban legends that were never really true... until now.

Although the premise of URBAN LEGEND is much more interesting and original than that of most teen slasher movies, it's still a very mediocre movie. Some of the actors, i.e. Alicia Witt and Jared Leto, are actually good actors, but they're given nothing to work with and thus don't show their talent. The screenplay is bad and at times even ridiculous, especially Natalie's flashback sequence and the scene in which the killer confesses his/her motive. Speaking of which, those scenes are total cliches, and there are many more of those horror film cliches present in this movie, including the helpless, defenseless girls who get killed, the inevitable hookup, and the crazy old man at the gas station.

However, this movie does have a couple of good points. The premise, as I said, is pretty intriguing and original, and there are a couple of good twists in the plot. One minute you're convinced that one person did it, then your mind gets changed in a matter of minutes. The ending, too, is somewhat clever and almost chilling, surprisingly.

A couple of good points can't save URBAN LEGEND, however. It's another teen slasher flick that's slightly above the rest of the pack, but still very mediocre. Jared Leto's hot though. 5/10.

Pretty in Pink (1986)

A cute love story spoiled by a slightly disappointing ending.

[7/10 · 20 June 2004]

PRETTY IN PINK is the tale of an original, but slightly outcast, girl named Andie Walsh (Molly Ringwald) who is from the poorer part of her town. She never minded this until one day when the rich, "preppy" Blane McDonnagh (Andrew McCarthy) asks her if she'd like to go out sometime. All of Blane's rich preppy friends immediately disapprove, and Andie gets caught in the middle when her own best friend Duckie (Jon Cryer) disapproves as well. Andie decides to go out with Blane anyway, although their first date ends up being somewhat of a disaster. Blane takes Andie to his friend Steff's (James Spader) house party, where nearly everyone snubs her, and Andie is embarrassed to let Blane see where she lives and what kind of house it is. In the end, Andie has to decide whether pursuing potential love is worth the humiliation she receives from everyone else for doing so.

PRETTY IN PINK is the last of the three famous Molly Ringwald-John Hughes collaborations, and is also the least favorable, in my opinion. Which is not to say that it's not a good movie, though. While its two predecessors dealt more with status and popularity issues, this movie deals with a more serious topic of class differences. However, I find this to be a pretty unrealistic scenario by today's standards and not very easy to relate to, in my case at least. However, the whole concept of two lovers dating despite their differences and everyone else's disapproval is pretty cool and receives my commendation. The ending, though, is a bit of a disappointment.

What I really commend the movie on, however, is its portrayal of what love is really like. It manages to show just how beautiful it can be at times, and just how destructive it is most of the time. Having experienced something similar to Andie's struggle, I have to say that that feature of the movie made it a lot more personable and relatable for me, taking on a deeper meaning than it probably would for others who haven't experienced such a battle.

As far as technical aspects go... well, what can you say. The acting is terrific, namely from the always-great Molly Ringwald and the spectacularly wacky Jon Cryer as the film's most memorable character by far, Duckie. Jon Cryer easily delivers the film's best performance, along with most of its best lines. Annie Potts is also wonderful and funny as Andie's coworker Iona. John Hughes was a great director, even though his area of expertise was '80s teen movies--but, let's face it, no one could have done them better.

To wrap it up, PRETTY IN PINK is a cute love story with fantastic acting and characters that manages to capture a bit of the true essence of love, even if it is a bit disappointing in the end. 7/10.

Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997)

Average comedy with excellent casting.

[7/10 · 16 June 2004]

ROMY AND MICHELE'S HIGH SCHOOL REUNION is one of those movies that isn't necessarily terrific, but very lovable nonetheless. It's the story of Romy White (Mira Sorvino) and Michele Weinberger (Lisa Kudrow), best friends living in LA who get news of their ten-year high school reunion going on in Tucson. They want to go, but the problem is that they've done nothing with their lives that they're really proud of. Romy has a very mediocre job, while Michele is unemployed altogether, and they don't have boyfriends, let alone husbands. The two begin to reflect on how they were treated by the popular crowd in high school and how hard they tried to fit in, and decide that they'll make up successful life stories to tell to their former classmates at the reunion. But ultimately, they learn that trying to fit in isn't worth masking who they really are.

On the surface, ROMY AND MICHELE'S HIGH SCHOOL REUNION is just your average comedy. The story is far from original, and all of the high school-related cliches are present. Even the jokes aren't so funny, although there are some that are very entertaining.

What really holds the movie together is the characters and the actors that play them. The characters don't necessarily have so much depth, but the actors manage to make them come alive. Every actor is great and funny in their role, namely the two title roles, Alan Cumming as Sandy Frink, and especially Janeane Garofalo as Heather Mooney. Janeane Garofalo is truly wonderful and adds a darker, more comedic mood to any scene she is. Also mentionable is Camryn Manheim as Toby Walters, and all of the actresses playing the "A-group."

ROMY AND MICHELE'S HIGH SCHOOL REUNION isn't the best comedy you can find out there. It's highly unoriginal and not very funny per se, but very entertaining nonetheless. The actors make the story come alive and in turn make it a very fun movie to watch. 7/10.

This Is Spinal Tap (1984)

Truly ingenious film.

[8/10 · 14 June 2004]

THIS IS SPINAL TAP is a "rockumentary" chronicling the fictitious UK band Spinal Tap on a US tour. This band consists of lead singer David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean), lead guitarist Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest), bassist Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer), drummer Mick Shrimpton (R.J. Parnell), keyboardist Viv Savage (David Kaff), and their manager Ian Faith (Tony Hendra). Unfortunately, Spinal Tap's followers are thinning out, and all of their marketing schemes seem to fall short, causing Faith to quit as the manager and David's girlfriend Jeanine Pettibone (June Chadwick) to take over, becoming something of a Yoko Ono. General band conflicts ensue.

THIS IS SPINAL TAP is an incredibly clever parody on many (or maybe all) metal bands of the '80s. They have their gimmicks, their crazy stage antics, and their animosities and comradery. Some of the jokes in the movie are sheerly random (the cucumber in Derek's pants at the airport), while some are just ingenious (the amp that goes up to 11 instead of 10). But everything is truly hilarious, and will make you ask yourself, "What the hell?!" through your laughter. Other high points include the Stonehenge performance, Nigel's song in D minor, and the cover of Spinal Tap's new album, "Smell the Glove."

What an inventive movie. The script is absolutely classic, and all of the actors are priceless and great in their roles, namely Michael McKean and Christopher Guest as the Lennon and McCartney of Spinal Tap. The movie is only topped off by the hilarious and well-played concert scenes. There's nothing artificial or even boring about THIS IS SPINAL TAP. One of the funniest movies I've seen in a while. 8.5/10.

Ordinary People (1980)

Top-notch acting.

[8/10 · 14 June 2004]

ORDINARY PEOPLE, based on the novel by Judith Guest, is about a family in ruins after the eldest son Buck (played only in flashback sequences by Scott Doebler) is killed in a boating accident. The other son, Conrad (played terrifically by Timothy Hutton), attempted suicide not long after the accident, and left his mother Beth (Mary Tyler Moore) and his father Calvin (Donald Sutherland) lost and unsure what to do to help the family anymore. That is, if anything can be done at all.

The story of ORDINARY PEOPLE is very troubling and sad, but it's really the acting that makes the movie as good as it is. Timothy Hutton is excellent and truly gut-wrenching in his role as Conrad, showing more emotion and range in one movie than most actors could show in three (and at the mere age of 19). He was definitely deserving of his Oscar. Mary Tyler Moore is wonderful as well as the cold, unforgiving mother, managing to be perfectly despicable but still sympathy-provoking. Donald Sutherland takes a bit of a backseat to his co-stars, but still delivers a strong and emotive performance. Judd Hirsch is also good in a more minor role as Conrad's psychiatrist, Dr. Berger. This film is one of those rare cases in which the movie overshadows the book, and this is due largely in part to the acting.

However, although the acting is top-notch, that's not to say that this movie is perfect. The directing, screenplay, and cinematography are all wonderful, and there are many moments that are heart-breaking and poignant. But there are also several moments that are rather... well, lame. The scene in which Conrad sings, "Hallelujah," for example, is cute at first, but a little too drawn-out, as is Calvin's jogging scene. The use of flashbacks is also very overdone in this film, occurring either with voice-overs or actual footage. Sometimes this technique is used well and appropriately, like when flashbacks involving Buck or Conrad's friend Karen (Dinah Manoff) are shown. But sometimes the technique is out of place and unnecessary altogether, like when Calvin is running and reminiscent voices go through his head. That's my main complaint about the movie.

However, ORDINARY PEOPLE's strengths outweigh its flaws by a long shot. It's a good old movie with excellent acting, wonderful story-telling, and a troubling plotline. But it's not quite the powerful tearjerker it could have been. 8/10.