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478,144 | 463,200 | 192,071 | 7 | Pretty good | Burke ( Ben Foster ) is dumped by Allison ( Melissa Sagemiller ) . She then starts dating obnoxious English boy Striker ( Shane West ) . Burke tries out for a school play - - a rock version of " A Midsummer Night's Dream " - - just to be near Allison . He's totally unaware that his best friend's little sister ( Kirsten Dunst ) is attracted to him . Guess how it turns out ? Aside from two flashes of nudity and an astounding amount of swearing for a PG-13 movie , this is a cute and harmless teen movie . It's definetely better than writer / director Tommy O'Haver's last film ( " Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss " ) . I'll list the bad and good things about this movie : The bad : Foster is way too nerdy to be likable ; West's imitation of an English accent is hysterically bad ; Martin Short is really REALLY irritating as the school drama coach and some jokes are real groaners . The good : Dunst is very good and stops the show when she sings " Dream of Me " ; the songs and dances aren't half bad and full of color and energy ; Sagemiller is beautiful and very appealing ; West ( accent aside ) is really handsome and hunky and dir . O'Haver has a real flair for directing dance & music numbers - - he should really do a musical next . So - - an OK teen film . |
478,335 | 463,200 | 67,384 | 7 | Not really a giallo but pretty good | American reporter Gregory Moore ( played by French Jean Sorel ) is in Prague with fellow reporters Jessica ( Ingrid Thulin ) and Jack ( Mario Ardof ) . He prepares to leave and go to England with Czech girlfriend Myra ( Barbara Bach ) . However she suddenly disappears without a trace . Moore starts to investigate but the police try to block him , his friends tell him to forget her and a mysterious man is following him . . . This is advertised as an Italian giallo but I don't think it really is . At the end it becomes one but about 85 % of the movie is just a thriller - - a good thriller but not a giallo . The title means next to nothing ( as the director says in a short interview on the DVD ) . It was supposed to be called " Short Night of the Butterfly " ( which does work ) but it had to be changed at the last minute . " Glass Dolls " was just picked out of thin air . The film is hurt by poor dubbing - - some of the dialogue is virtually incomprehensible . I had to keep turning the volume up and down to hear ! That aside this is a good movie . The plot is complex and it's beautifully directed . The DVD of this has a gorgeous transfer . The acting is good by everybody - - especially Sorel and Thulin . There's also a beautiful score by Ennio Morricone that perfectly fits the film . All in all a good strong thriller worth catching . |
479,655 | 463,200 | 94,357 | 7 | Not as good as the first | The first " Better Tomorrow " was superb . . . quick , engrossing and VERY violent . This sequel is good , but not up to the first . The story is by-the-numbers ( gangster tries to go good , but people won't let him ) , women are treated as nothing and there's HUGE gaps in reality ( check one of the closing scenes when a man calls his wife in the hospital ) . Also , the acting ( with the exception of Chow-Yun Fat ) is laughable . Still , I was never bored . The action is explosive , the movie barely stops and the body count is easily in the triple digits . Worth watching , but no great shakes . |
479,335 | 463,200 | 187,696 | 7 | Bad dubbing hurts but I liked it | I saw ( unfortunately ) the dubbed version on Encore . Student Paula Henning ( Franka Potente who was also in the cult favorite " Run Lola Run " ) stars as a serious medical student who gets into a prestigious school in Germany . But she soon discovers that some students go missing and the bodies they work on in the anatomy lab are incredibly fresh . . . I was stuck seeing the dubbed version on Encore . It hurt a lot ( the words not matching the lips got annoying real quick ) but I still liked what I saw . The acting was good , it was beautifully photographed , it wasn't TOO gruesome and I was never bored . Even more refreshing was a likable heroine who fights back when the bad guys go after her . The ( mild ) nudity was , in a refreshing twist , male ! A previous poster mentions Benno Furmann ( who is excellent ) showed his butt but I don't remember seeing it . Regardless this is a well done , scary and excellent thriller . From all I've read the original German language version is the best ( I don't doubt that for one second ) but the dubbed version is watchable . I give this a 7 . |
477,242 | 463,200 | 55,633 | 7 | Well done but tame | A bunch of white gang members stab to death a blind Puerto Rican boy . Assistant D . A . Burt Lancaster is trying to get the death penalty for the three boys who attacked him . . . but are they all guilty ? I suppose this was hard-hitting in 1961 but it's very tame by today's standards . Teenagers killing teenagers is ( sadly ) no longer that shocking . The violence and language are also tame too . Still , it is well-done and Lancaster ( who hated making this film ) and Shelley Winters are good . Director John Frankenheimer's moody direction helps . He shoots things at curious angles , always keeping you off balance . The b & w cinematography helps too . So , familiar but good . |
477,953 | 463,200 | 129,280 | 7 | Better than the original | Remake of the dreadful 1970 Jack Lemmon-Sandy Dennis " comedy " about a couple from Ohio who go to NYC ( for a job interview for the husband ) and have everything go wrong . The original was sick , morbid and had the very annoying Dennis . This one is funny , not hilarious , but funny . It has a better cast ( Steve Martin and Goldie Hawn are comedians - - Lemmon and Dennis weren't ) , and has John Cleese who is hilarious as a snotty hotel manager - - his dead pan delivery of all his lines really worked . Not a masterpiece but not the disaster I heard it was - - for instance the previous Hawn-Martin movie " Housesitter " was much worse . This moves quickly , has an excellent music score and the stars are both in top form . Worth seeing . |
477,918 | 463,200 | 179,098 | 7 | Good drama | A New England family deals with grief . Ben Floss ( Dustin Hoffman ) and wife JoJos ( Susan Sarandon ) only child - - a daughter - - was accidentally shot to death before she was to marry Joe Nast ( Jake Gyllenhaal ) . Nast stays with the parents to help them through their mourning but he's harboring a deep secret himself . He also falls in love with a local girl ( Renee Zellwegeer look alike Ellen Pompeo ) . Nothing new here script wise but it is well-written and always interesting . There are a lot of nice little touches - - Gyllennaal keeps passing by a photo store with wedding pics in the window and every TV seems to be playing " The Newlywed Game " or the " Dating Game " . The acting is just superb - - Hoffman and Sarandon are ( as always ) excellent and Gyllenhaal is just great as the wounded boyfriend . He conveys all his emotions and feelings through his big brown eyes and body language . The film was beautifully shot in ( I believe ) Northampton MA . Only complaint - - this takes place in 1972 but nobody says or mentions it - - it took me half the movie to figure it out ! |
477,426 | 463,200 | 236,348 | 7 | Has its moments . . . | but it's easy to see why this bombed . For one thing it wasn't a live action version of the comic book or the animated series from the 70s . It just took the names and characters and changed everything . So fans of the original comic were annoyed and newcomers didn't know what to make of this . Still , it's not that bad . The Pussycats are a small band from Riverdale who want to make it big . An evil record exec ( Alan Cumming REALLY camping it up ) propels them to superstardom overnight ( literally ) and uses their music to send subliminal marketing messages to teenagers . Nothing new plot wise but it's still somewhat funny . There's constant product placement in every frame of the movie - - it's there as a joke but it still IS product placement . The script is OK - - no great shakes but there are some really good lines . There's some good acting too by Cumming , Rosasrio Dawson ( as Val in the band ) and Tara Reid ( as Melody ) . Unfortunately , everybody else is pretty bad especially Rachel Leigh Cook ( as Josie ) and ( surprisingly ) Parker Posey as another evil executive . That really weighs the movie down . Also the songs are , to be nice , forgettable . So , it's a pretty good film with some great moments . Too bad there weren't more of them . |
478,180 | 463,200 | 64,471 | 7 | Pretty good | Comedy about a group of Americans on a 18 day ( I think ) tour of Europe . Unlike some previous posters , I've never been to Europe , so watching this film was not like reliving old memories . On its own , this was a very pleasant movie . The script is not bad and the jokes are pretty funny . There are some real groaners too , but the good ones far outweigh them . And the cast is full of talented character actors giving their all . The movie basically concentrates on a romance between the tour guide Charlie Cartwright ( Ian McShane ) and tourist Samantha Perkins ( Suzanne Pleshette ) . Usually romance subplots in comedies are the kiss of death , but this one works . McShane is very handsome and Pleshette incredibly beautiful ; the dialogue is well-written ; they both give good performances and they have great chemistry with each other . It also is a good excuse to show all the romantic places in Europe ( this was shot on location ) . And the romance has a surprising , realistic ending . Another point of interest is an 18 year old girl Shelly ( Hilary Thompson ) meeting a guy her age Bo ( Luke Halpin ) . Their fashions are VERY 60s and the dialoge is SO old-fashioned . . . but it's all interesting . Also a visit to Canaby Street in London ( which was the place to be in the late 60s ) is visually fascinating . Also Murray Hamilton's one liners throughout the movie are frequently hilarious . They visit London , Holland , Germany , Switzerland , Italy , Venice and end in Rome . I saw a widescreen print on TV in strong color and the movie just looked beautiful . Sometime it was like seeing a travelogue but an INTERESTING travelogue . It's not a great movie but a pleasant one . You could do worse ! Recommended . |
478,391 | 463,200 | 395,584 | 7 | Sick but not really scary | Sequel to " House of 1000 Corpses " . This starts with the house being raided by the police . Some of the family members are killed and Mother Firefly ( Karen Black in the original - - Leslie Easterbrook here ) is jailed - - but Otis ( Bill Moseley ) and Baby ( Sheri Moon ) escape . They hit the road with Captain Spaulding ( Sid Haig ) to torture and kill more people . A sheriff ( William Forsythe ) is hot on their trail and will do anything to stop them . I thought " House of . . . " was a fantastic horror film . It scared me silly and had me cringing in my seat . This one didn't scare me really . . . but it made me sick . The merry band of psychos torture a bunch of innocent people . That's OK - - that was to be expected . But there is a fine line between horror and exploitation and director Rob Zombie unfortunately keeps crossing it . There is a truly revolting sequence in which Priscilla Barnes is sexually humiliated and brutalized . It was very sick . . . but not scary . I got the uncomfortable feeling that Zombie was enjoying rubbing our face in this . I can sit through a lot but this went too far . I almost walked out ! Also when it wasn't sick it was actually kind of dull . There was no real plot and the attempts at comedy were unbelievably unfunny ( the Marx Brothers fan was particularly stupid ) . It only worked at the end . The last section of the film was very violent and bloody but SCARY too ! That worked beautifully . It almost saved the film . . . almost . Also the film contains non stop swearing - - the " f " word was used all the time . It didn't bother me but it might bother others . The acting , unfortunately , was very good making this hard to shake off . Moseley and Moon were downright terrifying - - they played the roles in a matter of fact way making it seem that they found their acts perfectly normal . Haig was great too - - not scary but fun . Easterbrook was also very good as the mother - - a very good replacement for Karen Black . Barnes also deserves a lot of credit for doing the torture sequence - - she's much too realistic . And it was great to see P . J . Soles ( remember her from " Halloween " ? ) in a small role . I'm giving this a 7 because it is unapologetically violent ( I'm SICK of these PG-13 horror films ) , has good acting and a scary ending . . . but it's a big letdown from " House . . . " . Let's hope Zombie does better the next time around . |
477,727 | 463,200 | 35,937 | 7 | NOT a horror movie despite the title | A young man ( Russell Wade ) signs on as part of the crew on a ship overseen by Captian Stone ( Richard Dix ) . He slowly begins to realize that Stone has some strange ideas of authority . . . and will do anything to stop someone from disagreeing with him . . . Not a horror film at all but a mood piece and a character study of a man ( Stone ) trying to come to grips with his inner demons - - and being afraid of going mad . There are many spooky sequences here - - the dealing with a giant hook that's gotten loose ( no music , only wind effects ) ; a sequence involving a chain being loaded and the final confrontation . It's also well-written and directed . However the acting is pretty bad . Dix is wooden and Wade is even worse . The only good acting comes from Edmund Glover ( as Sparks ) and Edith Barrett in a small bit . Still , that aside , this is a pretty good movie . Recommended . |
477,966 | 463,200 | 71,402 | 7 | Good , solid thriller | Charles Bronson plays a liberal , mild-mannered architect . His wife ( Hope Lange ) is murdered and his daughter is gang-raped into a near-comatose state by a gang of thugs ( one played by then unknown Jeff Goldblum ! ) . He slowly becomes a vigilante - - going out late at night and shooting and killing any muggers and thieves that attack him . Somewhat unrealistically he's attacked every single night he goes out - - was NY THAT bad in 1974 ? He becomes a media hero and police detective Vincent Gardenia is assigned to stop him . Interesting movie - - on one hand you're all for Bronson and , on the other , you're disgusted with what he's doing . Both sides of the issue are presented but not dealt with in much depth - - this IS a Charles Bronson movie after all ! Film is dated ( NY has gotten much safer since this came out ) but is still powerful . Bronson gives a bad performance which somewhat diminishes the films impact , but everybody else is great - - especially Lange and Gardenia . And look for Olympia Dukakis and Christopher Guest ( very young and handsome ) in small roles . Only complaint - - the murder / rape - - it's way too graphic and disturbing . It's hard to watch today - - I can only imagine the impact in 1974 . Avoid the sequels - - they're all violent killings and nothing else . All the moral issues brought up in this movie are gone . |
478,218 | 463,200 | 73,812 | 8 | Dated but lots of fun ! | Tommy is very 1970s - - the clothes , the music , the drugs . . . but it's lots of fun . Also if you came of age in that era ( like me ) , it's very nostalgic . The movie is stunningly directed by Ken Russell - - the imagery is astounding and manages to complement the music . The music is , for the most part , good , but the Who obviously made changes for the movie - - and not very good ones . The acting is all good , especially Ann-Margret who was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for this movie . I think she got nominated just for her sequence with the exploding TV ! Most of the singing is great ( Ann-Margret , Tina Turner , Elton John ) but there are a few who should never have been allowed to sing ( Oliver Reed , Jack Nicholson , Keith Moon - - he was a great drummer but no singer ! ) . My only complaint is it loses a lot on TV . I saw it in a movie theatre on a large screen and loud sound . It blew me away ! On TV , you don't get the same effect . Still , worth watching . If you get a chance to see it in a movie theatre , don't pass it up ! |
478,304 | 463,200 | 65,051 | 8 | Fun Western spoof | I turned on this to TCM last night and just casually started to watch it . Now I HATE westerns and thought I might enjoy a spoof . After just a few minutes I found myself laughing and then just got totally caught up in this . It deals with a stranger named Jason McCullough ( James Garner ) wandering into a small Western town which is just going wild with no law and order . He applies to be the sheriff and is appointed quickly by the mayor ( Harry Morgan ) . He quickly restores law and order to the town , hires a deputy ( Jack Elam ) , romances the mayor's daughter ( Joan Hackett ) and jails killer Joe Danby ( Bruce Dern ) . However Joe's family don't take too kindly to their brother being jailed and are going to get him out . Very funny ! Every Western cliché is made fun of - - but in a very gentle manner . They don't set out to tear apart Westerns - - just poke fun at them . I saw the G rating this had and thought I was going to get stuck with a Walt Disney like horror like " The Apple Dumpling Gang " ( I STILL have nightmares about that one ) . Everybody in this IS nice and all talk gently and kindly - - but the lines are so funny and non-stop that it didn't bother me . Almost all the cast plays this straight which works wonderfully . Garner is just great in the lead . So young and handsome . . . and who ever knew he had such great comic timing ? Elam is just uproarious as his deputy . His double takes at Garner are genuinely funny . Heck even Dern pulls off a few good lines ! The only disappointment was Hackett . She plays her role far too broadly and gets tiresome . Still she does have a great bit with her reaction when Garner says he's going to leave town . Fun , family friendly western spoof . It's easy to see why this was such a big hit . Recommended . |
479,466 | 463,200 | 44,009 | 8 | Easy to see why this won the Oscar as Best Documentary of 1953 | Adaptation of Rachel Carson's book about the sea . I've never read the book so I don't know how faithful it is but some of this is fascinating . It starts out pretty badly with ponderous narration describing how the Earth ( and sea ) came into being . After that it lightens up pretty quickly and shows us various creatures of the sea including some incredible microscopic views of sea life . There's an interesting ( and non-bloody ) fight between a shark and an octopus . It also shows various occupations men have dealing with the sea like a shark walker and crab herder . The part showing different ways to capture fish ( so they can be killed and eaten ) might be troubling to some viewers but it's more of a sign of the time it was made than anything else . Narration aside this should be seen for visuals alone . Also the ending seems to predict global warming before it was discovered ! I give it an 8 . |
479,637 | 463,200 | 47,811 | 8 | Silly soap opera - - but I LOVED it | 40ish Cary Scott ( Jane Wyman ) a wealthy widow falls in love with 20ish Ron Kirby ( Rock Hudson ) who is a gardener . They intend to get married but Cary's rich friends are horrified ( saying he just wants her for the money ) and her college-aged children are totally against it . Will they marry or will all this tear them apart ? OK - - it's glossy , lush , has gorgeous color cinematography , beautiful settings and costumes and wonderfully directed by Douglas Sirk - - but it's NOT a good movie . All the beautiful production values couldn't cover up that this is a very dumb and silly movie . For starters , Hudson and Wyman are pretty lousy . Wyman has the same expression in EVERY shot ( she looks mildly constipated ) and Hudson just stands around looking stunning . Also there's a truly astounding lack of sexual chemistry between the two - - I didn't believe they were in love for a second . The reactions of the friends and family to the wedding was , to say the least , overdone . I couldn't help but smirk at some of the dramatics I saw . Then they threw in a couple of jaw-dropping twists at the end which had me gasping - - in disbelief ! When the deer appeared at the window at the end I completely lost it - - I almost fell out of my chair laughing ! Audiences took this seriously ? ? ? ? ? There are some good things about the movie - - the color and a VERY strong supporting cast headed by Agnes Moorehead . I am giving this film an 8 - - but that's mostly for the camp value . I can honestly say I was never bored - - but I never believed it for a second . Very good for laughs . |
477,739 | 463,200 | 338,095 | 8 | VERY graphic and grim but a GREAT horror film | In France two college girls ( Marie and Alexia ) go to the Alexia's parents house - - a secluded place in the middle of nowhere . They hope to rest and study there . Late that night a killer breaks in and violence and gore kick in . . . Strong and graphic French horror film . The first half hour sets up the characters and the situation . . . after that the killing starts and the film never stops . There aren't that many killings in the film ( only 5 and one isn't shown ) but they are BLOODY ! ! Not just a little blood here and there . . . this film throws BUCKETS at the viewer . It's more than a little disturbing and this film has no humor in it . It has a grim , dark tone from the very beginning and never lets up . Even the music here is somber ! It also throws in a twist ending that I never saw coming . This is NOT for people who hate horror films ( obviously ) . I saw the unrated French version ( the US theatrical cut has one minute edited out ) . Avoid the dubbed version - - it sounds terrible . The French version has subtitles and there really isn't a lot of dialogue in the film after the opening half hour . DEFINITE SPOILER AHEAD ! ! ! ! ! ! The ending has been called homophobic . As a gay man I find that just ridiculous . If this situation happened to straight people it wouldn't be called heterophobic . Yes - - the killer is crazy and a lesbian BUT that is needed at the ending . There isn't one homophobic remark made either . Some gay men and women just think every single gay character should be a positive figure which is just stupid . . . we need to see gay people as being good and evil - - just like everybody else . We're not all saints . END OF SPOILER ! ! ! ! ! ! So a must-see for horror fans , but be warned . . . this is strong stuff . Some of the violence bothered even me and that takes a lot ! |
478,207 | 463,200 | 105,130 | 8 | A British " Big Chill " . I mean that in a good way ! | Film starts off on New Years Eve 1982 with a collegiate musical troupe giving their final bad performance . It cuts to 1992 where one of them named Peter ( Stephen Fry ) invites the whole group to his remote English castle for a New Years Eve party . We have the Andersons - - Roger ( Hugh Laurie ) and Mary ( Imelda Staunton ) . They've lost a child and she lives in fear that they'll lose the other . Then there's Maggie ( Emma Thompson ) who's madly in love with Peter . There's Sarah ( Alphonsia Emmanuel ) a sexually active woman who brings along her man of the moment ( Tony Slattery ) . And there's Andrew ( Kenneth Branagh ) who's unhappily married to TV star Carol ( Rita Rudner ) . This was called a rip off of " The Big Chill " . It is , but it's well-made with a great cast , a wonderful script and is totally involving . This is one of the few movies that mixes drama and laughs and both work beautifully . It was also shot ( I believe ) on location in England and the setting itself is just incredible . All the acting is good across the board . Rudner is a delight ( and has the best lines ) . Emmanuel sometimes overdoes her role but not enough to damage the film . Dramatic , witty , warm - - basically a great comedy drama well worth catching . " Did you ever see " Upstairs Downstairs " ? " |
477,614 | 463,200 | 436,078 | 8 | NOT for everybody | Documentary has virtually every comedian in America being interviewed on the dirtiest joke EVER told and their take on it . The joke : A guy walks into a talent agent's office and says " I've got a great act for you . " The agent asks , " OK - - what is it ? " The man goes on to tell about a family going on stage and performing the most disgusting , obscene , sexual , humiliating , degrading and violent acts on each other . Then the agent says , " Sounds interesting . What's the act called ? " The man responds , " The aristocrats . " OK - - it doesn't read funny but seeing some of the performers tell their versions of it is just jaw-droppingly obscene - - and hysterically funny . None of these performers hold back and the results will either have you running from the theater , sitting there in shock or laughing yourself sick ( like me ) . I don't shock easily but some of this had me turning red from embarrassment while I was laughing . George Carlin is the first one to tell the whole joke and it's incredible . I was gasping in shock and also laughing HARD . Bob Saget easily tells the filthiest version of it ( while laughing himself ) ; Gilbert Gottfried is shown telling it to an audience - - and he was just hysterical ; Penn & Teller are funny in their little bit ; Martin Mulls ' take on it is amusing ( and by far the cleanest ) ; another guy tells it while doing some incredible card tricks ; Mario Cantone does it while imitating Liza Minnelli ; a MIME does it ( and very well ) and a ventriloquist and his obscene dummy tell it . Heck , even the cast of " South Park " does it ! It isn't just the joke - - it has the comedians talking about the limits of comedy and how far you can go with this - - and why . Some of the insights are very interesting - - especially one man who says , " If it's funny - - it's not obscene . " The movie is unrated but no one under 18 is allowed to see it because of the language - - for once I agree with that . I saw it with all adults . Some of the us were laughing a LOT but most of the audience sat there in silence ( I guess they were shocked ) . But no one walked out and there was applause at the end . But if you're offended my foul language or VIVID descriptions of every sexual act imaginable stay far away . Otherwise I think you'll like this . I'm only giving this an 8 because it does drag a little and the ending with Tim Conway was ( surprisingly ) not that funny . |
479,403 | 463,200 | 35,279 | 8 | Strange but very good Hitchcock movie | Barry Kane ( Robert Cummings ) is wrongfully accused on sabotaging a hanger making aircrafts for the war . He goes on the run , meets Patricia Martin ( Priscilla Lane ) along the way , and she joins him to find and bring the real criminals to justice . There are a lot of things wrong with this film . Robert Cummings was a good actor but he's totally miscast in this role ; Priscilla Lane is pretty but was never a good actress ; the story doesn't make a whole lot of sense ( and rambles on longer than needed ) ; it wears its patriotism a bit much ( but this WAS made while WWII was in full swing ) and there's no ending . It shouldn't work but it does . It's full of bizarre lines and characters that certainly hold your interest . For example : Lane says to Cummings ( while they're falling in love ) , " I wish I could have met you a hundred years ago " ( ? ? ? ? ! ! ! ! ) ; Lane PAYS a villain for getting her lunch and Cummings and Lane join a circus troupe briefly while on the run . Also Hitchcock's direction was ( as always ) just great - - he throws in some truly amazing shots and sequences - - especially the Statue of Liberty climax . This is not one of Hitchcock's classic movie but is still very good and worth catching . |
477,216 | 463,200 | 903,037 | 8 | Quiet | Very quiet but interesting short . It's about two gay men ( Tim played by Marshall McClean and Christian played by Matt Pittenger ) who were once lovers . Christian slowly became hooked on crystal meth . Tim couldn't handle it and Christian left . . . but Christian keeps hounding Tim for money and Tim doesn't know how to handle it . Quiet short but well-acted by the two men and well directed . It turns out the two actors are friends in real life and that helps the emotions between the two . It's part of a bigger screenplay which I never read . If this is an indication of the rest of the play I'd love to see it done for the big screen . Quiet and moving . |
477,149 | 463,200 | 43,961 | 8 | Impressive | Story about the Civil War . Young Henry Fleming ( Audie Murphy ) is terrified of fighting in battle . When his regiment is under fire he panics and runs . He finds them later and claims he was wounded in battle . Everybody believes him but he knows he's a liar and it starts to eat away at him . I never read the book so I don't know how faithful this is , but I did like it - - and I hate most war movies . It was shot in stark b & w and wonderfully directed by John Huston who managed to make the movie both intimate and sweeping in scope . The battle scenes aren't bloody but are chilling . . . especially the sequence where Murphy and his fellow soldiers see ( and hear ) the Rebel army approaching . Murphy was actually not bad in th lead ( even though he said he was no actor ) and there was strong support by Bill Maulden as his best friend . This was a critical and financial disaster in 1951 . The original cut ran OVER 2 hours ! ! ! ! All that's left is 70 minutes . The cut footage is completely gone so we'll never really know what Huston intended - - but what's left is now considered a great film . I give it an 8 . |
477,627 | 463,200 | 290,334 | 8 | Better than the first but not a great movie | Picks up right where the first one left off . The plot is way too convoluted to get into - - there's enough plot for three movies here , and that's the main problem . More than once the movie has to come to a screeching halt for exposition and it really bogs things down . Also there were too many characters - - that was a problem with the first film . This time they compound it by adding MORE characters ! Also Cyclops and Professor X were horribly underused . There were also a few nagging questions left unanswered - - PLEASE SKIP THE NEXT PARAGRAPH TO AVOID SPOILERS ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Where does Collosus take the mutant children when the school is under attack ? And why is Wolverine's past STILL a mystery at the end ? Still , the movie did a lot of good things . They did get rid of two of the stupider villains ( Sabretooth and Toad ) . They added Nightcrawler ( Alan Cumming ) who gets a lot of screen time and beefed up the roles of Iceman , Pyro and Rogue . Also , Collosus has a few scenes . As with the first movie , Wolverine is center stage again ( this is a good thing ) and Halle Berry seems much more comfortable as Storm the second time around . The younger cast members seem very comfortable with their roles ( especially Paquin ) and Ian McKellan is great again as Magneto . Also Mystique has much more screen time and the sequences with her were just great . Also the acting is good , the special effects terrific and it was very touching at the end . So , aside from a few dead spots , this is a very good super hero movie . |
477,547 | 463,200 | 95,690 | 8 | One of the best " chick flicks " | Movie about three young waitresses who work at Mystic Pizza in Mystic CT . Good girl Kat ( Annabeth Gish ) is going to college and falls in love with a married man ( William Moses ) . Her sister , bad girl Daisy ( Julia Roberts ) , falls in love with rich kid Charles ( Adam Storke ) . And Jojo ( Lili Taylor ) is deeply in love with Bill ( Vincent D'Onorfrio ) but is afraid to marry him . . . which he wants . Pretty predictable but still lots of fun . This was released with no fanfare in 1988 ( Roberts was still unknown and there were no ' name ' actors in the cast ) and went on to become a surprise hit . That shouldn't be a shock - - this is the type of movie that isn't really challenging or deep . You know the characters , you know the situations and you know it's going to have a happy ending . Still , there's nothing wrong with a film like that if it's entertaining and well-done - - and this one is . The script is lively and it was beautifully shot on location in CT ( in Mystic and other towns ) . Gish is just great ( and top-billed ) in the movie . She was also 17 ( the age of her character too ) so it adds to the realism . Taylor is good but has little to do . Her character is very one note and ALWAYS yapping about commitment . Roberts is good but her character is TERRIBLE ! Foul-mouthed , obnoxious and grating - - her verbal abuse of her sister Kat is more than vicious . I really hated her ! Nevertheless , this movie jump started her career . D'Onorfrio ( a wonderful character actor ) is given nothing to do but look handsome and hunky - - which he does . Storke is VERY good-looking and gives a great performance as a rich kid - - what ever happened to him ? And Moses is just OK as a married man . Add Conchata Ferrell as the pizza store owner and Matt Damon in a one line role in his film debut . A real nice , pleasing little movie . Perfectly catches the small town feeling too . Worth seeing . But don't let Roberts ' face on the box fool you - - it's NOT her movie . |
478,781 | 463,200 | 43,924 | 8 | Well-made but dated | Beautiful acting , good diretion help VERY dated story of a poor man ( Montgomery Clift ) falling in love with a rich woman ( Liz Taylor ) after getting another poor woman ( Shelley Winters ) pregnant . All the examinations of class and rich vs . poor are obvious and very 1940s . The acting helps a lot - - Clift is pretty good in the title role , but sometimes he seems too mannered in his portrayal . . . he should have shown more depth in his performance . Winters is excellent in her role , but she is annoying ( she's supposed to be ) and overly pathetic at times . Taylor is drop-dead gorgeous and very good in her role . She's a bit too goody-goody , but you never once disbelieve that she loves Clift . Worth seeing . |
479,131 | 463,200 | 21,890 | 8 | Very good | Newspaperman Hildy Johnson ( Pat O'Brien ) is quitting the business and getting married to Peggy ( Mary Brian ) . But his unscrupulous boss Walter Burns ( Adolphe Menjou ) doesn't want him to quit . Also an innocent man is about to be hanged and Burns will do anything to make sure Johnson works on that story . Fast and funny - - the first cinematic version of this story . It shows its age at times and some of it is wildly overacted but O'Brien and Menjou are both just great in their roles . Also director Lewis Milestone uses some very unusual camera tricks to keep the story moving and there's lots of action and running around which is unusual for an early talkie . This was remade in 1940 with a sex change making Johnson a woman . That was " His Girl Friday " with Rosalind Russell and Cary Grant . That one is better than this but this is better than the 1974 version ( that had Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau ) and 1988 remake called " Switching Channels " ( with Kathleen Turner and Burt Reynolds ) . They're all good to varying degrees but this one came first . Worth seeing . |
477,573 | 463,200 | 38,969 | 8 | Not racist | In the Old South Uncle Remus ( James Baskett ) a black slave tells stories to white Johnny ( Bobby Driscoll ) . They're shown in animated form . . . beautifully done by Disney . OK - - this film is NOT racist and Disney is being stupid by not releasing it . The last time I saw it was in its last ( I believe ) theatrical reissue back in the 1980s . I don't remember anybody complaining about it being racist back then . Yes , the slaves are shown as being SO happy and love working for the white people . . . but " Gone With the Wind " had the same view and I don't see MGM keeping it from being shown or anyone complaining about it . There's nothing wrong with being politically correct but Disney really overdoes it . Hell - - they changed ONE LINE from a song in " Aladdin " because one group complained about it ! Idiots . Back to the movie . The print I saw was in bright beautiful color with a crystal clear picture and sound . The animated segments were just great - - there was one fantastic moment when Baskett started singing " Dippidy Doo Dah " and the background burst into animation . The chances of anyone seeing this are slim but , if you can , take a look . Recommended . |
478,063 | 463,200 | 38,975 | 8 | On a dark and rainy night . . . | This takes place in New England in 1906 . A mute servant girl ( Dorothy McGuire ) takes care of a sick and old but aggressive woman ( Ethel Barrymore ) in a big , dark and creepy mansion . There's also a killer around who goes after women with imperfections . . . and he may be in the house . Also there's a huge storm going on , night is falling and the house is isolated . . . Let's see . . . a mute servant , a psychotic killer , a dark and rainy night and a creepy old mansion . This movie pulls out all stops and is actually a very good suspenseful horror film . The closeups of the killers eye watching potential victims ( and the VERY creepy music that plays ) really spooked me more than a little . The killer himself is fairly easy to figure out but the good acting and eerie atmosphere keep you watching . With the sole exception of Kent Smith all the acting is good . . . but McGuire and Barrymore are incredible . McGuire has to use facial expressions all through the movie to convey her thoughts and she carries it off . Barrymore ( Oscar-nominated ) is just a tower of strength . . . even if she is supposed to be old and frail . A top thriller . . . among Hollywood's best . And ( at 84 minutes ) it doesn't overstay its welcome . An 8 . |
477,288 | 463,200 | 21,873 | 8 | Dated but worth catching | A newspaper decides to reopen a 20 year old murder case to boost circulation . It ends up causing tragedy all around . The film is dated ( of course ) but the main story is still timely and ( sadly ) still relevant . The film is far from perfect - - the dialogue is overstated and sometimes downright horrible ; there's some laughably obvious symbolism ( see how many times Edward G . Robinson washes his hands ) and there's some truly terrible acting by some of the supporting players ( Frances Starr and Ona Munson are by far the worst ) , but the quick efficient direction of Mervyn LeRoy and two powerhouse performances by Edward G . Robinson and Boris Karloff ( ! ! ! ) lift this up . For those two alone this movie is worth seeing . And it's a relief seeing Karloff not in a horror film . Nominated for Best Picture of its year . |
477,237 | 463,200 | 47,688 | 8 | Glossy but entertaining | Musical drama / soap opera about three sisters ( Doris Day , Dorothy Malone , Elizabeth Fraser ) and the men they fall in love woth - - film concentrates on Day and her romances with Gig Young and Frank Sinatra . Film takes place in a picture perfect world - - everybody lives in big beautiful houses ; everything is squeaky clean and full of color ; everybody looks perfect - - typical 1950s Hollywood . The story is interesting and ( with one exception ) the acting is good although Malone and Ethel Barrymore look miserable and are totally wasted . However , Gig Young is exceptional as the man in love with Day - - he kick starts the movie whenever he's on screen . Day grins ( and grins and grins and grins and grins . . . ) . Day and Sinatra sing all the songs ( separately ) and when they sing the movie becomes magical - - they were both at their peaks here . There's only two problems with the picture - - 1 ) the ending is totally unrealistic and comes out of nowhere and 2 ) Sinatra . He was a great singer but no actor . His character comes off as childish , obnoxious and depressing - - I couldn't believe Day falling for him . He doesn't destry the picture , just lessens it . All in all , it's colorful and entertaining with a superb performance by Young . Worth seeing . |
478,542 | 463,200 | 118,762 | 8 | Two great ones ; two so-so | Well-done compilation of four short films about growing up gay . The first one " Must Be the Music " is fun . It's about a group of gay teenage boys going to a disco . The refreshing thing about it is that the characters are gay . . . and could care less . Also it's very sweet and has a happy ending . Lots of fun . " Nunzio's Second Cousin " is not so good . It's a very dark film about a very disturbed cop inviting a teenager home after he tried to rob him and his lover . Eileen Brennan overacts as the cop's mother . Dark , depressing . Still , it is interesting . " Atali , Iowa " was dull dull dull . I'm not going to describe it . . . just avoid it . The closing one " Trevor " is just superb . It actually won an Academy Award as best live short subject . It's about a very young kid coming to grips with the fact that he's gay . It's funny , moving and has a very uplifting ending . A real winner . So , the first and last are the best segments . The second is good but dark . And the third should be avoided . Pretty good batting average I'd say . |
479,210 | 463,200 | 35,093 | 8 | Excellent as propaganda - - good as a movie | This takes place in a small village near London just before the outbreak of WWII . Living there are Mrs . Miniver ( Greer Garson ) , husband Clem ( Walter Pidgeon ) , 2 small children and their grown son Vin ( Richard Ney ) who visits from the university he attends . The Minivers live in a huge house and are basically pretty rich . Then Britain enters the war and the Minivers have to cope with bombings , air raids and German soldiers . Historically this is a very important movie . It showed American audiences what was happening in Britain ( although sanitizing it ) and this movie was instrumental in getting America to help Britain through the war . SPOILERS ! ! ! However , in some ways , this is pretty overdone . I find it hard to believe that any British family take things as calmly as the Minivers do and a bunch of multiple deaths at the end REALLY pushes it but top production values , a good script and great acting pull this through . It's a little bit too long but it doesn't really matter . Two standout sequences are when Garson meets a German pilot and when the family has to hide in a bomb shelter when the Germans attack . Garson is a little bit too young to be a mother ( she was only 33 when she did this ) but she's great . Her performance deservedly won her a Best Actress Oscar . I never liked Pidgeon before but I have to admit he's very good here and was nominated for an Oscar . Then there's Teresa Wright ( who also won an Oscar ) very beautiful and appealing and Dame May Witty playing her aunt . Henry Travers also won an Oscar for this which is puzzling . He's good but his part is very small . This also got Best Director and Best Picture of the year . It's overdone and self-conscious and a lot of people find this sappy but I think it's a good movie about the way Britain was during WWII . I give this an 8 . |
479,653 | 463,200 | 26,123 | 8 | One of Karloff's best - - if not THE best | Boris Karloff has a field day playing two twin brothers - - one is evil ( Gregor ) the other kind ( Anton ) . They are born with a prophecy on them - - that one will kill the other in a black room . The room is boarded up to prevent the curse . Gregor becomes an evil ruler of a country and Anton moves away . Years later Anton returns - - his brother wants to make amends . . . or does he ? It's hard to believe that Columbia Pictures did this . It looks and plays like a Universal horror flick . There's the eerie castle , the curse , the twin brothers and plenty of mood and atmosphere . Also the villagers look like they stepped right out of the set of " Frankenstein " ! These are all good things however . The movie moves quickly , has good acting all around ( beautiful Marian Marsh is a highlight ) and Karloff . He plays each role expertly and seems to be having a fun time . This couldn't have been easy - - this was made before trick photography could be used to make the same actor appear twice so he probably had to do many scenes twice playing different roles ! He pulls it off though . I'm assuming this didn't do well when it came out ( Columbia never attempted something like this again ) but it's now considered a true classic and one of Karloff's best films . Highly recommended . |
479,432 | 463,200 | 337,978 | 8 | Loud , big , silly and LOTS of fun ! | This review is based on the unrated version - - I've never seen the PG-13 one . The FBI Cyber Security Division and other government computers are breached by a madman ( Timothy Olyphant ) who plans to rule the world ( or something like that ) . John McClane ( Bruce Willis ) ends up stuck with a young computer hacker ( Justin Long ) to try and battle him . OK - - I LOVED the first two " Die Hard " films . They were loud , stupid and loads of fun ( if a bit sadistic ) . The third one ( " Die Hard With a Vengeance " ) wasn't too good . This one was ( obviously ) shot for an R rating ( the first three were all R ) . The studio cut it down to a PG-13 . I HATE when they do that and refuse to see it . So that's why I waited till this came on DVD to view it . This is a fast-moving , easy to understand action movie . It's full of swearing and it's VERY violent - - sometimes a bit too much . Willis ' battle with Mai ( Maggie Q ) is pretty extreme . Still , you have to expect that from a " Die Hard " film . The action sequences are truly incredible ( even on a TV screen ) and there's plenty of casual violence and blood and gore . The script is dumbed down so anyone can understand it - - but who watches this movie for the plot ? I had a fun time but towards the end the action goes WAY over the top and gets totally unbelievable . STILL I enjoyed it . The acting is just about what you expect . Willis is good in his role ( as always ) and Long is good also despite having to be the " comic " relief at times . Olyphant is OK ( I guess ) as the villain . . . but I could never take him seriously . Basically everybody just hits their marks and say their lines with total conviction - - that's all this calls for . Kevin Smith is very funny in his bit as Warlock . So - - loud and stupid but fun . See the unrated version . |
479,095 | 463,200 | 95,599 | 8 | Very good mystery / thriller | Young handsome Tim Whalen ( Rob Lowe ) falls in love with filthy rich Olivia Lawrence ( Meg Tilly ) . But does he love her or just her money ? There's also his jilted ex lover ( Kim Cattrall ) , her lecherous stepfather ( John Glover ) , HIS mistress ( Dana Delany ) and police officer Mike McGill ( Doug Savant ) . I saw this originally back in 1988 and loved it . Seeing it again all these years later I STILL love it . As you can see this has an incredible cast of people before they hit it big . They're all great too - - especially Savant . Also it gives the audience what it wants pretty quick - - both Lowe and Cattrall have nude scenes within the first 10 minutes ! The story has many twists and turns and always keeps the viewer guessing . It was beautifully filmed and directed in the Hamptons and has a lush music score . SPOILERS ! ! ! There are also two scenes between Lowe and Savant that have STRONG homoerotic vibes . In one Savant is in a pair of VERY tight white underwear . I swear at one point I thought they were gonna kiss ! It adds an interesting subtext to the film . END SPOILER ! ! ! ! With the exception of Tilly all the acting is good . Even Lowe pulls off a difficult role . Beautifully done , intricate mystery . Well worth seeing . |
477,241 | 463,200 | 52,618 | 8 | Spectacular but way too long | Ben-Hur ( Charlton Heston ) a Jew , and Massala ( Stephen Boyd ) a Roman , once boyhood friends clash as adults in Biblical times . Big , lumbering epic - - way too long ( 3 hours ) . It does have two spectacular action sequences - - the sea battle and the chariot race . The sea battle has some very obvious , sometimes laughable special effects - - for instance , it's VERY obvious that they're using toy boats in the long shots ! Still . it is exciting and well-done . The chariot race is just great . A must see in wide-screen ONLY - - it's long , violent and fascinating . It still stands up after over 40 years . The rest of the film is rather slow . The dialogue is ponderous . The pace is way too slow and none of the performances are that good ( how Heston won an Academy Award for this is beyond me ) . But it looks great in wide screen and color and has a rousing music score . I'm giving it an 8 , but I really can't recommend it . Give me the 1925 Ramon Novarro one - - that was much better . |
478,934 | 463,200 | 295,297 | 8 | Very good but exhausting | Who would have thought it ? Director Chris Columbus has actually made a very good film ! This film follows Harry Potter in his second year at Hogwarts with a much darker tone than the first film . However , the film should be dark - - the books are . This film is much better than the first . The first had to spend a lot of time introducing Harry , his friends and Hogwarts . This film assumes you know all about it and kicks right in . It moves quickly and has better ( and more ) special effects . Little time is spent on characters and motivations - - whether that's good or bad depends on what you like . The acting has improved . Daniel Radcliffes ( Harry Potter ) voice has noticably deepened and his acting has improved ( a little ) . Emma Watson ( Hermione ) has blossomed into a very pretty young girl and gives a very good performance . Rupert Grint ( Ron ) is just OK - - he's got to stop being so bug-eyed over everything . Also Maggie Smith , Alan Rickman and the ( sadly ) late Richard Harris offer strong support . The only bad piece of casting was Kenneth Branaugh as a new teacher . He's supposed to be funny yet sinister - - he's neither - - just boring and silly . The film is NOT for small children . As I said before , it's dark and has some very scary moments ( all of them involving giant , hungry spiders and vicious , huge snakes ) . Also there's some fairly bloody violence ( for a PG-13 ) . The main problem is the films length - - 2 hours , 41 minutes . It's long and there's a lot of action and story covered . I was exhausted by the end of the movie ( in a good way ) . So , it's a great roller coaster ride for older children and adults . |
479,064 | 463,200 | 38,988 | 8 | Very good film noir | As a young girl Martha Ivers accidentally kills her evil grandmother . She and a boy friend of hers cover it up and accuse an innocent man of it . Years later they're all grown up and played by Barbara Stanwyck and Kirk Douglas ( his film debut ) . They're married and miserable but have their lie keeping them together . Then a man ( Van Heflin ) Martha loved very much as a girl accidentally crashes his car in the town . He has no interest in Martha but is in love with someone else ( Lizabeth Scott ) . . . but Martha won't let him go . Well-done film noir . The dialogue is great ( especially the exchanges between Heflin and Scott ) , it looks beautiful and the acting is mostly well-done . Heflin is just OK - - but it fits his role ; Stanwyck is very good but not given much to do ( she doesn't appear until 30 minutes in ! ) and Douglas is TERRIBLE . . . but this WAS his first film . Scott is , surprisingly , the best . A very good , credible performance . I couldn't take my eyes off her when she was on screen . She easily outacted everybody else . I can only give this an 8 though for 2 reasons : Kirks ' lousy acting and the movie goes on way too long - - at least 20 minutes could have been cut . Still , worth catching . Some consider this Stanwycks ' best film ( I disagree ) . |
479,027 | 463,200 | 66,249 | 8 | Strange but enjoyable | Sherlock Holmes ( Robert Stephens ) and Dr . Watson ( Colin Blakely ) get involved in a very weird case involving a mysterious French woman ( Geneuieve Page ) , Sherlock's brother Mycroft ( Christopher Lee ) , midgets , Scotland , the Queen and the Loch Ness Monster ! Believe it or not they all come together . I originally saw this on TV back in the late 70s but it was so heavily edited ( for instance , the entire first half hour was gone ! Probably because it dealt with gay characters which was still a taboo on TV back then ) that I couldn't follow it and gave up . Now it's back on uncut and I'm glad I'm finally able to see it . A very strange movie but lots of fun . Some people think this is a spoof . It really isn't but there are some very funny moments - - my favorite is at the beginning when Holmes blasts Watson for how he writes about his cases - - " Watson , I've never said ' elementary my dear Watson ' in my life ! " " Poetic license Holmes " . There's also quite a few funny one liners mostly delivered with great relish by Stephens and it does deal with the sexual relations of Holmes and Watson ( it was hinted that they were gay lovers ) . But it does involve a very serious case and the jokes stop towards the end . Stephens is actually very good as Holmes - - he won't make you forget Basil Rathbone but he's not bad . Colin Blakely isn't as big a buffoon as Nigel Bruce was but he tends to overact a little . Page is just terrible as the mystery woman - - but then again , English is her second language . Lee , surprisingly , is kind of stiff as Mycroft . He's a very good actor - - I'm surprised to see him so bad . The movie is very lavish ( probably because Billy Wilder was involved ) . . . a lot of money and attention was given to sets and costumes , and they actually went on location to shoot the end in Scotland . The cinematography is just beautiful and the movie was never dull . It doesn't always mix the comedy with the drama successfully but it works more often than it misses . Worth catching . . . a must see for Holmes fans . |
477,637 | 463,200 | 118,662 | 8 | Overlong but interesting | Documentary ( narrated by Sharon Gless ) about the life and times of author / philosopher Ayn Rand . Movies goes into exhaustive detail about her coming here from Russia , her " objectivism " philosophy , her books , her whole entire life . The film is too long ( 2 hours ) and gets repititous at times ( we hear about every single aspect of objectivism - - it's not necessary and really weighs the movie down ) . Nonetheless , it is interesting and ( I think ) worth seeing for people who like or are interested in Rand . If you don't like her stay away . |
478,673 | 463,200 | 424,496 | 8 | Quite interesting | Very good documentary . It's about two gay men ( Sam Cagnina and Stephen Margolin ) who want a woman in their relationship . They finally find Samantha Singh . They all live together and have sex together ( not shown ) . Then Samantha gets pregnant . They're all happy - - but the birth of a child sets off some unexpected feelings . . . and this family might not survive . I saw this at a film festival and , for some technical reason , they could only show it in black & white , not color . That may have affected my rating but I don't think so . This is a totally fascinating movie following a different type of family and how it works and survives . It was shot over the space of 8 years so you see them grow and change - - in good and bad ways . Totally absorbing but it is a little too long - - it could have been cut by a few minutes . Still it's an excellent documentary and should be seen by all open-minded people interested in a new type of family . Recommended . |
477,356 | 463,200 | 87,799 | 8 | Deserves a cult following | This takes place in the late 1990s . A comet passes through Earth's orbit . It reduces most people to dust or turns them into flesh-eating zombies . The only ones not affected are two Valley Girl sisters ( Catherine Mary Stewart , Kelli Meroney ) who meet Hector ( Robert Beltram ) . They band together to find other survivors . And then there's the evil think tank of scientists ( Mary Woronow among them ) . . . This is dated of course ( the dialogue and the clothes give it away ) but it's LOTS of fun ! It's a smart satire with great dialogue ( there are some hysterically funny lines ) , unusual characters , good direction , a solid soundtrack and a good cast of actors giving their all . Stewart and Meroney especially are a delight throwing off one liners with ease - - their shopping spree to the tune of " Girls Just Wanna Have Fun " is a highlight . Beltran and Woronov are as good as possible - - but they just play the straight men basically . This was marketed as a teen sci-fi film ( which it isn't ) and predictably bombed . It found its audience on cable but disappeared . That is strange - - this has all the earmarkings of a cult classic but never made it . With its DVD release coming soon maybe that will change . Silly but fast , fun and colorful . |
479,685 | 463,200 | 83,908 | 8 | Good murder mystery | Hercule Poirot ( Peter Ustinov ) is vacationing at a resort on a beautiful island . A very rich and evil woman ( Diana Rigg ) is murdered . The owner of the resort ( Maggie Smith ) hires Poirot to find the killer . This was made because " Death on the Nile " was such a big hit . For some reason this bombed quickly at the box office . I can't see why - - it's no classic but it's actually well-done on beautiful locations with a good cast . Ustinov is just perfect as Poirot and the rest of the big name cast ( among them . . . Roddy McDowell , Sylvia Miles , James Mason ) do well . Nicholas Clay especially stands out . . . and wears a VERY tight bathing suit through most of the movie . The script is well-written with some hysterically catty dialogue between Rigg and Smith . There's also some great Cole Porter songs on the soundtrack and the costumes are just breath-taking ( especially on Rigg ) . Not as good as " Death . . . " but fun and enjoyable . Worth catching . |
479,062 | 463,200 | 60,955 | 8 | Depressing as they get | Arthur Hamilton ( John Randolph ) is a middle-aged man . He has a nothing job and feels he has no purpose or direction in life . He can't even make love to his wife anymore . He is offered a new life by the Company - - a secret organization . They will " kill " off Arthur and give him a new face , a new body and a new identity . He comes back as Tony Wilson ( Rock Hudson ) . However , can he be happy in his new life ? Exceptional black and white cinematography by James Wong Howe ; great direction by John Frankenheimer ( all the extreme closeups and off kilter camera angles keep you uneasy ) ; a perfect score by Jerry Goldsmith ( the organ fits perfectly ) . . . but this is almost unwatchable . It's VERY depressing , very downbeat and ( at times ) way too slow ( the beginning ) . It's easy to see why this was a box office bomb - - it's way too depressing for the average viewer . The things I mentioned above help make the film bearable as does the acting . Randolph is superb as Hamilton - - you feel his pain and misery . Hudson , surprisingly , is pretty good . Sometimes he's not that good but there are certain sequences when he's exceptional - - particularly at a wine party , a cocktail party ( where he actually got drunk to play it realistically ) and he explodes during the harrowing ending . The ending is one of the most horrific sequences I've ever seen . I felt like bolting from the theatre . A one-of-kind horror thriller . I can't say I enjoyed this , but I'll never forget it . It has a big deserved cult following . |
478,316 | 463,200 | 66,319 | 8 | Have never forgotten it | I was lucky enough to see a vault print of this in a revival theatre back in 1996 . The picture was crystal clear and it was projected on a huge screen . The only thing missing was the stereo soundtrack . Also it was the original uncut version which hasn't being shown in the USA since the film's premiere ! It's basically a love story set in Ireland . Sarah Miles is married to old but kindly Robert Mitchum . Their sex life is nonexistent . Then a young handsome officer played by Christopher Jones appears to deal with the IRA . The two of them fall in love which leads to numerous problems . I've never liked David Leans films . They LOOK great but the stories are almost impossible to follow . Like in " Dr . Zhicago " and " Lawrence of Arabia " he throws you into the middle of these conflicts and never explains what's going on ! This is an exception . I had no problem following the story and the scenery is absolutely breath-taking . . . but that's sort of a problem . This is basically a simple love story blown up into a HUGE production . The stunning photography overpowers the story more than once . The acting is good - - Miles was excellent and Mitchum downplayed his role nicely . I even thought Jones ( who I always thought was a TERRIBLE actor ) was good - - but I later on learned his voice was overdubbed . Still I found this a fascinating film - - well worth catching . . . but I'm not sure how it would hold up on TV . Also the version I saw had an incredibly beautiful and LONG sex scene between Miles and Jones . It's easily one of the most beautiful , erotic sexual sequence I've ever seen . . . but I think it's cut out or shortened on the American prints . Hopefully this will be on DVD one day with the sequence in intact . I give this an 8 . |
478,407 | 463,200 | 122,748 | 8 | A 20 minute little gem | Joseph Schildkraut and Roman Bohnen ( both sadly forgotten today ) give two brilliant performances in an updated version of Edgar Allen Poe's tale . A young man ( Schildkraut ) is constantly tortured mentally and physically by an old man ( Roman Bohnen ) . Finally he kills him . . . but keeps hearing the old man's heart beating . Well-directed , acted and very good use of sound . Well worth catching . TCM is showing a beautiful print of this in between movies - - that's probably the only way to see it . Good luck ! |
477,333 | 463,200 | 95,360 | 8 | Very good moving documentary | In 1987 , seven years after John Lennon's tragic murder , a book came out . I've forgotten the title and the author , but it portrayed Lennon VERY negatively . It showed him as a cruel , egotistical monster who abused drugs and alcohol up to his death . The book was written by somebody who had never talked to anybody who knew Lennon . Yoko Ono was shocked and pushed to have this documentary made to set the record straight . It's full of home movies , news footage , videos all narrated by John Lennon himself ( he recorded over 200 hours talking about his life and work ) . It's not a whitewash of him - - it does point out he was a mean drunk and he is shown swearing and telling off Phil Spector in a recording studio when a song was not working out . It also chronicles his remark about the Beatles being " bigger than Jesus Christ " and totally ignores how horribly he treated his first wife Cynthia . But , aside from that footage , there is also interviews with Johns wives , his children and , basically , everyone who knew him ( curiously , none of the Beatles were interviewed ) . He comes across as a very talented , peace-loving man - - he has his dark moments but everybody does . His confrontations with Al Capp and Gloria Emerson are just fascinating . I remember seeing this in a theatre in 1988 and most of the audience walked out crying . 15 years later the ending still packs a punch . It shows people crying at the peace rallies held after Lennon's death and ends with the " Imagine " video him and Yoko did . Also " In My Life " plays over the closing credits . A fascinating , very moving documentary of a great man . Recommended . |
479,620 | 463,200 | 56,671 | 8 | Fun trash | In 1930s New Orleand Texan Laurence Harvey ( ! ! ) finds one time lover Capucine ( ! ! ! ) working in a bordello . He wants to take her away , but the bordello's lesbian madam , Barbara Stanwyck wants Capucine for herself . Then there's Jane Fonda as a real wild girl . . . Film starts off with a great title sequence that perfectly sets the tone of the film - - loud , brassy and dirty . This was probably considered pretty controversial it its time ( in fact it's never made totally clear than Stanwyck is a lesbian , but there are hints all over the place ) , but it's a camp classic now . It's sleazy but lots on fun with tons of campy dialogue to spare . Apparantely this film had a very whimsical casting director - - Harvey ( an English actor ) and Capucine ( a French actress ) play Texans and Anne Baxter ( in a black fright wig ) is a Mexican ! The acting varies - - Harvey is just OK with a credible Texas accent ; Fonda is really great projecting raw sexuality ; Capucine is beautiful but wooden ; Stanwyck chews the scenery in a very amusing way and Baxter turns in a very moving and great performance . Lots of fun with the right crowd - - I saw it years ago with a gay and lesbian crowd and we laughed all the way through it ! |
477,228 | 463,200 | 126,029 | 8 | Finally ! A good 2001 movie ! | This has been a horrible year for movies so far - - no doubt about it . From horrendous comedies to lousy horror films to boring art fims it's been a sad year . Finally , though , a really good film has come along . " Shrek " is a computer animated comedy for all ages . It's one of those rare films that adults and children can enjoy . Shrek ( voiced by Mike Myers with a Scottish accent ) , is a large green-skinned ogre who goes to save a princess ( Cameron Diaz ) from a fiery dragon . Why ? Because evil Lord Farquaad ( John Lithgow ) is destroying his property but will spare it if he saves the princess . An abrasive donkey ( Eddie Murphy ) comes along to help . Murphy gets a little too loud and abrasive and the movie does have its dull stretches , but mostly the jokes are flying fast and furious , the animation is flawless and occasionally beautiful , and the whole thing has a happy ending . There's also a few hilarious pot shots at Disney . Go , see it and enjoy ! Well worth 10 bucks . |
477,683 | 463,200 | 87,688 | 8 | Loved it in 1984 - - still love it | Father Tim Farley ( Jack Lemmon ) is a well loved priest in his church . He is given a month to teach headstrong Mark Dolson ( Zeljko Ivanek ) on how to tone his anger down and become a priest . He finds out Mark had gay sex before he decided to enter the Church . Unfortunately homophobic Monsignor Thomas Burke ( Charles Durning ) finds out too and wants him thrown out . Farley wants to stand up for Mark . . . but can he without getting thrown out himself ? Quite obviously this was a play but it still works . There's nothing great or flashy about the direction but it has a great script and two wonderful performances by Durning and especially Lemmon . I wish I could say the same about Ivanek but he comes across as too angry and stubborn - - it seems reasonable that he shouldn't be a priest . Still the issue about how the Catholic church views homosexuality is dealt with in a intelligent manner . As a lapsed Catholic myself I applaud the film for pointing out how biased and ridiculous their view is . I again have to say how good Lemmon is - - I don't think this man ever gave a bad performance and he's just perfect here . A few of his discussions with Ivanek are ( purposely ) very funny . The ending is sort of muted here . They didn't change it from the play but it doesn't hit as hard - - they didn't want to depress the audience I guess . For whatever reason this was barely released in 1984 . The studio was probably afraid of the Catholic church condemning it but that actually might have made it more popular ! Look at " Hail Mary " or " Last Temptation of Christ " . The very few reviews here show that it's still pretty unknown . That's a shame because it's a well-made and thoughtful comedy drama . Well worth catching . " Mark don't kick a ! " " It's better than kissing it . " |
478,540 | 463,200 | 264,616 | 8 | Disturbing | Kind , widowed Texas dad ( Bill Paxton ) is bringing up his two sons Adam ( Jeremy Sumpter ) and Fenton ( Matthew O'Leary ) - - it's made clear that he loves them both very much . Then , one night , a " vision from God " tells him to kill some demons disguised as people . He follows the orders and drags his two young sons along with him . Fenton starts getting very scared about his dad's sanity . Creepy , scary and absorbing movie is part horror movie , part psychological thriller , part coming of age movie , part religious . . . and it all works beautifully . The direction by Paxton is assured ( hard to believe this is his first directed movie ) and his acting is just flawless - - he's always good but he's great here . Young Matthew O'Leary is another standout - - you really feel his confusion . Also Powers Boothe ( obviously enjoying himself ) is good and Matthew McConaughey plays his usual laid back self and flashes those beautiful blue eyes ( and there is a shirtless scene - - thanks Bill ! ) The story is complex and twists and turns in directions I didn't see coming . The killings are all off screen - - this is NOT a blood and guts movie . Basically it's a very good thriller . Be warned - - there is a very hard to watch sequence with child abuse . |
478,158 | 463,200 | 87,718 | 8 | Gentle sweet comedy - - about bigamy ! | Reporter Rob Salinger ( Dudley Moore ) is married to ambitious Micki ( Ann Reinking ) . He wants a baby - - she doesn't . He meets sweet Maude ( Amy Irving ) and starts having an affair with her . Then he ends up getting them both pregnant ! OK bigamy isn't funny - - but this is just a movie that's not to be taken seriously . It's ( for Blake Edwards ) very sweet-natured and gentle . It does have his usual slapstick humor but also has some nice funny verbal jokes and is very romantic . Moore is great - - he tones down his usual manic persona and gives a very affecting performance . Richard Mulligan also is great as his boss and pal Leo . Amy Irving is just incredibly beautiful and sweet . There's also a hysterical visit to a doctors office and the end when Moore goes full blast in a hospital . There's also a bit with nude male models with guns that's an eyeopener . This is far from perfect however . It takes its own sweet time getting started and doesn't even have an ending - - it just sort of stops . Also Reinking is pretty bad in her role . She manages to overact AND underact at the same time - - but she's known more for her dancing then acting . All in all a sweet , funny and romantic comedy . I give it an 8 . |
477,579 | 463,200 | 39,391 | 8 | Long but entertaining | Story takes place in 1660 England . Strang willed 16 year old Amber St . Clair ( Linda Darnell ) falls in love with bland Bruce Carlton ( Cornel Wilde ) . She follows him to England but he doesn't love her . So Amber decides to become rich and powerful no matter what . The book this was based on was a HUGE bestseller in the 1940s . It was ( for its time ) a racy book that makes it clear that Amber sleeps her way to the top . Also the book was historically accurate and ( even at 800 + pages ) a fascinating read . 20th Century Fox took the book , jettisoned all the racy stuff ( more or less ) and spent great care and no expense in bringing this to the screen . It's in beautiful color with gorgeous costumes and sets . Sure , there are plot holes and bad acting but this is never dull and speeds along . Even at 140 minutes it didn't seem too long . Darnell is beautiful and pretty good in the lead . George Sanders matches her playing Charles II . He's clearly enjoying himself . Richard Greene is good also popping up as a friend of Ambers . However Wilde is pretty bad as Carlton - - you keep wondering what Amber sees in him . The silly wig he wears doesn't do him any favors . It's kind of funny to realize this was considered pretty dirty back in 1947 . It wouldn't raise an eyebrow today and , as it is , the movie never makes it clear that Amber is sleeping around . So it's colorful , elaborate and well worth catching . The book was better but this is easier than reading it ! An 8 . |
479,075 | 463,200 | 285,872 | 8 | Very good | A young boy ( around 20 ) is lonely at an isolated plantation . He dreams of being with other men while seemingly all the other plantation hands are having sex left and right ! Erotic , beautifully filmed and shot male porno film . The guys are gorgeous , the sex erotic and there's a long fireside sequence that is just superb . Well worth catching . |
478,762 | 463,200 | 26,421 | 8 | Fun | Busby Berkley directed this silly but very fun musical . The plots have Alice Brady , a very rich widow , losing a great deal of money while financing a huge musical put on by con man Adolphe Menjou ( chewing the scenery ) ; Dick Powell romancing Gloria Stuart and Glenda Farrell blackmailing Hugh Herbert . For once the dialogue isn't as bad as it is in most 1930s musicals with some truly funny comic relief . Also Berkley throws in two just unbelievable production numbers . One of them is set to " The Lullaby of Broadway " - - the tap dancing in this one is incredible and it tells a story with a surprisingly depressing ending . Aside from the Berkley numbers however this is no great shakes but very pleasant and lots of fun . Look for the hilarious scene where Powell and Stuart are on a lake supposedly at 9 : 00 at night but a wide shot shows the sun shining and a clear sky ! And in the very next shot they're in a moonlit grotto ! Didn't anyone ever catch this ? |
477,998 | 463,200 | 39,224 | 8 | Dated but strong prison film | Film about the ( fictional ) Westgate Penitentiary . It's overrun by a weak warden who lets sadistic Capt . Mumsy ( Hume Cronyn ! ) beat and torture the prisoners . A bunch of them led by strong Joe Collins ( Burt Lancaster ) plan a breakout - - but is there an informer among them ? In terms of violence and language this is dated - - the violence is never shown or heard , there are no rape scenes and none of the prisoners ever swear . Still this is pretty strong stuff especially for 1947 . The acting is good , the pace swift and Cronyn has got to be one of the most evil , cruel prison guards ever put on film . Also this film was the breakthrough film for Lancaster - - it made him a star . The clichés are all in place here including the obligatory flashbacks showing why the guys are in prison ( and also to get some beautiful women on screen ) but they're done so well that you won't care . SPOILERS ! ! ! ! The two best sequences are when the alcoholic prison doctor ( beautifully played by character actor Art Smith ) tells off Mumsy and when Mumsy gets just what he deserves at the end ( you'll cheer ) . Dated but tough and good prison drama . I give it an 8 . |
478,217 | 463,200 | 151,568 | 8 | Long but great | OK , it's too long ( almost 3 hours ) and we did not need all those full performances of numbers from " The Mikado " . That aside , this is an entertaining and extremely well-acted movie about Gilbert & Sullivan - - their personal lives , their working partnership and how " The Mikado " was developed . We also get to see how they train the actors in how to talk , sing and ( in an uproarious sequence ) walk Japanese . How factual this is , I have no idea . But the movie was so well-done and entertaining , who cares . Well worth watching , but you do have to sit through one too many opera numbers . |
477,963 | 463,200 | 268,397 | 8 | Very fun | Computer-animated cartoon about Jimmy who , inadvertently , has all the parents in his neighborhood kidnapped by aliens . It's up to Jimmy and his classmates to follow the aliens through outer space to save their parents . Silly but lots of fun . There's some incredible computer animation , hysterically funny lines ( for kids and adults ) and a VERY quick pace that make up for a few dull moments and a really silly script . A perfect family movie . Adults - - turn off your brain and enjoy ! |
477,173 | 463,200 | 105,275 | 8 | Violent and brutal | A gang of skinheads in Melbourne Australia hate Asians and attack them every chance they get . They realize their neighborhood is being " taken over " by Asians and go on a rampage . The gang leader is Hondo ( Russell Crowe ) who picks up Gaby ( Jacqueline McKenzie ) . However she soon tires of his violent attitude and falls for his best friend Davey ( Daniel Pollock ) . It all comes to a tragic end . This film is far from perfect . The movie jumps around and the story is somewhat vague . Still it's well-directed with some very brutal violent fights and one fairly explicit sex scene . The movie doesn't take sides either . It does concentrate on the skinheads and Gaby , Davey and some of the women are shown as sympathetic characters but the rest are shown as sick , violent sociopaths . This originally got an NC-17 from the MPAA . From what I read , this was given that only because the MPAA thought if they gave it an R rating they would be accused of promoting racism ( which is just silly ) . It now has an R and ( from what I can see ) there's no cuts from the NC-17 version . Pollock ( who sadly committed suicide before this was released ) and McKenzie are very good in their roles and the others are too . Only Crowe is just OK . A very violent brutal film . Not for everyone , but it is a strong angry statement about racism and how it can destroy and kill . I give it an 8 . |
477,766 | 463,200 | 70,323 | 8 | VERY strange AIP film | A gangsters former mistress ( Angel Tompkins ) is on the run from him after robbing him . She falls in with a midget acting group ( called Little Cigars ) who are also robbers . She teams up with them and starts falling for the head of the group ( Billy Curtis ) . As you can see this is an odd film - - - even for American International Pictures ( AIP ) . In many ways this is an fun but ordinary caper film - - the dialogue and plot would not be out of place in any generic film . It's just this is done with midgets . You think that might play with that more but they don't . There is some pretty explicit sex talk for a PG film and it's pretty obvious that Tompkins is sleeping with Curtis . And get a load of the very obvious sexual animation during the opening credits ! The acting is just OK but Tompkins is pretty good . All in all a strange film . It is fun and it moves very quickly but why have midgets in it and not use that aspect at all ? Still it was enjoyable . I give it an 8 . |
478,026 | 463,200 | 83,806 | 8 | Underrated and , sadly , forgotten | Playwright Sidney Bruhl ( Michael Caine ) has had a series of flop plays after a huge hit . He receives a play written by a student of his , Clifford Anderson ( Christopher Reeve ) which is fantastic . It's so good Sidney says he would kill for it . Will he ? A thinking man's thriller . It was originally a play . . . and it shows . It's mostly on one set and all talk but I was never bored . It's very well-written with plenty of twists and a good cast working full force . Caine is just great as Bruhl - - another one of his great performances . Reeve is , surprisingly , very good . I never thought much of him as an actor , but he's really good in this role . Dyan Cannon does wonders with an underwritten role as Bruhls ' wife . Irene Worth is also good ( and quite funny ) as Helga ten Drop , a psychic . However , her accent did get on my nerves . Director Sidney Lumet does very well with his one set . The camera is always moving and keeps your attention going . EXTREME SPOILER DEAD AHEAD ! ! ! ! ! My only complaint is that two gay characters in this movie turn out to be raging sociopaths and it also contains one of the most unromantic kisses I've ever seen - - but these are mild complaints . A very good thriller . Critics hate this movie ( for some reason ) and it seems to have completely disappeared since it premiered in 1982 . That's too bad - - it deserves better . |
477,362 | 463,200 | 30,287 | 8 | Wonderfully directed , superbly acted by Davis and Bainter | Bette Davis is at her best in this 1800s Southern melodrama in which her attempts to snag a married ex-love ( Henry Fonda ) end in tragedy . Storywise this is nothing new , and there are way too many scenes were people talk endlessly about Southern manners . Also seeing all the black slaves so happy and singing is a bit hard to take . But the direction by William Wyler is excellent . He directs in a way that makes you part of the action ( especially in the ball sequence and a duel at the end ) . Best of all is Davis . Her performance is superb - - when she's on screen you can't take your eyes off her . She won a well-deserved Best Actress Oscar for this . Also Fay Bainter is excellent as her long-suffering aunt - - she won Best Supporting Actress . All the acting is good except for Henry Fonda - - he's so stiff and dull - - what does Davis want with him ? One last complaint - - it's not in color . I know there are two reasons for this : 1 ) the expense and 2 ) they did tests and Davis looked horrible in color ( think about it - - how many color movies did she make ? ) . Still , the non-stop compliments about the red dress at the beginning are annoying - - the dress looks black ! Still , this is worth seeing for Davis , Bainter and the direction . |
477,646 | 463,200 | 95,348 | 8 | Silly but fun | Spoof on the blaxplotation films of the 1970s . Starts right off in " Any Ghetto U . S . A . " where a young black man has died of O . G . ( overabundance of gold chains ) . His brother Jack ( Keenan Ivory Wayans ) comes home from the army to find the people who " hooked his brother on gold " . With a couple of older black men ( all from the 1970s films ) they decide to clean up the town . Now it sounds pretty stupid - - but it actually works . There are some real bad jokes but the good ones outnumber those vastly . The whole cast plays it straight with plenty of small roles or cameos from veteran 1970s actors . You don't have to know the old films to enjoy this but it does help a few times . It's really good to see Antonio Fargas back in a film making fun of his 1970s image . John Vernoon ( Dean Wormer from " Animal House " ) is also lots of fun as Mr . Big . And Ja'net DuBois is hysterical as Jack's overprotective mother . And - - since this is directed by Keenan Ivory Wayans - - most of his family shows up in small roles . Sure it's silly and stupid but also very funny . Turn off your brain and enjoy ! By far the best thing the Wayans have ever done . |
477,680 | 463,200 | 70,337 | 8 | A GREAT bad film ! | A laugh a minute classic ! It's OK for the first 45 minutes with no songs , but then they get to Shangra-La ( or whatever ) , the songs chime in and the movie falls to pieces . The songs , without exception , are HORRIBLso bad they're good ! " The World Is A Circle " has got to be one of the worst songs I've ever heard ! And poor Liv Ullman is forced to sing it while leading a bunch of obnoxious little kids up a mountain ( or something like that ) . How did they get Peter Finch , John Gielgud ( playing an Asian ! ) and Ullman to do this ? Were they really that hard up for cash ? They're all great actors , NOT singers ( or dancers ) . George Kennedy , Michael York and Sally Kellerman all try to give decent performances , but are stuck with bad dialogue . Olivia Hussey looks like she wishes she were somewhere else and Bobby Van is REAL annoying ( I just wanted to strap him down and shove a bottle of Valium down his throat ) . The songs keep popping up out of nowhere and they just get worse and worse . Well worth seeing - - a guaranteed laugh a minute ! |
478,889 | 463,200 | 65,492 | 8 | Not for everybody | Bud Cort plays Brewster McCloud . He's a very strange young man who lives in the Houston Astrodome and is building a huge set of wings so he can fly . The movie is about him and his VERY odd assortment of friends and family . And how about the killer running around Houston strangling people and leaving bird droppings on them ? As you can see this is a very strange film . It's unlike anything director Robert Altman has ever done . The film isn't perfect - - it's too long , the weirdness wears you down at times , some of the humor is real sick and there are characters that are just disgusting ( Stacy Keach ) or too flat out weird , even for this movie ( Jennifer Salt ) ! And what's with the circus ending ( entertaining as it is ) ? Still I love this film . The story rambles all over the place but I was able to keep track of it . Altman packs the movie with plenty of bird imagery and references . He also pays homage to other films also - - most notably " The Wizard of Oz " ( right up to having Margaret Hamilton in the cast and check out how Salt is dressed at times ) . This really doesn't pull together in any way but it IS fascinating to watch . Also the cast is great - - with one exception - - Michael Murphy . He's miscast and looks miserable . But everybody else is perfect . Particular standouts are Cort ( very good in a difficult role ) , Shelley Duvall ( who usually annoys me to no end ) and Sally Kirkland ( looking absolutely stunning ) . Also there's a very cute injoke - - there's a quick shot of the poster for " MASH " in Duvall's apartment ! This film was overshadowed by Altman's " MASH " in 1970 . Also , the studio hated it and threw it away . Now , however , it is rightfully considered one of the best films of its decade . I highly recommend this - - but not for everybody . If you like a linear plot and easily defined characters , stay away . |
478,995 | 463,200 | 39,286 | 8 | Powerful , well-made but a little overstated | A bigoted soldier kills a man for being Jewish and tries to pin it on a fellow soldier . Not as good as the novel it was based on ( " The Brick Foxhole " ) in which it was a gay man who was killed . . . but Hollywood wouldn't touch that in 1947 . That said , it's still a very good film . The anti-Semitism is handled very well , but it's hammered into the audience that bigotry is bad . . . well duh ! But this was 1947 . The picture is well-acted by the entire cast ( especially Robert Young and Robert Ryan ) and the tone is very dark . . . as it should be . Very atmospheric too . A deserved big hit in its day . . . well worth seeing . |
477,539 | 463,200 | 180,093 | 8 | Brilliant but very disturbing | A chronicle of four people ( Jared Leto , Marlon Wayans , Jennifer Connolly and Ellen Burstyn ) and their drug addictions and what it does to their lives . Starts off OK but becomes darker and more disturbing as it goes along . It ends with a montage showing what happens to all four of them - - this sequence contains some of the most harrowing imagery I've ever seen in a film . Honestly , I don't think I'll ever see it again - - it's that graphic ! Still , see the film . Leto is OK ; Wayans is ( surprisingly ) pretty good ; Connolly is excellent - - I've never liked her until now ; and Burstyn is simply superb - - a sure Oscar winner if I ever saw one . Well , worth seeing but very disturbing . Unfortunately , this film has an NC-17 rating . That's too bad - - it should have an R rating so high school kids could see it . This would turn them off drugs for good ! |
477,527 | 463,200 | 264,472 | 8 | Surprisingly good | Wall Street lawyer Gavin Banek ( Ben Affleck ) has an important court case . He got a dying old man to sign over his company to his for ( he believes ) the good of the people . Doyle Gipson ( Samuel L . Jackson ) has an important court date also . He's a recovering alcoholic and his divorced wife is moving ( with his 2 children ) from NY to Oregon . He just bought a house in Queens to get his wife to stay but has to show that to a judge . Both of them are speeding to their respective courts and Banek callously cuts off Gipson causing an accident . He tries to brush off Gipson with a blank check but Gipson wants to do the right thing . Banek , in a hurry , leaves the guy accidentally dropping an important file . Gipson is late for the court date and loses custody of his kids . He has Banek's file which Banek needs desperately . Will Gipson give it back ? Sounds like just a play by the numbers Hollywood thriller but it isn't . It turns into a morality play about ethics and what is right and wrong . What's surprising is that it's an INTELLIGENT , well-written movie . It's filmed with jittery camerawork , muted color and mostly in darkness or shade . It gives the film a very bleak , negative look perfectly fitting the screenplay . Also Affleck is just superb in his role . I did have a little trouble believing that he was so shocked by some wrong-doing but he pulls it off . In fact , in a recent interview , Affleck says this was his best acting . He's right . Jackson is just good as Affleck . He has the more challenging role - - his character slowly implodes as his life falls apart . Jackson pulls it off brilliantly . Also good in supporting roles are Amanda Peet as Banek's wife ( she has a just great restaurant sequence with him ) and Sydney Pollack excels as the head of the company . The film does have a formula Hollywood ending ( that's why I'm only giving it an 8 ) but , until the point , it's just great . Also director Roger Mitchell has many nice directorial touches when he intercuts between Affleck and Jackson . An intelligent script , great direction and two powerhouse performances . What more can you ask for ? Highly recommended . |
478,079 | 463,200 | 112,907 | 8 | Shattering and depressing . . . as it should be | Jim ( Richard Lewis ) attends an AA meeting very worried about something . His sponsor encourages him to talk . He does . . . and immediately leaves . The rest of the movie involves him trying not to drink and it keeps going back to the meeting where we , one by one , hear each member say why they're there . I caught this at a small art cinema way back in 1997 and I never forgot it . It perfectly captures what an AA meeting is like and the stories related are harrowing . Quite a few well known actors play members : Sam Rockwell ( still unknown at the time ) , Amanda Plummer , Parkey Posey , Dianne Wiest , Calista Flockheart and Faye Dunaway . Their considerable acting talents make the stories seem realistic and hard to shake off . There's no happy endings here . Grim and disturbing but realistic . Sometime the staginess shows through ( you can tell this was based on a play ) which is why I can only give it an 8 . Still , it's well worth watching . |
478,535 | 463,200 | 100,944 | 8 | Unjustly forgotten fantasy | Very strange fantasy in which a young boy Luke ( Jasen Fisher ) and his friend Bruno ( Charles Potter ) get in trouble with some witches ( led by Anjelicia Huston ) . Luke's Norwegian aunt ( Mai Zetterling ) , a former witch , helps him battle the others . When this came out in 1990 critics loved it , but audiences stayed away . Real witches attacked the film because it portrayed witches as evil , ugly and wanting to kill all children . They overreacted - - it's just a FANTASY , not reality . Also it was way too strong ( and strange ) to attract a family audience . . . too scary for kids and adults assumed it was a kids movie . But it is a good fantasy for high schoolers and adults . Nicholas Roegs ' direction is off-putting ( he directs it like it's high art ) , but the special effects are truly incredible ( especially the mice ) and there are wonderful performances by Zetterling and Huston ( going WAY over the top in her acting ) . It's a very strange movie - - definitely a one of a kind . It's worth a look . |
478,912 | 463,200 | 34,913 | 8 | Good Superman cartoon | In WWII , America has developed a brand-new HUGE bomber plane . Lois Lane and Clark Kent go to cover the story when the plane is going on its first mission . Lois stows away on the plane before it takes off . There are also some Japanese saboteurs on board who have every intention of flying the bomber to Tokyo . Will Lois be able to warn Superman ? What do you think ? Fast-moving , colorful cartoon . The animation is a little jerky but much better than anything we see today . The color and sound have been beautifully restored . Just two problems - - the lousy music score and the racism ( especially in the title ) . That aside this is pretty good . An 8 . |
478,563 | 463,200 | 470,272 | 8 | For gay porno this is groundbreaking | An update of classic novel of the same name . This is set in modern day New York and is an all gay version . For gay porno this is a one of a kind . There's an actual plot and , for porno , the acting isn't half bad . Also what's interesting is that don't use all young hairless guys as most pornos do . These guys range from 20s-30s , some are pretty hairy and they're not all drop dead gorgeous . They do all have buff bodies and the hardcore scenes go on and on and on . That's not a bad thing but this runs 2 hours with ( maybe ) 45 minutes of plot . I actually lost track of what was going on after the sex scenes ended ! Still this is a very good attempt to go a hardcore gay porno with a plot based on a classic novel . The settings are beautiful , there are plenty of cameos and the sex is VERY hot and erotic . This is ( obviously ) not for everyone but gay guys will love it - - it sold out at a gay bookstore I know of . This is already considered a mini-masterpiece of gay porno . Recommended . |
478,424 | 463,200 | 113,347 | 8 | Good " chick flick " | Winona Ryder spends a summer with her aunts while writing her thesis and deciding whether to marry her fiancée Dermot Mulroney . She learns about life and love through her aunts and friends while they sew a huge quilt together . Good , well-done but there's too much material for one movie . There are 5 flashbacks along with the main story and they're given very short shrift . The real pleasure is seeing a bunch of pros ( Ellen Burnstyn , Anne Bancroft , Winona Ryder , etc ) act with a talented then-unknown cast ( Jonathan Schaech , Claire Danes , Mulroney , etc etc ) . . . everyone's good and on target . Nothing new script-wise but I was never bored . Also good to see the late Esther Rolle and Jared Leto in small bits . Worth catching , but very talky at times . |
479,175 | 463,200 | 289,879 | 8 | Not as bad as you might think . . . | When this came out in 2003 it was doomed . Nobody could take the idea of Ashton Kutcher ( known just for comedy ) in a serious sci-fi movie . Predictably it bombed at the box office . That's too bad because this is actually a very intriguing ( if disturbing ) film . Evan ( played as a 13 year old by John Patrick Amedon ) does not have a happy childhood . His dad is in a mental institution ; his mom has to work constantly to pay the bills and is never around ; one of his best friends ( Tommy ) is a borderline psycho and Tommy's dad is a pedophile . Evan keeps having blackouts and keeps a journal from age 7 on to maybe help him . When he reaches college age ( played by Kutcher ) his life is a mess . . . but he finds he can go back in time ( by reading his journals ) . He goes back and tries to change everything . . . but things get worse and worse . Soon he's spinning through alternate realities and losing his mind . . . The story itself is intriguing and it's pulled off beautifully . I'm not a science fiction fan but this movie pulled me right in . The direction really puts this across - - all the different realities are shot in different film stocks so you can tell where you are and the film never stops moving . And it did make me think - - would I change anything if I could back in time ? The acting is ( almost ) uniformly great . Amy Smart plays Kayleigh - - Evan's girlfriend ( sometimes ) . She has to play different variations on her character . Not an easy task but she pulls it off . Also William Lee Scott ( playing Tommy ) has to do the same and also does well . As for Kutcher - - he isn't terrible but he's really not up for the role . He was OK but he needs to be more than that to put this across completely . He doesn't destroy the movie - - he just lessens the impact . And Amedon deserves credit for playing Evan at 13 - - very well done . This movie is disturbing . There are quite explicit dialogue about child abuse and Tommy's behavior as a child ( brought on by his sick dad ) is downright horrifying . This is NOT a movie for kids . It does have a happy ending - - sort of . I'm giving this an 8 - - I might have given it a 10 with a better actor in the lead . Recommended - - just with reservations about Kutcher . |
477,929 | 463,200 | 69,947 | 8 | Very well-done | Entertaining drama about a killer for hire named the Jackal ( Edward Fox ) hired to kill Charles DeGaulle in 1962 . It follows step by step his preparations for the assassination and the authorities trying to track him down . Story has a huge cast of mostly unknown character actors which makes it seem more believable ( i . e . in the 1997 remake Bruce Willis played the Jackal and you were always aware you were watching Willis ) . Also Fox is all too believable as a killer . The plot also takes place all over Europe jumping around from country to country . Despite the large cast and multiple story lines I was never confused and thoroughly engrossed . Expert direction by Zimmerman helps also . I have one small complaint - - it goes on a bit too long . I was a little bored by the final half-hour . Still , this is a well-done thriller worth catching . I give it an 8 . |
478,440 | 463,200 | 65,549 | 8 | Very interesting | I heard this was terrible and was expecting to see some sort of camp classic when FLIX showed it . I was pleasantly surprised to find myself enjoying it . This is the true story of the first sex change operation of a man to a woman ( John Hansen as both ) . This was shot and treated like some 1950s Hollywood melodrama . There's bright beautiful color , lush music score , beautiful settings and lines that sound like they were lifted verbatim from old movies . It's totally at odds with the subject matter but , surprisingly , it works . The picture is very tasteful about the subject and treats Jorgensen with sympathy . SPOILER ! ! ! ! ! It does get so bad it's good at the end when a male reporter falls for Christine . Then it leads to some howlingly bad dialogue and actually ends with the couple making love ( not shown ) in front of a roaring fireplace ! The only reason this has an R rating is because of some ( minor ) male and female nudity and the scene of a guy and a transsexual kissing - - way too strong for a 1970 PG . Also Hansen is very good in both roles . He looks damn good as a woman ! Worth seeing . |
479,169 | 463,200 | 100,768 | 8 | Very good documentary | William Greaves hosts this fascinating documentary about the underground black film made from the 1920s to the 1950s . Black people saw they were being portrayed negatively in Hollywood films so they went out to make their own films that showed them as they really were . These were made only to be shown in all-black cinemas ( cinemas were segregated back then ) . Most of these films are gone forever but this shows clips from a number that are still around . The movies spoke out against racism and the terrible conditions that black ghettos were in but - - other than that - - they were like any other Hollywood film . This film showed me some things I never knew like : How some Hollywood studios used white actors in black face to play black people because they didn't think black people could act ! Bing Crosby is shown in one ! Black actors had to go to Europe to get roles . Paul Robeson went to England to make movies - - - and he STILL found himself cast as a slave ! Horribly negative stereotypes where shown in cartoons . Lena Horne , Ethel Waters , Nat King Cole , Cab Calloway all got their start in black independent films . Even Sammy Davis Jr . shown here at the age of 8 in his first film . Very good and short ( about 1 hour ) docu on a subject most people are unaware of . Worth catching . |
477,903 | 463,200 | 104,684 | 8 | Almost one of Woo's best | Nothing new plot-wise ( male loyalty , police undercover , gun smugglers ) but the acting was good , the dialogue credible and some of the most amazing and very violent stunts I've ever seen in an action film . They make the film worth watching . But , it's too cruel for me to say I enjoy it . . . SPOILERS AHEAD ! ! Towards the end a large bunch of babies are put in danger - - one or two are almost gunned down ! Also , a bunch of crippled people are shot to death by the bad guy . Why ? We already knew he was a psychopath . . . we didn't need this ! It's an upsetting scene - - needless and sick . Those two elements make it somewhat unpleasant to watch . Take those scenes out and you got a great , kick ass action film ! |
478,760 | 463,200 | 96,203 | 8 | Very funny | Updating of " The Front Page " to 1988 . Star reporter Christy ( Kathleen Turner ) on the Satellite Network News is burnt out . She takes a vacation and meets big , hunky , rich Blaine ( Christopher Reeve ) and falls in love ( only in movies . . . ) . She plans to leave work to marry Blaine , but her ex-husband and boss Sully ( Burt Reynolds ) is unwilling to let her go and tries to sabotage their plans any way he can . Not as good as 1940s " His Girl Friday " but not as bad as the 1970s " The Front Page " - - it really does work . It's quick , loud and never stops moving ( especially at the end ) . It also helps that the entire cast is in full throttle - - Turner , Reeve and Reynolds are relaxed , eager and full of energy - - they really put across the movie . Turner and Reynolds especially are surprising - - who knew they could do comedy ? And Reeve kids his goody two-shoes image and his Superman character ( he's afraid of heights in this one ) . Also Ned Beatty has quite a few funny moments as a slimy politician . The updating from the newspaper world to cable TV occasionally doesn't work and there are some really contrived situations here and there but not enough to destroy the movie . Also quite dated - - get a look at those HUGE cordless phones ! Still I enjoyed this film a lot . A bomb ( sadly ) in its day - - this deserves rediscovery . |
479,121 | 463,200 | 100,802 | 8 | Violent , stupid but fun | Arnold Schwarzenegger plays Douglas Quaid . He lives on Earth in the future with a loving wife ( Sharon Stone ) and a good life . But he keeps having dreams about Mars and another woman . Then he finds out they might be more than just dreams . . . There's a lot more going on in the plot but I won't spoil it . This came out in the summer of 1990 . It was a huge hit but was attacked by many critics who complained about the extreme violence in the film . Seen today it still IS very violent ( I'm surprised it got by with a R rating ) but . . . it's just a movie . Also , if you don't take the film too seriously ( and you shouldn't ) it actually gets kind of amusing . There's plenty of blood and dead bodies ( and body parts ) flying around but it's really hard to take it realistically . The plot is very complicated - - too much . The twists and turns keep you guessing but there are a LOT of plot holes in this . Two huge examples - - How did Melina know they were going to take Quaid down the service elevator when she saves him and who ( or what ) IS Quatro ? We see him / it but it's never explained why he's viewed as a God . And the constant product placement is Venusville was very obvious ( and annoying ) . Still , I DO recommend this movie . The movie moves very quickly ( it's directed by the great Paul Verhoeven ) , the violence keeps things interesting and the acting is not bad . Schwarzenegger ( surprisingly ) is pretty good in the main role . Stone really sucks in her role but this movie was her breakthrough . Michael Ironside is lousy too - - but then he always is . However Rachel Ticotin is great as the heroine and Ronny Cox has lots of fun as Cohaagen , the slimy villain ( although supposedly he was appalled at the amount of violence in the film ) . The special effects are great ( no crappy CGI was available back then ) and there's a GREAT cat fight between Stone and Ticotin . So it's fast , extremely violent and lots of fun . Just don't think about the plot too much . Recommended . |
478,430 | 463,200 | 65,611 | 8 | Overlooked | Fun , entertaining movie about WWII German spy ( Julie Andrews ! ) falling in love with American pilot ( Rock Hudson ) , while trying to get secrets from him . For some reason this was attacked by critics and shunned by the public in 1970 - - I can't see why . It's beautifully shot , has wonderful costumes and interiors , and exciting aerial dogfights . Also it has Andrews doing a strip-tease ( strictly PG material ) and singing a beautiful song - - " Whistling in the Dark " . The movie does have problems . Andrews and Hudson did not get along during the shooting of this - - and it shows . Their love scenes lack spark and they have zero sexual chemistry . Still , they turn in OK performances . The film is a little long ( even in the 105 min director's cut I saw ) and gets way too dark and serious at the end . Still , worth catching . Try seeing the directors cut . . . the other one runs half an hour longer ! |
479,595 | 463,200 | 56,891 | 8 | Fun ! | Big singing star Conrad Birdie ( obviously a parody of Elvis Presley ) is being drafted . He's to give one last kiss to a fan ( Ann-Margret ) throwing her life , and her family's , into turmoil . Energetic , colorful musical . The script is sharp and the performances on target . There are many great songs ( title tune , " The Telephone Hour " , " Honestly Sincere " , " Put On A Happy Face " , " Kids " ) which take full advantage of the wide screen ( letter-boxed is a must ) . The dancing and singing is all great . Ann-Margret is young , beautiful and bursting with life ; Paul Lynde is hilarious as her father ; Maureen Stapleton is loud and overbearing ( but she's supposed to be ) ; Dick Van Dyke is OK ; Janet Leigh is great , but it was a mistake to put her in a black wig ; Bobby Rydell is just annoying . A bit dated ( the Ed Sullivan references will be lost on young kids ) but still fun . Well worth seeing . " Daddy , it's my hair ! " " Not until you're 21 ! " |
478,152 | 463,200 | 53,001 | 8 | Dogpatch in VistaVision ! | Adaptation of a hit musical based on a comic strip . It's about a tiny town called Dogpatch and its various strange inhabitants . Chief among them are strong , tall , incredibly handsome Li'l Abner ( Peter Palmer ) and incredibly beautiful Daisy Mae ( Leslie Parrish ) . There are various plots flying around but basically Daisy Mae is in love with Li'l Abner and wants to marry him . . . but he keeps stopping short of it and doesn't know why . There's also various other characters that have names like Earthquake McGoon and Marryin ' Sam . This is one of the few movies shot in a widescreen process called VistaVision . That was a great idea because there are some huge musical numbers that completely fill the wide screen . The dances are colorful and ( to put it mildly ) energetic . The songs are all pretty good with some very clever lyrics . In fact all the characters introduce themselves by singing to the audience ! Some people may enjoy the fact that all the young women here are in great shape and wear VERY revealing costumes . We also have a sequence with some muscular handsome men are shown only wearing shorts . Cheesecake AND beefcake ! However there are drawbacks here . Palmer and Parrish are both incredibly beautiful people and can sing and dance . . . but not act . Palmer's acting was incredibly wooden - - Parrish wasn't much better . Everybody else overacts to a large degree . The plots are pretty stupid and full of corny humor . A little corny humor goes a LONG way and , at two hours , it gets annoying . Still this is worth seeing for the colorful sets and costumes , the songs and the incredible dance numbers . Also Jerry Lewis does a ( thankfully ) brief cameo . Also look for Valerie Harper and Beth Howland as two of the women who have husbands at the end . |
479,529 | 463,200 | 109,445 | 8 | Grimy , gritty but funny | A day in the life of convenience store clerk Dante ( Brian O'Halloran ) and his friend Randal ( Jeff Anderson ) who runs the video store attached . Also Jay ( Jason Mewes ) and Silent Bob ( director / writer Kevin Smith ) pop up from time to time . No budget black & white first feature from Smith was a huge independent hit when released in 1994 . It opened with some controversy - - it was given an NC-17 rating for dialogue alone - - which is kind of silly . There IS a lot of swearing and tons of sexually frank talk but I've heard worse in big budget studio movies like " Casino " or " Scarface " . The rating was appealed and lowered ( with no cuts ) to an R . I like the film - - to a point . It is funny ( if very crude ) and the script itself is just great - - full of very interesting lines about sex , love , life and movies ( Randal's talk about " Revenge of the Jedi " is hilarious ) . After a while though it wore me down . The black + white photography is grimy , Smith is not exactly a great director and the character of Dante was such a wimp I got annoyed at him . He's treated like dirt nonstop and takes it . Also his buddy Randal was just cruel and unbelievably anti-social . Also the original ending ( which actually works good ) was cut . It had Dante being shot dead by a robber . It was left out cause it was too depressing - - but it DOES make sense it context of the movie . So - - I did ( sort of ) like this and recommend it . However if you're offended by strong language and sex talk skip this one . |
478,976 | 463,200 | 30,149 | 8 | Sure it's a soap opera - - but a good one ! | Story about a widowed father ( Claude Rains ) bringing up his four daughters . Emma ( Gale Page ) is loved by big hunky Ernest ( Dick Foran ) . Thea ( Lola Lane ) is romanced by an old but wealthy man . Kay ( Rosemary Lane ) wants to become a singer . Ann ( Priscilla Lane ) is a romantic . Drop dead handsome Felix Deitz ( Jeffrey Lynn ) , a business associate of their father , comes to stay with them . All the sisters fall in love with him . Then tough cynical Mickey ( John Garfield ) enters the picture . . . Very entertaining movie was a big hit and nominated for five Academy Awards . It's beautifully directed by Michael Curitz , has a pretty good ( if predictable ) script and a VERY attractive cast ( especially Lynn ) . Also this was John Garfield's first film and made him a star . This was so popular there were three or four sequels ( which I never saw ) . This is an engrossing , entertaining , big budget soap opera - - well worth seeing . |
477,603 | 463,200 | 53,226 | 8 | Talky but fascinating , depressing | Joe Lampton ( Laurence Harvey ) is a young English man who wants to get ahead in life - - quickly . He falls in love with a married , older ( by 10 years ) French woman named Alice ( Simeone Signoret ) , but realizes he can only get ahead by marring the boss ' daughter Susan ( Heather Sears ) . What can he do ? This was considered very strong stuff in its day . There is swearing , frank sex talk , pre-marital sex and adultery . The film is a bit slow , but is almost always interesting . The direction is assured and some of the shots are fascinating ( Freddie Francis was the director of photography - - no shock here - - he was always great ) . The acting is simply great , especially Signoret ( who is heartbreaking ) and Harvey . Harvey is handsome , sexual , evil , romantic . . . all rolled into one . He's just incredible . Worth seeing , but be warned . . . it is depressing . |
478,690 | 463,200 | 60,801 | 8 | Terrible but in a VERY fun way | The story of Frank Fane ( Stephen Boyd ) and his best friend Hymie Kelly ( Tony Bennett - - yes THAT Tony Bennett ! ) . He treats women like dirt and claws his way to the top and becomes a big Hollywood actor . However he's such an evil character you know he's going to be punished ! Just dreadful . The script has every single cliché you've ever heard of and there's just one hysterically bad line after another ( the actors deserve credit for keeping straight faces ) . So it's not good but it's so bad I was never bored . It's so ridiculously bad you just watch it grinning wondering what they're gonna hit you with next . To add to the fun they use actual Hollywood people in small roles ( Edith Head and Hedda Hopper appear as themselves ) . In a way it's too bad this was such a bomb . If this had been a big hit ( and any good ) it might have made Boyd a big star . He is great in this ! He's over the top nonstop but in an enjoyable bad way . He keeps the movie roaring along and he's always on . He's surrounded by some great actors who give their all . Jill St . John , Milton Berle ( in a dramatic role ! ) , Eleanor Parker , Joseph Cotten ( chewing the scenery ) , Ernest Borgnine , Peter Lawford and Edie Adams all appear in bit parts and they're fantastic . Unfortunately there's some terrible acting by Elke Sommer and Bennett ( no surprise there - - he's a great singer NOT an actor ) . Those two have main roles next to Boyd and they weaken the movie . Still this is a funny , nonstop trashy Hollywood movie . It also shows that Boyd WAS actually a good actor . A must see for movie fans like me . An 8 all the way . |
479,359 | 463,200 | 264,804 | 8 | Pretty good documentary | Documentary on silent film star Lon Chaney . It shows his start in the movies back in the 1910s It seems he was born and raised by two deaf mutes . . . this goes a long way to explaining how he was able to convey so many emotions with his face and gestures . It chronicles his marriages ( one produced his only child - - Lon Chaney Jr . ) and start in show business . The docu is OK . It does stress that Chaney only did a few horror movies - - although that is what he's known for today . It shows rare clips from his many lost films ( over 100 ! ) and from virtually all of his surviving ones . It's a great opportunity to see what a great actor Chaney was - - but this is lacking . There's VERY little info about his personal life - - some people say he was happy go lucky but all accounts I've heard of said he was a very cruel , violent man . There is some interview footage from Chaney Jr . s son talking about his grandfather but that's about it . The movie consists mostly of footage from Chaney's films or talking heads - - people like Ray Bradbury , Forrest Ackerman , Lon Chaney Jr . ( in an old interview before his death ) , various cameraman and such who worked with him . It's a good chronicle of Chaney's movies but VERY little about his personal life . I give it an 8 . |
478,499 | 463,200 | 87,419 | 8 | Kind of fun | Short compilation of actors flubbing dialogue , old ads or commercials made by stars and some gag footage made specifically for Hollywood insiders . Not very well put together and it has its dull stretches but some highlights are : The Marx Brothers in the MGM logo roaring like the lion ( except for Harpo ) ; Bud Abbott flubbing his lines and swearing a blue streak ; James Dean doing a PSA for driving safely ( shortly before his death in an auto accident ) ; a truly hysterical Jimmy Fund ad with Joan Crawford wishing her children a good night ( and you specifically hear them say " Good night Mommie Dearest ) ; a very odd little film with Cecil DeMille and Porky Pig swearing ! No great shakes but a fun little movie . I give it an 8 . |
477,895 | 463,200 | 1,157,705 | 8 | Interesting | Documentary about Roman Polanski and his flight from America after having sex with a girl of about 16 . It talks about his dealing with the brutal murder of his wife Sharon Tate and implies that that event might have made him act like he did . It goes step by step over all the legals battles and such that forced Polanski it flee to Europe . There's also interviews with the victim ( who said Polanksi should be allowed to come back to America and NOT be charged ) and all the lawyers from both sides of the case . It slowly becomes clear that Polanski did not receive a fair trial and he was being used . This is a little dull in spots - - going over every single legal battle gets tedious . Still , it's well made and mostly interesting . I give it an 8 . |
478,550 | 463,200 | 113,277 | 8 | Overdone but good | Police detective Al Pacino is after mastermind thief Robert De Niro . Also De Niro's partner Val Kilmer is having trouble with his wife ( Ashley Judd ) ; De Niro falls for nice Amy Brennerman and Pacino is having issues with HIS wife ( Diane Venora ) . Also Tom Sizemore , Wes Studi and Dennis Haysbert appear in supporting roles . Big , sprawling cops and robbers drama . There are multiple story lines and all the characters are fully realized individuals . The acting is great across the board ( except for Kilmer ) . There was a lot made of this film because of the 8 minute sequence in which De Niro and Pacino face off verbally against each other . They're both great and the sequence is crucial to their characters - - but it isn't particularly well-written . Still this might be the only time we'll ever see the two together on screen ( They both starred in " The Godfather Part II " but shared no scenes ) . The movie is well-directed with constant close-ups ( for some reason ) and shot in washed out color with some truly incredible gun fights ( the last one is just jaw dropping ) . An ALMOST great movie . There are problems . There are too many story lines and the film becomes quite convoluted towards the end . For example - - a subplot between Pacino and his stepdaughter comes up , disappears and pops in out of NOWHERE at the end . Also the film is much too long at 3 hours . This worked great in a theatre in wide screen and ear-shattering stereo ( the gun shots went right through you ) . It doesn't work as well on TV . Also avoid the edited for TV version which cuts out about FORTY minutes rendering the film incomprehensible . Worth watching . . . but it should have been tightened a little . |
479,253 | 463,200 | 784,977 | 8 | Quirky doesn't even begin to describe this one | Musical about three friends - - Billy ( Jake Moreno ) , Rodel ( writer H . P . Mendoza ) and Maribel ( L . A . Renigen ) . They live in a small town named Colma , have just graduated from high school and aren't sure what they want to do . Billy wants to be an actor but isn't sure if he can do it . Gay Rodel doesn't know what he wants and can't tell his father that he's gay . Maribel is a friend of the two . Very odd movie . The music and songs are good ( if repetitious ) and there's a show stopper in a bar . There was also an excellent use of split ( or multiple ) screens and it was shot on beautiful locations . But the movie was too long ( 20 minutes could have been cut ) ; the acting wasn't that good ; Moreno is a handsome man . . . but not the best singer ; the characters were basically pretty obnoxious and there doesn't seem to be any point to it all . Also characters act strange for no other reason than to act strange ( Billy's manager especially ) . Still I did enjoy it ( mostly ) and the songs were good . You might like this . Definitely worth a look if you love musicals . |
479,172 | 463,200 | 104,466 | 8 | One of Woody Allen's best comedy / dramas | A married couple , Sally ( Judy Davis ) and Jack ( Sydney Pollack ) , tell their best friends - - another married couple named Gabe ( Woody Allen ) and Judy ( Mia Farrow ) - - that they are separating . This news throws Gabe and Judy into a tailspin . It makes them reexamine their own marriage and find it lacking . Meanwhile Sally starts seeing a handsome , romantic man ( Liam Neeson ) and Jack is living with a girl at least 30 years his junior . This film follows what happens to them over the course of a year . A fascinating film . I'm not married ( or even straight ) but I don't think that matters - - this is about love , sex and relationships and has dialogue and situations that anyone can relate to . Allen's script is right on target - - the insights are just incredible , and we slowly begin to see exactly how all of the four main characters really are . During the film they are all interviewed by a never seen person - - these interviews really help the story and reveals how everybody feels about the others . It pulls everything together . The acting is almost all great . Allen and Farrow were living together when this was filmed - - when it was released they were in a bitter custody battle . This movie actually provides insight to WHY they broke up - - their argument scenes are just a bit too realistic . Davis and Pollack are just superb in their roles . They let you feel their characters pain and confusion - - just great acting . Neeseon isn't asked to do much but he is very affecting in his scenes . However Juliette Lewis is terrible as a college student . Her voice is nasal and whiny and her acting is pretty lousy - - but it doesn't ruin the film . I saw this back in 1992 in a theatre and loved it . Twelve years later I STILL love it . A great film . I'm only giving this an 8 though . There are two big faults with this film : the hand-held jittery camera work being the main one . My guess is Allen filmed it this way to make the film more immediate and give it a documentary feel . It works but it IS distracting . Also it gets a little repetitious towards the end . Still this is well worth seeing . Recommended . |
478,502 | 463,200 | 420,087 | 8 | Good Altman film | A radio show " The Prairie Home Companion " is about to be cancelled after being on the air for decades . It has it's pompous announcer G . K . ( Garson Keillor ) ; Dusty ( Woody Harrelson ) and Lefty ( John C . Reilly ) two " Cowboys who play guitars and sing ; Guy Noir ( Kevin Kline ) who seems to be there to prevent the show from being shut down ; Lola Johnson ( Lindsay Lohan ) a depressed teenager whose mom ( Meryl Streep ) does a singing act with her sister ( Lily Tomlin ) . And who is that beautiful woman ( Virginia Madsen ) in the white trench coat wandering around . About as strange as other Altman films but very laid back . I had trouble getting into it ( I almost dozed off during the opening 30 minutes ) but when you realize it's a character study and somewhat slow-moving you get into it . Nothing really happens but the acting AND singing is great and there are dozens of great moments : Dusty and Lefty's hilarious song about bad jokes ( pretty strong for a PG-13 movie ) ; Lola singing " Frankie and Johnnie " by ad libbing all the words ; Streep and Tomlin are great together in EVERY scene they're in and Madesen is excellent ( and truly beautiful ) in a crucial role . Not for everyone and difficult to get into but worth the effort . I give it an 8 . |
479,534 | 463,200 | 382,073 | 8 | Nothing new but well done | Diana ( Glenn Close ) is a drama teacher who daughter Isabel ( Elizabeth Banks is getting married . She's going to marry Jonathan ( James Marsden ) but she's not sure if it's what she should do . Her ex Mark ( Matt Davis ) offers her a job that might be a way out . Actor Alec ( Jesse Bradford ) auditions for Diana and she becomes attracted to him . And photographer Benjamin Moore is having a show . . . and all hell will break loose . Got all that ? Multi-character drama seriously offers nothing new plot-wise but it's well-written and acted by a great cast . Close leads the way and is superb followed closely by Banks . Even Marsden , Bradford and Davis are good - - and I've never really liked any of them . Well-directed with good use of Rufus Wainwright music . There's also a very passionate gay kiss . But seriously . . . I've seen this all before . These plots have been done in other movies . Still it's worth catching for the acting alone . Recommended . |
477,306 | 463,200 | 435,625 | 8 | Very good | Creepy eerie little horror film from England . It's about six women friends who decide to explore an unknown cavern that leads underground . While there that get trapped and find there is a race of cannibals down there too . That's about it for plot but this is still very good . We get to know and understand who the women are before they descend . Refreshingly they aren't all stereotypes - - they are flawed by interesting human beings . Their dialogue is sometimes hard to understand ( this was done in England and the accents are thick ) but you can still figure things out . All the acting is excellent too . The descent down the cave is beautifully done - - constantly being filmed from odd angles to keep the viewer off balance . Also we don't see anything more than the women see underground . They're surrounded by darkness and we're always expecting something to leap out . The film works beautifully in a dark theatre - - it's like you're in the cave with them . The cannibals themselves don't pop up until an hour in - - but it's worth the wait . The first views of them are downright terrifying ( I yelled aloud at one ) but then it doesn't work . For me they stopped being scary when we get good looks at them - - they look like what they are which is guys in costume . Still the gore starts and it is STRONG . Blood flies and bodies are torn asunder . Most of the fights are shot in fast motion which , oddly , works . It all leads up to a silly ending . I know the American version has a different conclusion than the European version - - we'll have to wait for the DVD to find out what it is probably . Still a good strong horror film . But DO NOT see it if you can't stand blood and gore - - this is very strong stuff . |
477,856 | 463,200 | 22,276 | 8 | Fast-paced and racy | Poor factory girl ( Joan Crawford ) goes to New York to find fame and fortune . She quickly becomes a " kept " woman for a rich lawyer ( Clark Gable - - without his moustache ) . But she can't keep her past away forever and things start to go terribly wrong . Strong ( for 1931 ) , short ( 71 minutes ) pre-Code drama . The script is sharp and believable , the direction good and there are some incredibly lavish settings . Also Crawford and Gable are just great in their roles and both of them look incredibly beautiful . There was a brief part at the end that I didn't buy , but that didn't destroy the picture at all . Well worth seeing for anybody , but a definite must for Crawford and Gable fans . |
477,517 | 463,200 | 29,870 | 8 | Excellent early crime drama | Two childhood friends - - Jerry Connolly ( Pat O'Brien ) and Rocky Sullivan ( James Cagney ) grow up on different sides of the law . Connolly becomes a priest running a church in the bad section of town and trying to steer a bunch of kids ( the Dead End Kids ) away from trouble . Sullivan becomes a gangster and the kids idolize him and start to turn bad . The story is familiar by now but this was the first of its kind and , as usually is the case , is the best of its kind . Quick-moving , beautifully acted and well-directed by Michael Curtiz . Ann Sheridan and Humphrey Bogart are surprisingly bad in small roles - - but they're given little to do . O'Brien is good , if a little TOO nice , as the priest . The Dead End Kids convincingly play juvenile delinquents . But this is Cagney's picture all the way . He's just great and you can't take your eyes off him when he's on screen . The script is tight and well-written also . It all leads to a great gunfight and a powerful finale . Basically one of the best gangster pictures of all time . Don't miss this one ! I only give it an 8 because the story IS overly predictable and the lousy acting from Sheridan and Bogart hurts . |
477,638 | 463,200 | 130,827 | 8 | Dizzying | Very fast , very loud movie about a young woman trying to save her boyfriend from getting killed over a botched drug deal . We see the story three times , each with a different middle and ending . It's interesting but it gets a little dull at times . Still the good acting by the entire cast , pounding soundtrack and hyperactive direction and cinematography hold your interest . A big art house success in the US . |
478,083 | 463,200 | 87,277 | 8 | Sure it's silly but it's an 80s teen musical | Teenager Ren ( Kevin Bacon ) moves to a small mid Western town with his mom after his parents divorce . It seems the Reverend Moore ( John Lithgow ) , of the town's only church , has totally banned rock and roll music from the entire town . He has a daughter named Ariel ( Lori Singer ) who is basically a hell-raiser - - yet loves her father . Rem decides to stop the ban and bring the town back to life . OK - - we're not dealing with reality here at ALL ! A town banning rock music entirely is ridiculous and the town only has ONE church ? And the game of chicken using tractors was just silly . And don't get me started on how Bacon , Singer , Chris Penn and Sarah Jessica Parker look WAY too old to be high school students - - Singer was THIRTY when she did this ! And how the heck did all the kids from the town learn how to dance so quickly ? But , as a no brain musical , this does work . The opening sequence alone is great ( it shows various feet dancing to the title tune ) . Also the acting helps a lot . Bacon is just great - - he doesn't take the movie too seriously and gives out a very good performance . He also has a big dance number ( to a song called " Never " ) which is him and THREE different stuntman doing the more unrealistic moves . Singer is too old for her role but she tries . Penn is pretty good as Bacon's best friend - - his learning how to dance sequence is a highlight . Parker did this before she was known and she's not bad . Lithgow and Wiest are just great as the Reverend and his wife - - Wiest has a great scene where she calmly tells him off and Lithgow ( wisely ) does not play the Reverend as a one-note character . You see him trying to understand his daughter and slowly realizing that music isn't bad . So - - this is no " Singin in the Rain " but for a 1980s teen musical it's lots of fun . Great songs too . Just turn off your brain and enjoy ! |
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