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587,336 | 783,721 | 308,514 | 5 | If you don't have a product to sell , sell the advertising . | Lost in La Mancha is a documentary which takes you behind the scenes of a film which never came to fruition . It shows a dab of this and a dab of that - costuming , casting , prop making , planning , organizing , scheduling , scouting , etc . - before working up to the problems which eventually sunk the film's production which were probably unrealistic expectations , mismanagement , and poor leadership although the film would have you believe they were jet planes , bad weather , and a bad back . " Lost in La Mancha " began as one of those short subjects about the making of specific films that clutter cable t . v . and are little more than advertising in the guise of documentaries and it plainly continues in that same vein through its 90 minute run with peek-a-boo looks at the busyness and business of making a doomed film . Recommended only for those interested in film making . ( |
586,926 | 783,721 | 135,807 | 5 | Inside this flick is a good plot trying to get out . | Blackout Effect gets off to a good start and ends confused about it's own purpose . With Stoltz at the center as an NTSB sleuth investigating a midair collision , the film takes the audience into the world of commercial aviation and air traffic control . However , once there , it becomes a mess of conflicts between ATC's and management , the NTSB and the ATC management , the quirky bad guy and everyone , and even a side plot about a relationship between the investigator and a passenger on the doomed flight which serves no purpose . The film loses itself when an agitated ATC threatens to disrupt aviation with a home made ray gun . Yeah , right . An okay watch with sufficient energy to keep the viewer awake , " Blackout Effect " will be most enjoyed by tech-heads and people interested in convoluted dramas , especially about aviation . |
586,055 | 783,721 | 188,160 | 5 | A sub-par telling of a good story | Price of Glory is a journeyman drama at best . At issue is the whether the desire of a washed up Latino boxer / patriarch to see his three sons become champion fighters is for his own vicarious realization of a lost dream or to ensure his sons have a financially secure future . In spite of a good story and earnest performances , this film is outwardly a very ordinary production lacking the class and intelligence of " Resurrection Blvd " and the verve and passion of " Rocky " . |
587,563 | 783,721 | 114,681 | 5 | Even Kidman can't carry this dog on her back | To Die For is all about Kidman's character ; a small time t . v . weather-person who makes up for what she lacks in talent and brains with ambition and amorality . This doggedly plodding movie manages to stretch 10 minutes of story into a full length feature with narration heaped upon narration leading to an unsatisfying and hollow film with a voyeuristic feel and limited audience appeal . Couch potato alert : if you begin to get bored while watching this flick , surf away . It ain't gonna get no better . |
586,362 | 783,721 | 304,328 | 5 | Levity schmevity , burp ! | Levity , a misnomer , slogs through a tedious tale of a guilt-ridden man ( Thornton ) , recently released from a 20 year stint in prison for murder , who goes in search of redemption . Panned by the critics , this film lays down a thick layer of haunting atmospherics , ghostly visions , etc . while Thornton moves zombie-like through its ever sinking story toward a wholly unsatisfying conclusion . From my perspective , nothing really worked in " Levity " from Dunst's bleak performance to Freeman's unexplained departure to Thornton's perpetual sedation to Hunter's unlikely attraction to a man with negative charm and zero personality , etc . During the run I was never engrossed and constantly seeing Thornton , Hunter , etc . rather than their characters . Recommended for fans and relatives of the principals only . ( SPOILERS - IMHO , " Levity " would have worked better in the end if Thornton stopped a bullet intended for the son thereby saving the kid's life , securing his own redemption , and transporting himself from the life he so lamented . Also , we wouldn't have to live in fear of a sequel . |
586,019 | 783,721 | 277,615 | 5 | Very ordinary | Bug starts with a kid squishing a bug and from there launches into chain reactions which affect the lives of a handful of people . A budget conscious indie with a so-so cast and obvious cost cutters throughout , " Bug " doesn't manage to accomplish much beyond its novel approach to story telling . In the heap of " common denominator " flix which seem to be " All the Rage " from the hit " Magnolia " with crisscrossing subplots to the mutual friend drama " Love in a Time of Money " , " Bug " is at the bottom . Mediocre stuff best saved for as a boredom-breaker broadcast watch . ( C ) |
586,165 | 783,721 | 205,782 | 5 | An ordinary take it or leave it biopic | Boss of Bosses tells of the rise , reign , and fall of mob boss Paul Castellano ( Palminteri ) with the emphasis on his reign as head of the Gambino crime family . " BofB " plays as a rather ordinary made-for-tv biopic centered on a marginally interesting crime figure with Palminteri seemingly helplessly in need of some quality direction . Passable stuff only for the terminally bored or those with an interest in organized crime . |
586,243 | 783,721 | 214,388 | 5 | A fun little college campus romp for the guys | 100 Girls is a slightly naive comedy romp about a college freshman who has sex with an unknown coed on an elevator during a blackout and then spends the entire run time searching the girls ' dorm for his " Cinderella " . Tucker is at the center of this fun little romp which is chock full of babes but has little nudity , no raunch , and some heart . Unsophisticated but fun , creative though cliche , " 100 Girls " aptly dignifies women without deifying them during the self-narrated dissertation on the difference between the sexes . Most likely to be enjoyed by college age men and older guys , like me , who remember their college years with nostalgia . |
586,856 | 783,721 | 319,531 | 5 | Die now and spare us the ZZzzzzz | In " I'll Sleep When I Die " is about a loner ( Owen ) , living out of his van in the boonies while dealing with the issues of his checkered past , who must return to London to find out why his brother committed suicide and tie up the loose ends of revenge . This clumsy film seems to take forever to pull together the bits and pieces of its thin plot and when it does , the rest of the film is a foregone conclusion . The human story is as weak and contrived as one would expect from an action flick while the action is almost nonexistent making the body of the film an empty mess of nothingness moving like molasses . Very ordinary , uninspired , and poorly directed . Not worthy of further commentary . A looser . ( C ) |
586,731 | 783,721 | 149,367 | 5 | Where's the money ? Where's the comedy ? ? | Where the Money Is is a lukewarm light comedy / drama with very little going for it beyond three excellent core actors and a cute premise . Newman , a malingering and savvy thief / convict , is upstaged by Fiorentino's refreshingly unique mix of larceny and loyalty in this so-so production which dwells too much on logistics and details and not enough on relationships . |
586,814 | 783,721 | 308,671 | 5 | Russian B-movie | Telling of the rise and fall of an upwardly mobile wannabe tycoon who just sort of magically makes a fortune by parlaying brooms into jeans into cars , etc . by climbing the ladder of success in the new Russia's corrupt market economy of the past 20 years , " Tycoon : A New Russian " has low production value , a story which asks more questions than it answers , a confusing herky-jerky flow which leaps back and forth through time , poor character development , etc . , and , of course , subtitles . Given so many liabilities , it would be difficult to recommend this flick to anyone save those few with a real interest in Russian cinema . Russian film enthusiasts should check out the much better Russian film : " Utomlyonnye solntsem ( Burnt by the Sun ) " ( 1994 ) . ( C ) |
585,848 | 783,721 | 116,931 | 5 | G'bye mate ! | 1996 must have been a lousy year for Aussie films considering the nominations which this klunker received . " Love and Other . . . . " tells of a day in the life of Mia ( O'Connor ) , a lesbian college student who's having a bad day not unlike the audience . This kinda-sorta comedy isn't likely to evoke even a giggle from the average viewer as it staggers amateurishly through its pedestrian story bleeding and in need of a plot . . . a burial plot . |
585,672 | 783,721 | 376,874 | 5 | A traditional take on a timeless subject with nothing new | Sexual Life takes a superficial look at the romantic inclinations or disinclinations of several disparate but loosely interconnected Los Angeles couples as it flows serially from one couple to the next , eventually coming full circle in the end . The common denominator is sex and other relationship salients though the film is quite tame and has a kind of mellow and understated feel to it . The couples range from a call girl and her client to a married couple to a betrothed couple , etc . all obviously carefully planned to provide a range of possibilities for both auteur and audience . Though there's little new to be found between the credits , this is a pleasant little dramedy which handles the subject matter delicately in deference to more edgy and sexually explicit genre motifs . " Sexual Life " , built from B listers and a step down for Heche , is a winsome little indie for those who want to glean it from broadcast . ( |
586,670 | 783,721 | 399,877 | 5 | Lost in translation | What The ' Bleep ' Do We Know is a sort of quasi-documentary offering the thoughts and musing of a bunch of egg heads about lofty subjects from quantum physics to neurobiology to the nature of God , the universe , etc . all built around a day in the life of Marlee Matlin whose experiences parallel or are analogous to whatever subject the film is meandering through at the time . A vague and qualitative amalgamation of dramedy , pundit discourse , and special animated effects , this flick doesn't fit any particular genre , ask more questions than it answers , and is apparently a lame attempt to get people thinking big thoughts as it reaches from contemporary science into the realm of pseudophilosophical intellectualizing . Not particularly entertaining or educational , " What The . . " might have some value for middle school or high school science nerds . ( |
585,830 | 783,721 | 219,965 | 5 | Mediocre flick with lousy screenplay relies on star power | Bandits is a comedy trying to be an action flick trying to be a drama trying to be romantic trying to . . . . . etc . Levinson and Peyton conjure up the usual , the nominal , the mediocre Hollywood fare in this story about a couple of obviously manufactured characters who rob banks . The flick never really connects with the audience as it move schizophrenically through it's meager plot wearing out the charm and quirkiness of it's characters , not building , and ending predictably . Nonetheless it does manage a modest level of entertainment with some humorous moments . A good one to save for broadcast . |
587,479 | 783,721 | 327,247 | 5 | A typical case of sequelitis | The Whole Ten Yards , the sequel to " The Whole Nine Yards " ( 2000 ) , pulls together the same cast and runs with the ball again thought it fumbles and fails to make a touch down . Trying to capitalize on what made " . . . Nine Yards " a commercial comedy success , " . . . Ten Yards " suffers from sequelitis , offers nothing new , works harder not smarter , and ultimately is a creative step down . You'll see the same schtick as before with the same constant pointing of guns , threats to kill people , hit-man gags , pratfalls , and blatant silliness which all come off more like a bad after taste than a new treat . Those who haven't seen " . . . Nine Yards " , should watch it before watching this sequel . Those who saw " . . . Nine Yards " might want to give " . . . Ten Yards " a try . Keep expectations low and so for a free VCR / DVR watch . ( |
586,904 | 783,721 | 200,427 | 5 | Zirconium film | Diamond Men is a slice-of-life flick about an aging traveling diamond salesman ( Forster ) , his protege ( Wahlberg ) , and their experiences on the road . In spite of being a good natured light drama with a heart , " Diamond Men " can't escape its amateurish screen play and obvious low budgetness as it wanders through fields of pure corn all the way to its feel good conclusion . A mildly enjoyable B-flick which should be an okay sofa spud watch if it makes it to broadcast . ( C ) |
586,020 | 783,721 | 288,477 | 5 | Hokey | Ghost Ship tells of a 40 year old haunted derelict Italian luxury liner located in the Bering Sea by a tug crew of salvage divers who find gold and a whole bunch of scary stuff on board . The film offers a decent cast with good production value but flops big time on story . The plot is thin and hokey and the film little more than a long string of those contrived and predictable scary moments where someone creeps down a dark , dank passageway only to open a door and find something scary like rats or corpses or blood oozing from the walls . There is some action , a few worthy effects , and one lady ghost is kind enough to go topless . Otherwise this is flick is just so much claptrap which isn't going to scare anyone old enough for an R rating . Save for broadcast . ( C ) |
586,800 | 783,721 | 110,649 | 5 | A lead balloon of a film | The New Age is deep satire which runs the gamut of things 90's . Using a Davis and Weller , a 40ish L . A . married couple , as a centerpiece , the film attempts to depict the emptiness of the hedonistic , materialistic , and morally bankrupt life style of the " new age " as it follows the principals from schmoozfests to open marriages to euthanasia to spiritual healing to spas and massages to orgies , etc , all the while portraying the characters as subtle exaggerations which are likely to go over with most audiences like a lead balloon . This unfortunate product by Tolkin starts like serious drama and slowly drifts in limbo somewhere between satire and realism so as to leave many wondering why the film was made and why they bothered to watch it . |
585,815 | 783,721 | 93,248 | 5 | A lukewarm telling of a true spy story . | The Impossible Spy is a so-so spy flick and docudrama which tells of renowned Israeli spy Eli Cohen and his penetration of the Syrian government in the years prior to the Six Days War . The film has the look of a low budget indie and , though it's well meaning and earnest , it is not a very elegant flick . Furthermore , much of the story seems too obvious to be real spy stuff which probably just means it's true . Recommended for those into spy flicks or the history of the Syrian / Israel conflict of the 1960's . |
586,022 | 783,721 | 235,048 | 5 | The last Civil War movie to see | Wicked Spring is a very ordinary low budget indie which plays out like a slice of Civil War life as men from both sides spend time together during a respite in the Battle of the Wilderness . This plotless film is put together with relatively unknown actors delivering mediocre performances ; lots of reenactment battle scenes which give no sense of generaling and strategy ; and a big dose of visuals to make up for the absence of content and story arc ; etc . I'm a Civil War buff of sorts and have seen just about everything from Ken Burns CW to Glory to the Gettysburgs to the Civil War Journal , Red Badge of Courage , North vs South , etc . , etc . and , though I think I understand what Hershberger was trying to do with this movie , it just didn't work for me . Keep expectations real and make this the last CW movie you watch . ( C ) |
586,941 | 783,721 | 398,712 | 5 | Same old stuff | Assault on Precinct 13 is an ordinary action / drama about a handful of cops , a couple of babes , and several criminals in a soon-to-be-defunct police station house on a dark and snowy New Year's eve who come under siege by a small army of bad guys who want to kill one of the prisoners to prevent him from testifying in court . On the inside of the of the besieged police station are a sergeant with issues ( Hawk ) and the high value prisoner ( Fishburne ) who team up to deal with the threat . On the outside is the equivalent of a SWAT team led by a ruthless killer ( Byrne ) . As this obviously contrived tale unfolds it becomes increasingly apparent it is just more of the same Hollywood B-movie material with nothing new to offer . There is , however , enough action to make for a lukewarm couch potato watch as long as the brain is disengaged and expectations are kept low . ( |
587,610 | 783,721 | 250,425 | 5 | A film for sentimentalists and Ving fans . | Holiday Heart attempts to be a touching lite drama about a burly drag queen who befriends a female druggie and her daughter . Rhames works hard to fit into his character and his dresses and , to his credit , pulls it off . The film in general is a little schmaltzy around the edges , makes obvious efforts to push the viewers buttons for the desired result , and tells a story which beyond the unique premise is unoriginal . Nonetheless , the viewer who sets skeptical analysis aside and goes with the flow may just become pleasantly engrossed in this heart warming tale of strange bedfellows . |
586,563 | 783,721 | 283,952 | 5 | A very ordinary oft told tale | Blue Hill Avenue is the story of the rise of Tristan ( Payne ) from ghetto kid to drug kingpin . An attempt to show the how a kid can be strung out on money while his turf gets strung out on narcotics makes this flick old news . Production value , cast , and camera are low end but acceptable . Where this film really fails is in the script / story . For example . . . a girl doesn't want anything to do with Tristan because he's a " dealer " but changes her mind when he gives her some cheesy bling . " Blue Hill Avenue " is an old story , offers nothing new , reeks of indiness , runs too long ( at 2 hrs ) , and has characters who look like they stepped right out of a . . . . well , a bad movie . ( |
586,713 | 783,721 | 120,390 | 5 | How's this for rationalizing ? | There's a bizarre human appetite for that which is awful . From lookie-looing at traffic accidents to Man Show mooks to Lettreman's stupid pet tricks to worst home videos , etc . , people like to watch people being stupid , outrageous , and ridiculous . Therein lies the appeal of " Turbulence " , a not-to-be-taken-seriously white knuckle ride into the realm of the ridiculous with Holly as the " Stew " who's got to save a 747 jumbo jet with a handful of passengers against all odds including one very whacked out serial killer ( Liotta ) . Ok , ok . . . this movie is stupid . However , for those who can get to that place in their heads where they don't intellectualize , just go with it , and enjoy the humor-tinged hair raising suspense and silliness , 100 minutes of entertainment awaits . ( C ) |
585,601 | 783,721 | 116,592 | 5 | A confused mess of a movie . | I Love You , I Love You Not is an ambiguous and confused movie about a Jewish prep school girl in NYC ( Danes ) who spends a lot of time hanging out and acting oh so very " girl " with her " nana " ( Moreau ) and falls for a too charming and over-acting Jude Law . A mess of a movie which spins nonsense around solid performances by Danes and Moreau , this flick has little to offer . Hey , if my grandma told me scary bedtime stories about the Angel of Death and the horrors of the holocaust at that tender age , I'd have issues too . Pass on this bit of fluff . |
586,961 | 783,721 | 323,571 | 5 | Warn-ing ! | The Nemesis Game tells of a college student , Sara ( Pope ) , who plays a game of riddles but who can't seem to solve the riddle of her life . The film develops a pair of wispy , marginally intriguing , and converging plot lines ; Sara and her riddle game and her father , a cop , and his interrogation of a murder suspect . However , as the story wears on it become more convoluted in its attempt to keep the intrigue going and more muddled in its ability to resolve the issues raised . The result is a frustrating mess with paper thin characters which wallows in it own sense of self importance while failing to deliver anything of substance finally ending with an epilogue much like the punch line of a shaggy dog story . Passable stuff only for the most hard up couch potato . ( C ) |
586,870 | 783,721 | 116,606 | 5 | Yawn ! | If Lucy Fell tells of a man and woman who have known each other since childhood , live together platonically , and are both single and looking for love unsuccessfully . Hmmm . . . what do you suppose is going to happen ? ? Schaeffer's shot at telling this old no-brainer in " If Lucy Fell " doesn't distinguish itself in any way and though it has it's moments they are few and far between . The film has many deficits with the most obvious being the lack of sincere sentiment and the usual gushing emotional crescendo at the end . What sentiment there is seems forced and awkward . A so-so little indie romcom which is watchable but not recommendable . ( C ) |
586,978 | 783,721 | 283,942 | 5 | Eminently average | There little worth commenting on in " Black Point " , an obvious , hackneyed , journeyman , low budget B-flick which is just another in a very long line of films about a bunch of people after a bunch of money . The film has nothing original to offer and is so ordinary in every way that it's not worthy of commentary . I'm surprised this flick hasn't made it to cable yet ( at least not in my market ) as I watched it on DVD and I can't imagine it ever saw the light of a projector . Just more of the same old stuff which will have little value beyond fodder for the sofa spud looking for a no-brainer crime flick . ( C ) |
585,646 | 783,721 | 314,786 | 5 | Zzzzzzz . . . is it over yet ? | The In-Laws is a busy comedy which does a lot of things and does none of them well . Built around a wedding which brings characters together so we can watch them clash , this film ventures into international spy stuff , personal and family issues , action , comedy , and even tries for some poignancy fizzling every average step of the way . I think this is what they call a " popcorn " flick because if you take it with popcorn at least you'll have the popcorn to enjoy . Best saved for broadcast . ( C ) |
586,096 | 783,721 | 173,999 | 5 | Good start , lousy finish . | The Magic of Marciano begins as a rock solid journeyman drama about a boy ( Morgan ) , trying to cope with an emotionally unstable working class single mom ( Kinski ) and her abusive boyfriend , who finds a friend in an older man ( Forster ) . As the film wears on , however , it takes a nose dive as Barbieri begins replaying scenes with two different outcomes , apparently in a feeble and annoying attempt to show the boy's fantasies , only to crash and burn with an unsatisfying conclusion and poor resolution . An okay watch for fans of the players but when taken as a whole little more than a mediocre small screen watch . ( C ) |
586,080 | 783,721 | 116,565 | 5 | Low end Aussie romcom | Twin brothers fall in love with the same woman ( Burrows ) as teens . Fast forward ten years and they own a honeymoon retreat , encounter their old flame who has come for her wedding , and attempt to pick up where they left off in spite of the presence of the groom . What follows in the denouement is a bit clumsy and awkward at times with low end production value and relatively unknown actors . However , factor in some side characters and an ample helping of vintage pop love songs and you have a mildly amusing little flick with some heart which should make an okay small screen watch for those in the mood for romcom fare . Keep expectations real and enjoy . ( |
586,134 | 783,721 | 246,578 | 5 | Who cares ? | Take a little comedy , toss in some drama , add a pinch of romance , mix the whole thing with some science fiction , and you have " Donnie Darko " , which , BTW , you should not consume but flush down the garbage disposal . Novice writer / director Kelly spins a yarn about a delusional burb-dwelling WASP teen male who sees a shrink for performing misdeeds while under the spell of a monster rabbit because he's getting ready to travel through a worm hole . . . . or something like that . With no reason to give a crap about Donnie , except that he's a cute kid , one can only sit idly watching this confused mess of a movie which counts down the time to doomsday or something and then ends in another place in space / time . . . as if that were even remotely interesting . Nonetheless , " Donnie Darko " scored well on this website , so go figure . There's no accounting for taste , hmmm ? |
586,356 | 783,721 | 250,491 | 5 | A wee flick | Late Night Shopping is a little , lukewarm Brit friends comedy which follows the lives and loves of a trio of young Glasgow guys who spend most of their time trying to figure out their lives and loves . The film wanders from pillar to post seemingly searching for its story until it settles on one couple and the reconciliation of some relationship-busting indiscretions . There's probably more right with " Late Night Shopping " than there is wrong with it , but it is not sufficient to warrant a trip to the video store . Unengaging , monotonous at times , but with a solid cast and an occasionally pang of poignancy or heart , this flick may have some appeal for young adults , Scots or Brits , fans of the players , etc . All else pass . ( C ) |
587,580 | 783,721 | 103,128 | 5 | A fun little comedy that turns a black man white . | True Identity is a kinda / sorta fun little campy comedy about a black man who hides from the mob disguised as a white hit man . Very mediocre stuff , " TI " does give the viewer a rare opportunity to see Lenny Henry do his shtick . Worth a look but nothing special . |
587,359 | 783,721 | 93,391 | 5 | Mediocre Perry Mason stuff | The Last Innocent Man is a predictable , by-the-numbers journeyman tv flick with Harris playing a top criminal attorney who has an affair with the wife of a man whom he later must defend . . . etc . In it's somewhat long two hour run time this - jack - of - all - trades - and - master - of - none flick manages to squeeze in murder , investigation , trial , romance , sex , dirty cops , a pimp , a sting , a crazed killer , etc . without distinguishing itself in any particular way . Filler for late night cable . |
586,741 | 783,721 | 250,468 | 5 | Razzie material | Killing Me Softly tells of a couple who has sex , gets married , and then has problems because she ( Graham ) grows increasingly suspicious of him ( Fiennes ) whom she never really got to know before the marriage ( duh ) . On the downside , the film has a thin story full of plot holes and implausibilities with ponderous music which is always off target and a perfectly awful school girl performance by Graham . On the upside , it's a good shoot with good camera work and lots of Graham skin . Overall , " Killing Me Softly " is a classy loser only for the less discerning viewer who wants a little suspense ( very little ) to zone to . ( C ) |
586,084 | 783,721 | 112,883 | 6 | Fun romantic whimsy | In " Don Juan DeMarco " , Depp plays a man who , institutionalized after threatening to jump from a building while being dressed like Zorro , recounts the fantastic romantic tale of his life to his psychiatrist ( Brando ) and how be became the world's greatest lover . A romantic comedy of sorts , " DJD " begs the question . . . Who is more crazy : The young man who lives a romantic fantasy and enjoys the fullness of life or the psychiatrist who retires with a gold watch and a marriage with a gaping hole where the romance should be ? A fun , fanciful frolic with Depp , Brando , ample romance , a whiff of sensuality , not much sex , and one scene with no less than 40 nude women , " DMD " may not be the best flick available but it is not without its assets . A fun romp for romantics . All others ; turn off brain and just go with it . ( |
585,906 | 783,721 | 132,213 | 6 | Cute , light hearted , and amusing stuff free on cable . | Hi-LIfe tells of a NYC corner pub and the antics of numerous young adults associated with it . . . a sort of " Cheers " kind of " feel " . The plot : He needs to pay off a bookie . His girl friend tells her bro she's preggo and needs the money for an abortion . The bro begin calling in old debts from old friends . . . etc , etc , etc . With a Christmas time in NYC ambiance , a good cast of second tier actors , and a clever plot , " Hi-Life " has much going for it . Unfortunately , it plays like a tv sitcom with only a modicum of entertainment and a script below the level of the acting talent . Enjoyable stuff for the terminally bored but no sex , nudity , love story , or hilarity . |
587,001 | 783,721 | 122,459 | 6 | A sitcom quality romantic / comedy from the old school . | While not a big budget blockbuster , " Return To Me " pushes all the right buttons for those who enjoy this overworked genre . The film offers an interesting premise ; doesn't take itself too seriously ; showcases some okay acting talent ; and serves up some refreshing creativity . More than your trite chick flick , those who just go with it will likely chuckle and weep . Home is where the heart is . |
585,885 | 783,721 | 325,352 | 6 | Obvious , predictable , and fun | I'll Be There tells of a singing Brit teen with a paper route and a pink scooter who lives with her mum and learns the father she never knew is a wacky rock star ( Ferguson ) who lives nearby . On the downside , this obvious , contrived , and predictable string of feel good moments , sitcom , and song stumbles over a lackluster debut by chipmunk-cheeked Church and its own unabashed hokiness . On the upside it delivers some of Church's amazing warbling , some foot stompin ' boogie-woogie , and an ample helping of sentimental fun stuff while never taking itself too seriously . With mixed reviews and mediocre marks from the public , " I'll Be There " makes for a fun watch if expectations are kept real . If in doubt , wait for broadcast where it's sure to appear soon . ( |
586,265 | 783,721 | 233,469 | 6 | About what you'd expect . | Arnold's getting a little long in the tooth and spending more time with his shirt on while feebly trying to act like a real actor in more serious roles . In " Collateral Damage " the muscle man plays a fireman who goes to Colombia on a mission of vengeance and returns to the US to finish the job . " CD " is pretty much the usual Swarzenegger stuff and doesn't distinguish itself in any particular way . Just more Arnold with the same old thick Austrian accent and the usual Hollywood appurtenances . Keep expectations low , turn off your brain ( you won't be needing it ) , and enjoy . ( |
587,411 | 783,721 | 118,623 | 6 | A poor telling of an oft told tale . | Anna Karenina , ( circa 1997 ) is a lavish abbreviated retelling of the Tolstoy classic which tries to do too much with too little time . The capable cast seems to have mostly British accents ( except for Marceau's rather obvious French undertone ) which seem out of place in a film shot and set in Russia . This leap-frogging flick does resound with the import of one maxim : If you can't do it right , don't do it at all . |
586,632 | 783,721 | 109,053 | 6 | Typical made-for-tv exploitation fare . | Against the Wall is a journeyman tv docudrama ( with the emphasis on " drama " ) which tells of the Attica prison riot of 1971 . Okay as a gritty and violent prison drama , " ATW " fails to crystalize prison issues or make significant social commentary . Pretty much your usual run-of-the-mill Hollywood exploitaition flick fraught with inconsistencies and a poor sense of direction though , perhaps , there's no more to be found in the Attica story . |
586,804 | 783,721 | 112,844 | 6 | Very hip , kooky , funny . | Life , love , sex , birth , death . . . and all on the phone . This very hip comedy is all about a handful of New York guys and gals who tend to their relationships via telephone while busily hammering at computers or are otherwise indisposed with the necessities of living . Fresh , creative , and fun , " DCU " moves along quickly and runs a short 80 minutes all the while keeping the audience wondering if these people are ever going to get together . Only for those into droll , spoofy , fast talking , relationship-based , off-the-wall comtempo comedy . |
587,275 | 783,721 | 338,109 | 6 | I . V . to ivy | Homeless to Harvard tells the true story of Liz Murray who went from living with her druggie parents in a Bronx slum and living on the street while dumpster diving for food to earning a degree at Harvard University . This gritty TV flick is narrated by Thora Birch who registers a sterling performance as the wan , slump shouldered , stringy haired teen protag whose mother's death from AIDS set her free to focus her brain power and determination on academic success . Though this film is a worthy testament to the success of Liz Murray it is , in the final analysis , just another rags to ( intellectual ) riches story . Not that big a deal with an obvious made-for-TV " feel " , " Homeless to Harvard " is inspirational fodder for teen females and a worthy watch for Birch fans . ( |
586,762 | 783,721 | 241,025 | 6 | Thackery goes Hollywood | Vanity Fair ( 2004 ) is an acceptable but abbreviated version of the classic Thackery Victorian period novel which tells of Becky Sharp ( Witherspoon ) , who uses artifice and charm to climb from lowly governess to aristocrat , always able to find a suitable family of peerage or property to use as a rung in her ladder to the top in spite of the tribulations of the time . At just over two hours , this film cannot deal in depth with the many characters in the story and has to content itself with hitting the high points which make for a very condensed telling suited to those who only wish the flavor of the story . Those with a particular interest in Victorian pulp fiction or more expansive dramas should turn to the BBC's 1998 six hour miniseries which offers greater character depth , a presentation much more true to the period , and a very much better cast . ( |
586,766 | 783,721 | 338,097 | 6 | Romantic epic wannabe | Head in the Clouds , set in Paris ( circa 1920's-1940's ) , is all about a trio of three characters ; two women and one man . The centerpiece of the trio and the film is Theron as an independent , capricious , liberal and free spirited women who is in love with both her male and female part-time companions ( Townsend & Cruz ) who , in turn , both love her . The film follows the ebb and flow of the trio's relationships from their good times before the Spanish civil war through their bad times during WWII . An attempt at a sort of romantic epic , " Head in the Clouds " is wrought with staginess , corny dialogue , charming artificiality , and glorified melodrama . Not well received by the critics , this obvious film seems to be trying too hard while never quite ringing true . Should be an okay watch for romantics and sentimentalists . ( |
586,142 | 783,721 | 112,857 | 6 | A near miss | The Devil in a Blue Dress is all about Washington's character , a 1948 veteran who is recently unemployed and takes earnest money for a simple errand from a man of dubious character only to find himself as the suspect in a murder case with tentacles reaching into the underworld and politics . A norish linear narrative , the flick does everything right but with less than exceptional results . Entertaining but not engrossing , interesting but not compelling , enjoyable but not provocative , " Devil . . . " is makes for little more than an okay small screen watch . ( |
587,546 | 783,721 | 118,586 | 6 | Earnest , gritty , solid indie . | Exceptionally well done for a low budget indie with a novice auteur , " All Over Me " is a slice-of-life character study which follows an adolescent urban girl , Claude ( Folland ) , with a-typical sexual inclinations and a dream of playing guitar in a rock band through the mean teen streets of NYC's low rent district where she struggles to cope with a best friend's drug abuse , the murder of an acquaintance , a dysfunctional mom for family , and her own low self esteem . In lieu of a solid story , this gritty little flick with limited appeal conjures powerful performances from some young actors and is worth a look for realists into films about " growing pains " and the quiet courage of youth . ( |
586,205 | 783,721 | 281,686 | 6 | Heartbreak ho-stel | The plot to " Buba Ho-Tep " goes something like this : After swapping identities with an Elvis impersonator , the real Elvis ( Campbell ) breaks a hip from too many pelvic gyrations , develops a tumor on his dingus , and then ends up in a sanatorium where he meets a black man who thinks he is JFK ( Davis ) with sand in his head where his brains used to be and together they square off with a zombie-like redneck Egyptian mummy who stalks the sanatorium at night threatening to suck the souls out of the patients via their bodily orifices . Sound good ? ? Well , if so , you may be one of the many who gave high marks to this wacky film noir comedy which has little going for it save its countless eccentricities and a sterling performance by Campbell as a porky , aging Elvis with a snoot full of problems who philosophizes about his predicament while trying to save the day armed only with his walker . ( B ) |
586,710 | 783,721 | 295,178 | 6 | All you need to know . | If you like Austin Powers , see this movie . If you don't like Austin Powers , don't see this movie . That's all you need to know as " Goldmember " is a simple albeit extravagant sequel and cash flow conduit from the < 30 crowd into Hollywood bank accounts . Just more of the same potty / crotch humor , sexual innuendos , genital joke retreads , and shagadelic nonsense . ( |
586,996 | 783,721 | 118,566 | 6 | More like a bad after taste than an after glow . | You're the most fascinating woman I've ever met , he tells her after knowing her for about five minutes . Perhaps that will give you a sense of the sophomoric nature of " Afterglow " ; a film which tells of two neurotic married couples , one middle aged ( Nolte / Christie ) and one younger ( Boyle / Miller ) , and their respective interwoven infidelities . With a solid core cast and good technical and artistic capabilities and an interesting premise , " Afterglow " should have offered more than characters we're not given to care about even if we could suspend disbelief long enough to care . Nonetheless , there's enough going for this mediocre drama to make it a worthwhile small screen watch for sofa spuds with an appetite for the subject . |
585,618 | 783,721 | 160,672 | 6 | See Joe get smacked . See Joe get yelled at . See Joe steal . Etc . | Joe the King is a slice-of-miserable-life flick about a boy from a dysfunctional family who steals . That's pretty much the premise , the plot , the story , the whole enchilada . This uneventful and seemingly pointless film is a good journeyman production in all respects with the exception of the story which is too pedestrian to be interesting and seems to have no moral , meaning , or message . One can only guess what Whaley was thinking when he made this klunker . |
587,304 | 783,721 | 290,334 | 6 | Good stuff if you like comic books . | X2 tells another tale about our favorite mutants and a few new ones too but it's not likely anyone is really going to care about the story . What the film has to offer is solid effects , heavy on the CGI , with babes , kids who kick butt , lots of cool special powers , and action and stunts up the wazoo . In other words , it's a good flick for younger audiences , comic book freaks , and the like . Personally , I grew utterly bored with it and gave up about 10 minutes before the end . Nonetheless , it's a respectable effort and probably better than " X1 " ( X-Men ) in most respects . ( |
587,697 | 783,721 | 112,769 | 6 | An austere plodding Euro-flick psychodrama . | La Cérémonie is an ordinary film in every way with the exception of the foreboding , unrelenting stealth with which the ominous story unfolds . Tedious at first , this film packs a punch at the end . However , in the final analysis , with more questions asked than answered , one has to wonder if the conclusion was worth the wait . Probably not worthy of its critical acclaim but a worth while watch for Chabrol fans and those into Euro-flick head trips . |
585,870 | 783,721 | 244,970 | 6 | Mooooo ! | Someone . . . . is a predictable formula fluff-filled romantic comedy which is all about Ashley . Likely to be a guy gagging chick pleaser , the film does everything by the book but is uninspired , lacking in creativity , and muddles in the middle with too much neophilliac bovine nonsense and the see-saw stuff with Kinnear , etc . Entertaining and fun but , like most Judd flicks , misses the mark . Why is that ? ? Footnote - Nice cheerleading bit by Judd . Cute . |
587,331 | 783,721 | 118,531 | 6 | The following comments were written by a real movie patron . | 187 is all about Jackson as a teacher who is driven to taking matters into his own hands when confronted by a class full of gangbangers in an L . A . high school . The film offers good stylistics and Jackson does a stand up job given the stupid character he has to play . However , this flick 187's itself with nonsense heaped upon nonsense as it tries and fails to build that bloodthirsty desire to see the street punks off'd by the teacher which made the likes of " The Principal " or " The Substitute " series popular . Instead , " 187 " outsmarts itself and veers headlong into la-la-land as its characters follow with obviously scripted behavior to a very unsatisfying conclusion . File this one under " D " for desperate . ( Note - " 187 " tries to cement its credibility with a dumb Johnny-threw-his-Crayon-at-me statistic and advising it was written by a real teacher suggesting the producers may have been more concerned about the film's credibility than anyone else . |
587,450 | 783,721 | 210,299 | 6 | A mixed bag | Songcatcher tells the story of an early 1900's musicologist who travels to the Smoky Mountains where she discovers indigenous mountain music and sets about to document it . A somewhat flawed telling of a solid but esoteric story built on a foundation of authentic mountain music , " Songcatcher " , a film too much in tune with its feminine side , features good performances , a too delicate execution , and some wonderful hillbilly music . Not likely to have broad appeal and most likely to be appreciated by more mature females . ( |
586,935 | 783,721 | 268,695 | 6 | Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz ! | A professor ( Pearce ) obsessed with time travel climbs aboard his Rube Goldburg gyro-thingamajig and gets catapulted through time 800 gazillion years where really nice cliff dwelling people , who conveniently speak English , live in dread of evil subterranean creatures . . . etc . His mission : To rescue the a babe from the clutches of the creatures . How original . Duh . Slammed by the critics and panned by the public , " The Time Machine " features good visuals and art and a plot which is so convoluted that it's easier to just go with it than to try to follow it . If you just want some great graphics and a busy no-brainer adventure flick to go with your munchies , " The Time Machine " may be for you . Turn off brain , kick back , and enjoy . ( |
586,722 | 783,721 | 252,501 | 6 | Too little , too late . | Hearts in Atlantis has all the makings of a first rate film . What could have been just a heart warming slice-of-life flick wanders sloth-like off into the paranormal threatening something ominous and foreboding and then poofs into the expected . The beginning and end with Morse is unnecessary footage and an obvious ploy to heighten feelings of nostalgia in the audience . Etc . Nonetheless , " Hearts . . . " is a beautifully shot and well acted film with faults sentimentalists can easily overlook . Too bad the story doesn't measure up . |
585,661 | 783,721 | 268,690 | 6 | Bored me out of my skull . | Thirteen . . . is a pieced together , planar , circumflex , Magnoliaesque bunch of interleaved stories about people with varying levels of happiness , fulfillment , experience , achievement , etc . : A kind of superficial overview of the human condition of some city dwellers which feebly deals with happiness . The film is a technically and artistically excellent production with a fine cast . However , it's preachy , stagey , chock full of trite little pearls of wisdom , and annoying little phrases to introduce each scene , something which serves only to yanks us back to reality after we've worked to make a difficult buy-in . . . etc . The story is mechanical and herky-jerky with too much busy-work and too little time for story dynamics and character depth . A quick look at the stats on this site would suggest this is a good watch for less mature audiences . . . young adults , perhaps . ( Note - I need at least 20 inches of personal space . Sounds pretty stupid , huh ? |
587,551 | 783,721 | 91,374 | 6 | The proverbial chick flick | Lady Jane tells a revisionist tale of Lady Jane Grey ( Carter ) , teen Queen of the empire of England for nine days , whose martyrdom , alleged to be in the name of religion , has made her story undeservedly romantic . The film sports a good cast and all the royal trappings of the 1550's period . However , the screenplay is tedious to a fault leaving gaping holes in the political understory while filling them with dawdling pomp and circumstance and silly romantic Kodak moments . Recommended for those into sappy romantic dramas and / or period films . Not to be mistaken for history . ( " If the head on which the crown rests knows not what the crown requires , the crown shall not long there rest . " |
587,293 | 783,721 | 160,644 | 6 | Preposterous , contrived , fantastic . | Passion of Mind pivots around the Moore character like teeter-totter : One woman , two personas , two love affairs . Those expecting " Three Faces of Eve " realism will likely regard this film as a preposterous , flawed , and silly fabrication . After all , Demi's dilemma could be resolved with one phone call . Those who can pigeonhole this flick in the fantasy category , however , may enjoy the idyllic double lives , the unreal repartee , and other obvious contrivances . |
585,952 | 783,721 | 337,921 | 6 | Action / drama / suspense and comedy ? | Cellular is all about Basinger as a kidnapped mom being held hostage in an attic who manages to jury-rig a broken phone and make a tenuous emergency call to a young man ( Evans ) who has to help save the day while keeping her on the line with his cell phone . From there it's more kidnapping , cops and chases , fights , stunts , shooting , suspense , and silliness . " Cellular " is a busy movie which would have been better if it didn't play out like a schizophrenic thriller-drama which occasionally decides to go comedy . The comedic moments and silly characters simply dilute the suspense and seriousness of the film in which Basinger acts her little heart out while everyone else seems to be out for a walk in the park . Okay stuff but be prepared to dumb yourself down to this film's level . Other phone flicks include " Liberty Stands Still " and " Phone Booth " . ( |
585,754 | 783,721 | 337,943 | 6 | Entertaining tv watch best served with pizza and beer . | Consequence sticks Asante in the center of a convoluted noirish mystery-suspense-drama about a man who does an identity switch to collect insurance money and finds himself with a small army of bad guys on his tail . Obviously a low budget B-flick with Cape Town standing in for San Diego , the creative folks behind this flick do a good job of camouflaging the many plot holes , tight crops , and other obvious cost savers with a busy succession of intrigues , surprises , action , babes , etc all the way to the conclusion . When all is said and done , this little tv flick plays out as an entertaining couch potato no brainer . Currently on HBO . ( |
586,692 | 783,721 | 295,362 | 6 | A convoluted mess | Chaos begins as story of a handyman and a married woman who conspire to extort money from the woman's husband by faking her kidnapping . But when the woman is murdered , the story begins a series of twists and becomes a cinematic pretzel . What is a stylish shoot with competence on both sides of the lens eventually sinks into a quagmire of convolution full unnecessary complications such as the Memento-like show-the-past-first incremental flow with important bits of information kept from the audience as a cheap ploy to create intrigue and mystery . The result is a movie which is likely to lose those who are busily reading subtitles which has a scant human story as it is too busy trying to untwist itself . Finally , this is not a thriller but a mystery . And the biggest mystery seems to be , why should we care ? A B-flick for Japanese movie buffs only . ( |
585,895 | 783,721 | 126,344 | 6 | Subtly clever and cockeyed small time comedy about small time crooks . | I Went Down is a droll , sometime monotonous , sometimes clever comedy about a couple of guys who run an errand for a small time gangster and end up embroiled an underworld scheme of very limited proportions . The film spends most of its time studying the characters involved as its mildly humorous story unfolds leading to an eventful conclusion which may or may not be worth the wait depending on individual taste . " I Went Down " , the title , is a double entendre representative of the very subtle humor the film embodies . A worthwhile watch for those who enjoy puns and dry humor . |
586,268 | 783,721 | 198,386 | 6 | A flick with a brain , a heart , and a good sense of humor . | The Crew tells of four aging " wise guys " retired in Florida who tire of being " porch potatoes " and decide to reinvent their " crew " which leads to a series of funny escapades . The film has a solid cast , a lively joke-a-second script , and plenty of criss-crossed subplots so there's never a dull moment . Unlike " Space Cowboys " , " The Crew " never takes itself too seriously , doesn't mix genres , and it , IMHO , a more fun watch . Now , if yous got a problem with that . . . forgettaboutit ! |
586,986 | 783,721 | 240,913 | 6 | Tedious , bland , excellent | Under the Sand follows a woman who is in denial over the disappearance of her husband . Rampling delivers a splendid performance ( no stretching ) as the film plods along slowly lingering over the smallest details of her life revealing her desperate grief one fragment at a time while even showing her in the company of her dead husband ; an apparent representation of delusion . For those interested in a microscopic examination of one woman's grief , this film may have merit . For just about everyone else , it will be too tedious and lacking in sheer entertainment value . ( B ) |
587,569 | 783,721 | 91,188 | 6 | Good but vague in purpose . | Heartburn has Mick Nichols at the helm with Streep and Nicholson starring and an excellent supporting cast including a bit debut by Kevin Spacy . In spite of all that , the film has only managed lukewarm commentary from critics and public alike . Taking a somewhat cynical look at marriage as it follows one couple ( Streep & Nicholson ) from nuptials through the birth of two children including infidelity , this well crafted flick muddles comedy with drama to a nebulous end . An enjoyable watch for mature people who've been there , " Heartburn " will likely disappoint others because of its uneventfulness and lack of purpose . |
586,452 | 783,721 | 217,869 | 6 | Paint an elephant blue and its still an elephant . | A movie by Shyamalan is a movie by Shyamalan is a movie by Shyamalan . At least that's the trend which " Unbreakable " would suggest . Another plodding and tedious bunch of Hollywood dark kinda paranormal stuff , this film manages to squeeze even less plot into its run time than its Shyamalan predecessor , " The Sixth Sense " . But , hey , if you had a formula that worked and got $10 mil to do it again , you would too , huh ? So , the moral to what is hopefully not a series of Shyamalan pseudo-paranormal spooky nonsense flicks is , I guess ; if you liked " The Sixth Sense " , give " Unbreakable " a try . If not , don't . |
586,254 | 783,721 | 277,296 | 6 | Good butt kickin ' fun . | The Scorpion King tells of a desert assassin ( the hero ) , his reluctant comic-relief buddy , his trusty camel , a luscioius sorceress , a gigantus black warlord dude , an army of barbarous babes , cute theif / kid , and an old alchemist who take on a desert bastion to rid the kingdom of the people's scourge , a wicked king who catches arrows and probably picks on old ladies and kids too . No brainer action entertainment which you can leave to go get a beer without missing anything important except maybe " The Rock's " eyebrow thing , this flick is a fun not-to-be-taken-seriously diversion with a sense of humor worth a look by action junkies who aren't going to get all up tight and analytical . Fun stuff , no more , no less . ( |
587,048 | 783,721 | 210,358 | 6 | The preeminent chick flick . | Though more cerebral than most chick flicks , " Things . . . " is all about women and women's issues . A plaintive and sometimes quirky look into a handful of female lives , this film is shot as several vignettes connected by one or two cross-over characters . Lacking in substance and story , " Things . . . " relies heavily on a cadre of fine actors , a script which is a tad surreal , and the voyeuristic inclinations of the audience . A good watch for female couch potatoes . |
587,645 | 783,721 | 130,192 | 6 | Mediocre serial killer stuff | In " Postmortem " , Sheen plays a burnt out ex homicide detective from San Francisco who , while hiding from his past in Scotland and booze , gets caught up in a serial killer mystery . The flick is okay artistically though at times so ponderously morose and dark as to have the appearance of an old Frankenstein flick . Sheen wears out the one serious expression in his repertoire of nuanced visages ; taught lipped and frowning . The flick doesn't quite make it over the bar on major plot issues such as the spent cop dealing with demons ; the investigation becomes a bit convoluted ; and the ending is predictable , anticlimactic , and could have been better . Etc . Nonetheless , " Postmortem " makes for an okay watch for Sheen fans , serial killers , and the idle with an appetite for macabre stuff . |
587,589 | 783,721 | 105,032 | 6 | A lukewarm French film about an HIV + man and his torment . | Savage Nights is a character driven film about an HIV + bisexual man and his love affairs , particularly with the female lead . As is often the case with Europics , especially French films , this movie is not so much a story as it is a study of behavior . In this case the behavior is of interest because the male lead , who really was HIV + and died from AIDS at age 35 , continues to lead a life of promiscuity in spite of his affliction , wrestling with his awareness of his disease , his inability to reconcile himself to his fate , and the temptations represented by his love interest and sexual partners . Unfortunately , " Savage Nights " is a journeyman film at best which grows tedious quickly as it gets wound up in its own confused emotions . However , it does have a sort of intriguing honesty about it and rejects the pity which is so often a part of films about people with HIV . |
586,090 | 783,721 | 210,382 | 6 | Less would have been more . | The Weigh of Water interleaves a present day story of two DINK couples on a boat exploring the New England coast where the second story of the murder of two Norwegian women took place 127 years before with the second story . Sound confusing ? Well , the film is surprisingly coherent considering it's a Rubik's cube of scenes with flashbacks within flashbacks and two stories going on simultaneously . Unfortunately , the present day story isn't very interesting unless you want to see Hurley sucking on ice and bathing her naked flesh in with it or Penn drunkenly spouting poetry . The more interesting 19th century tale is a so-so drama with Polley at the center which just takes too long to get where it's going because of the constant interruptions . " The Weight of Water " includes many interesting elements such as murder , treachery , deceit , incest , etc . but annoyingly jerks the viewer from one story to the other not allowing for a continuously engrossing experience . A clear case of less would have been more , this flick gives the illusion of quality entertainment while squandering its solid cast on a junked up screen play with Polley carrying most of the weight of the water of her delicate shoulders . ( |
585,826 | 783,721 | 112,679 | 6 | Okay chick flick for Driver and O'Donnell fans | Circle of Friends tells of three Irish young women and best friends and their encounters with life , men , school , family matters , etc . Artistically and technically well done with Driver in the driver's seat nailing her part as usual , " Circle . . . " starts at a crawl and finds itself running at the end , ill timed , as though trying to squeeze its predictable story into a calculated number of minutes . The characters in the film , who are eminently obvious stereotypes , behave uncharacteristically in numerous situations as is required to make the story succeed in its attempts to elicit the desired emotions from the audience . . . hate for the villain , adoration for the heroine , etc . Overall , " Circle . . . " is an okay watch which will be most appreciated by young females and those who go with the flow while not being too discerning or analytical . . |
586,729 | 783,721 | 195,234 | 6 | A nominal telling of a clever story . | Saving Grace is a light-hearted comedy / drama about a penniless widow's creative approach to saving her estate . This very British film is only a nominal production , but Brits and non-Brits alike should enjoy the wry , witty , and clever story and some fine British actors . Will be appreciated most by those who enjoy British humor . |
586,778 | 783,721 | 118,697 | 6 | A mildly enjoyable mediocre no-brainer with murder , sex , etc . | The Beneficiary tells of a woman who is investigated for the murder of her husband , becomes romantically involved with one of the investigators , etc . Not a " thriller " but a drama with murder and sex and all that other good escapist stuff , this flick is mediocre at best with the only above average aspect being its tortuous and somewhat convoluted story which may be an interesting watch for those who aren't too analytical . So , if you happen across it on t . v . , turn off your brain and enjoy . |
586,475 | 783,721 | 202,677 | 6 | A well staged gritty kidnap flick with limited appeal . | The Way of the Gun is a gritty , messy , bloody , dark kidnap B-flick in which the entire cast of characters is somewhere between wanton and downright evil . The film's plot is a twisty-turny convoluted kind of mess which asks more questions than it answers and may interest or even seduce viewers with an appetite for blood and guts crime films . The shootout scenes are fairly well staged , the script waxes philosophical in an ambiguous sort of way , and the movie does sort itself out in the end . Certainly not for everyone , this peculiar flick will find an audience among those with an appetite for the bizarre . |
586,169 | 783,721 | 221,218 | 6 | Looks good but delivers too many threadbare situations . | The Glass House tells of a teenaged girl ( Sobieski ) and her younger brother who are forced to live with a foster mom ( Lane ) and dad ( Skarsgard ) when their natural parents mysteriously die in a car crash . Wealthy foster daddy has his own agenda ; to rip off the kid's $4 million trust while Sobieski counters armed only with her wits . A slick noirish shoot with more talent in front of the lens than behind it , " TGH " is obvious , predictable , and full of hackneyed and contrived suspenseful situations with plotholes aplenty . Nonetheless , the film should make a good late night small screen watch for those who can buy into a flick with thunder and lightening in Malibu . |
585,623 | 783,721 | 118,694 | 6 | ZZZZzzzzzzz ( snort ) . . . Um , is it over yet ? | In the Mood for Love takes you back to Hong Kong in the 60's and introduces you to a married man and woman ( Cheung & Leung ) who have neighboring apartments and spouses who are abroad and suspected of having extramarital affairs . This entire film is about said couple falling in like with each other while maintaining restraint so they won't be like their spouses . End of story . Artful and technically good with raves from just about everyone , " In the Mood . . " is a sloth of a film which could have been much more than it was but it wasn't which is pretty much the point . Hence , if you like your Chinese subtitled flicks off center , underdone , moody , plaintive and all about yearning , you may buy into this snoozer which simply follows Cheung and Leung around while we watch them eat , talk , hold hands , and look woebegone as they long for one another . Cheung is always dressed to kill with bird of paradise eye lashes and a coiffure which looks like it's been sprayed with shellac . Personally , I think it would have been nice to see her let her hair down in every way . Whatever . ( |
586,153 | 783,721 | 338,013 | 6 | Disappointing and forgettable | Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a sloppy mess of a movie which dumps sci-fi , romance , camp comedy , and mediocre drama into a Mulligan stew seasoned with intellectual grunge . The film spends most of its run time flashing to and fro between a romantically involved couple's happy days and a sort of lame white out job of their memories of each other . The upside to this flick is its solid cast and remarkable public and critical approval . The downside is it's an ill focused , pathos drenched mess with peripheral nonsense which detracts from the core theme making the " buy-in " difficult . Reminiscent of Kaufman's " Being John Malkovich " in its lunacy , this film proves once again that creativity is not necessarily a good thing . For Kaufman fans only . ( |
587,132 | 783,721 | 240,980 | 6 | Beautifully boring | Till Human Voices Wake Us tells two parallel stories at the same time , interleaving scenes . The first is of a man ( Pearce ) returning to his boyhood home in Australia to bury his father and , with the help of a mysterious woman ( Bonham Carter ) , bittersweet memories of his childhood . The second story shows us the boy and the events which created the memories which haunt the man . Beautifully filmed but tediously told and wholly unsatisfying , this lovely bit of tripe treads the paranormal having left itself nowhere else to go . ( |
586,869 | 783,721 | 256,415 | 6 | Will play best in the hen house | Sweet Home Alabama is all about Mel ( Witherspoon ) , a hot NYC fashion designer who's betrothed to the mayor's son but must return to her small town Alabama roots for some unfinished business before tying the knot . Most of the 100 + minute run is spent waiting for Mel to make up her mind and show us if you - can - take the country out of the girl while the audience is introduced to the eccentric , quirky , and cliche stereotypes who provide the comedic filler which constitutes much of the film . This clucking chick flick has a thin and unoriginal plot , carefully tiptoes around North vs South issues of political correctness , and tries to tug at your heartstrings with contrived good ol ' down home sentiment . In spite of its vacillation , sap , and disingenuous veneer , " SHA " does make for a fun watch which will play best with younger females . ( |
587,449 | 783,721 | 167,183 | 6 | Surprisingly refreshing indie sleeper chick-flick | The Girls ' Room is a surprisingly engaging little indie " sleeper " about two college seniors and roomies . One is a proper and privileged Southern Bell " have " ( Taber ) and the other a pot smoking , beer drinking , sexually active " have-not " ( Frye aka Punky Brewster ) . The plot is about the inevitable conflict and competition which , after much ado involving friends and guys and girl issues , results in both learning more about themselves through each other . The film manages an even tone , avoids the usual excesses of filmdom , and communicates an important subliminal message about how , though we all may take different paths through life , we can learn from each other and arrive at the same destination of self-actualization realizing a happiness as unique as ourselves . A pleasure to watch and highly recommendable , especially for females . ( B ) |
586,103 | 783,721 | 160,495 | 6 | Luckytown blows . | Somewhere in this contrived morass of stereotypes and shoddy film making is a story with some entertainment value . Good hearted street chick meets boy gambler and they hit the road for Vegas where she meets up with her long lost dad , falls in love with her traveling companion , and both learn some lessons in life . Unfortunately , this junk flick is a laughable miscarriage with the sundry heavies more fleshed out than the protagonists . Personally , I ended up liking the hitman who refused to kill anyone on Valentine's Day more than the hero and felt more compassion for the slutty stripper than the heroine . Don't waste you time with this mess of a movie which I'm sure Dunst and Caan are trying to forget . |
585,978 | 783,721 | 221,673 | 6 | A journeyman docudrama and rehash of old news . | Released on video as " Echo of Murder " , this film is a scrapbook docudrama which retells the history of the infamous early 80's Atlanta " Child Murders " through the investigative reporting of two journalists , Heins and Belushi . The film gathers momentum quickly and keeps up the pace though the story is more a regurgitation of history than an embellished drama . Worth a look for those unfamiliar with this dark time in Atlanta's history . |
587,334 | 783,721 | 290,662 | 6 | Sweet , sensitive , warm , lilting , and looooooong ! | Hush is a dramedy out of Japan which swirls around a handful of young adults including a couple of gay men and a female who wants to have a baby by one of them . This skillfully crafted flick has warmth and charm and poignancy and heart and humor and . . . . but , damn , it sure is long and bland . About as interesting as tofu , this character-driven film dawdles interminably as the characters pour over their relationships , including families and friends , in minute detail while we non-Japanese English speakers are reading subtitles and trying to keep the male characters straight as they are very similar in appearance . My eyes were bouncing up and down between faces and subtitles like paddle-balls for 2 . 25 hours . Recommended only for Japanese films buffs into people pictures . ( |
586,672 | 783,721 | 373,024 | 6 | Grief , grief , and more grief . | Imaginary Heros takes a long , hard look at a middle class family of five which , following the suicide of a son , goes into a sort of interminable funk with family members wandering around in a fog coping with grief while we sit wondering it they're ever going to get the " dys " out of their dysfunction . Weaver registers an excellent performance in what is a reasonably good but not great indie flick by a promising auteur . Most likely to be appreciated by younger adult audiences who , like the auteur , have not sufficient life experience to see the absence of depth in the characters . However , may not play well wit the 30 something crowd who have just reached the age of disillusionment . Worth a rental for anyone into a big dose of depressing minimalism with nihilistic overtones . ( |
586,181 | 783,721 | 217,769 | 6 | Corny but cute family flick | Frankie and Hazel is a supersanitized perfect world family flick which tells of the antics of two best friend small town pubescent girls who support each other as they pursue radically different aspirations . Frankie is ballet student who wants to play boy's baseball while Hazel wants to run for mayor . Good family fun especially for families with girls . |
585,821 | 783,721 | 91,538 | 6 | A good , gritty watch for those who can make the buy-in | In " Mona Lisa " , Hoskins plays an excon who takes a job as a chauffeur for a call girl ( Tyson ) and becomes involved with seedy underworld people as he attempts to help her find a young woman also in the sex trade . Shot in the UK as a realistic drama , " Mona Lisa " runs longer than necessary considering the simplicity of its story . However , in doing so it becomes an in-depth character study with a hint of mystery focusing on the principals , showing their humanness , while avoiding exploiting its potential for sex , nudity , and sensationalism . Those who can appreciate the futility of the relationship of the star-crossed and mismatched duo , will enjoy this lukewarm film the most . However , all will have to contend with some thick cockney accents , poor quality sound , and mediocre cinematography . |
585,595 | 783,721 | 237,539 | 6 | Charming little romantic tale for mature women | Bread & Tulips is a charming and leisurely slice-of-life romantic tale about a middle class , middle aged Italian housewife who gets separated from her family during a holiday bus trip and find herself falling in love in Venice . Italian and subtitled , " B & T " spends its run time developing a handful of quaintly quirky characters as it spins its dreamy tale which could be every mature married woman's fantasy . A good shoot in all respects , " B & T " will appeal most to those into Euroflix . . . . especially mature women . |
585,883 | 783,721 | 342,172 | 6 | Excellent for what it is | Capturing the Friedmans , is a look at the lives of a middle-class , Long Island Jewish family which was torn apart by the arrest of the father and one son on kiddie porn and child molestation charges . As independent documentary film-making goes ( which isn't very far ) this one is excellent . However , the subject may not be interesting when you consider how it pales next to OJ or Dahmer or the vast panorama of past evil doers . The film could have used a narrative to fill in the blanks but otherwise makes good use of time and available material and may even conjure some sympathy for the perverted patriarch and his family . Be wary of this Oscar nominated and award winning documentary as the value is not so much in the subject , the revelations , or the entertainment as it is in the quality of execution - the production . In the final analysis , it is simply the story of one pedophile and his family and that ain't saying much . ( B ) |
585,928 | 783,721 | 151,734 | 6 | A docudrama with the emphasis on " docu " | Excellent Cadavers is an HBO docudrama which tells the story of Italian hero Giovanni Falcone ; a Sicilian judge who dared to take on the Mafia in its homeland and did more to rid Sicily of its age old scourge than any other man since Mussolini . As with most docudramas , this film leapfrogs through time hitting the historical high-points while trying to maintain continuity and build a dramatic tale . The result is a better history lesson than dramatic biography and a film which will play best for those with a specific interest in the Sicilian Mafia of the late 20 century . ( |
587,521 | 783,721 | 245,157 | 6 | Yada yada yada in Dutch | Zus & Zo is all about three adult sisters who conspire to thwart their gay brother's forthcoming wedding thus preventing him from inheriting a beautiful hotel on the Portuguese coast . Their late patriarch wanted his gay son to go " straight " , so he left the hotel to him if he married . However , the bro wants to acquire the hotel with a marriage of convenience so he can sell it to pay for transsexual surgery - something the distaff want to prevent each for their own selfish reasons . This Dutch flick gets busy and stays busy with nonstop prattling about the " this and that " ( zus and zo ) of the family , the bro , the hotel , and miscellaneous side plots making it a beautifully filmed and wonderfully cast dialogue-intensive subtitlefest for those who don't spekadalanguage . Mildly amusing , sometimes sentimental , occasionally poignant , always enjoyable , and incessantly yappy , " Zus & Zo " is just too much reading for too little payoff . ( |
585,743 | 783,721 | 91,578 | 6 | A par Europic | My Beautiful Laundrette is a dramady involving a group of Pakastanis in England , some local hoodlums , and a laundromat . The story is about one Pakistani man ( Warnecke ) and a long time Englishman friend ( Day-Lewis ) who both live on the wrong side of the tracks as they grope for success in the laundromat business while coping with the usual culture clashing , old school ethnic adult attitudes , their gayness , etc . The film has little to fault but most , especially Americans not into foreign films , will find it a bit tedious and far afield . Recommended for Bollywood film fans and others into foreign flix with a mid-Eastern flavor . ( |
586,564 | 783,721 | 285,823 | 6 | When will they learn ? | After two big " El Mariachi " hits and earning the credibility and respect to command the big bucks , Rodriguez does what so many before him have done and cranks up the volume to numbing excess driving the audience into sensory overload while breaching the point where more becomes less and running what could have been a great action flick into the ground . " Once Upon a Time in Mexico " wastes a fine cast and high end state-of-the-art production on a jumbled , convoluted mess of a movie . Bandaras , hero and " El Mariachi " , is buried in a sea of drug cartel heavies , military , agents , innocents , etc . while Hayek only has a few lines and is relegated to a handful of flashbacks . More is not always more , smarter is better than harder , and you can't force creativity . When will they learn ? For diehard action junkies only . ( |
586,160 | 783,721 | 294,918 | 6 | Very well done but not very interesting . | Shot in the Heart is an excellent HBO flick with one huge , glaring fault . It is , in a word , boring . Granted , many will be absorbed by the human drama . However , in the final analysis it's still 75 % conversation between a murderer on death row and his estranged brother in which they share perspectives on family matters , the Mormon church , personal perceptions , attitudes , etc . none of which are particularly interesting and much of which are yada-yada-yada about the turkey thing , the Mormon blood-letting thing , the book from Johnny Cash thing , the 1000 pushups thing , the 90 year old man thing , etc . Bravo for making an excellent film . Too bad the subject was Gary Gilmore . Recommended for the not so jaded who may find a rehash of a dysfunctional family's son-gone-wrong story of interest . |
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