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523,971 | 4,445,210 | 104,926 | 5 | Memorable , But ' Ugly ' | I saw this 15 years ago in the theater and while I never had the desire to see it again , it always stuck with me . Maybe that's because ( 1 ) I love baseball ; ( 2 ) hate to see arrogant ballplayers ; and ( 3 ) cringe if I see someone not representing my country in a positive light . That's what you get in this film as Tom Selleck plays a crude , profane , " ugly American " ballplayer who's talents have been outlived in the Major Leagues and he's now relegated to play in Japan . ( Ironically , Japan is just starting to make some inroads the other way around , especially with Daisuke Matsuzaka and the Red Sox . ) Anyway , " Jack Elliott " ( Selleck ) pouts his way around Japan until he gets involved in a romance , which is portrayed somewhat stupidly and leads to a predictable ending . Other characters in here were interesting to watch , such as the stern manager , played by Ken Takakura . One of the other American players has turned out to be a star in his own right , acting-wise : Dennis Haybert of " 24 " and now " The Unit . " There are a lot better baseball movies out there , but you could do worse , too . It was okay , but as an American , I get to see enough arrogant pro athletes play here every day . All I have to do is turn on the TV . |
523,782 | 4,445,210 | 26,086 | 5 | You Need 3-D Glassses To Have Fun With This | The first part of this movie short is an interesting segment explaining , in part , how we see things . How two eyes give us depth ; why we see double , focusing and other things . It's all part of a lead-in to show us those goofy cardboard glasses of yesteryear in which people wore them at the theater for 3-D movies . Typical Pete Ímith dialog spruces up the eye lecture with lines like : Here's a nifty dame with a pair of flashy lamps . " ( translation : " Here's a woman with a pair of pretty eyes . " ) The second half of this is a demonstration of 3-D , which would have been great had we the glasses , but there is no effect just looking at this normally on our TV set . This would have been a lot of fun to see in 3-D . But , without them , why would anyone watch short this more than once ? |
525,992 | 4,445,210 | 35,527 | 5 | Who Dresses Elmer ? | It's still odd for me to watch these old Bugs Bunny cartoons and see an elongated Bugs and a huge Elmer Fudd . Nonetheless , that's what we get here as Elmer is racing through the forest with a shotgun after Bugs . By the way - what kind of hunting outfit is that : a bowler hat , reddish-pink shirt and green tie ? ? ? ! Just as Bugs is about to get it , a telegram boy on a scooter arrives with a telegram for Elmer , stating that Uncle Louie is giving him three million dollars ! But there is a " P . S . " that says " You don't get one cent if hurt any animals , especially rabbits . " You just know Bugs , who is reading this over Elmer's shoulder , is going to make life miserable for him ( at least in the next six minutes of this eight-minute cartoon ) . The rabbit wastes no time , either . By the time Elmer races home , the " wascally wabbit " is already in his shower ! r Bugs knows a good thing when he sees it - blackmail , to get food and other goodies ( or " I'll call Uncle Louie " ) . I almost felt sorry for the poor sap Fudd as Bugs puts on his " Academy Award " dramatic performance but , in the end , both guys wind up losers as the cartoon writers used the familiar " taxes " bit on the inheritance . Overall , the humor was too dated and not really ready-for-prime time stuff ( the 1950s ) but the restoration job on this Golden Collection disc was tremendous . That artwork made Elmer's house look pretty impressive . He might have been a dumb dodo but he had nice - looking furnished house . |
525,802 | 4,445,210 | 25,878 | 5 | An Era Where Liquor Was Always The Answer | I can see why this was so popular in its day but would lose its appeal in today's age where smarter people realize drinking alcohol ALL the time is not cool , is not funny and is just plain dumb . In this series , especially in this debut film , William Powell is obsessed with drinking . " Have a drink " is the answer to everything ! That , and a plot this is difficult to understand at times ( who is who and what is what ) took away from the enjoyment of this for me . However , I did like several of the sequels , just not this movie . " The Thin Man , " and all the sequels had witty dialog and charming rapport between Powell and his wife , played by Myrna Loy . " Nick and Nora Charles " were definitely a fun couple . For added fun , there was their famous dog , " Asta . " But all that booze and smoke looks absurd in this day-and-age . |
522,938 | 4,445,210 | 104,756 | 5 | A Powerful Story But Also Too FrustratingTo Be ' Entertaining ' | The first half hour of this supposed true-life story was just excellent . The visuals were terrific , the kid was nice and the story very interesting . Then it began to go downhill . It bogged down because went into too much detail of the boy's illness , using technical explanation after explanation . Then , frustration sets in when the caring family couldn't find others - including parents in the same boat - with the dedication they had in finding a cure . The kid then started to have epileptic-type fits which were anything but fun to watch . ( This is a depressing film . ) There was still almost an hour to go with this pathetic situation just getting worse by the minute . Add to that Nick Nolte's fake Italian accent in which you can't understand half of what he says . . . . and this film ceased to be entertaining . Yes , it's a great message of perseverance for the right reasons and inspirational in that regard , but it's a frustrating experience to watch , is all I am saying . |
524,414 | 4,445,210 | 43,128 | 5 | The Interesting-But Not-That-Funny History Of Bugs Bunny | This is a bit different from most Bugs Bunny cartoons : the life story of Bugs , from when he knew he was " a bit different " ( the rest of the babies were humans and he was a rabbit ) to his beginnings in the world of show business . However , the latter doesn't pan out . Bugs is down on his luck and moping around on a park bench , when Elmer Fudd passes by and says , " Why are you hanging around with these guys ? They'll never amount to anything . " ( They are Al Jolson , Jack Benny , Eddie Cantor and Bing Crosby ! ) Elmer gets him a job back in the theater . The vaudeville show opens in Peoria ( where else ? ) . It travels on to Buffalo and then New York City , but Bugs is getting bugged . He's tired of being Elmer's foil and getting pies shoved in his face , etc . He reverses the act and finishes with " What's up , doc ? " It's a smash ! Offers come in from everywhere and the two head off to Hollywood and Warner Brothers . The rest is history . There are not a lot of laughs in here : very few , in fact , but it's fairly interesting . This is good for one viewing only , unless you're a big fan or a collector of BB cartoons , then it might be of historical significance . |
523,507 | 4,445,210 | 52,948 | 5 | Fun In ' 59 , Still Okay , But Really Dated In Spots | This was very exciting when I was a kid in the late ' 50s but not so much now as an older guy . That about sums it up but it's not a surprise : a film that relies on special effects will almost always be dated very quickly . This movie is about 50 years old , so it is certainly understandable if this is far from as thrilling as it was when it came out on the big screen . ( This was pre-VHS era , too , so you could only see this on a big screen , which was actually a good thing . ) That's not to say you couldn't enjoy the movie today . Jules Verne stories were big-time in the 1950s and 60s , too , with " The Time Machine ( 1953 ) and 20 , 000 Leagues Under The sea ( 1954 ) . Around The World In Eighty Days ( 1956 ) James Mason played the lead in two of this films : this one , and 20 , 000 Leagues He plays the passionate scientist role effectively in both . If you've read Verne's novel , however , be prepared to see the opposition . Verne's book is dark ; this movie is colorful . Watching this film , it's also hard to buy a professor of geology ( " Sir Oliver Lindenbrook , " played by Mason ) and a singing student ( Pat Boone , as " Alec McKuen " ) finding things they found in the center of the earth in this movie . This is like watching those corny sci-fi " B " films of the ' 50s , except it's a major studio spending big bucks . Yet I can't really mock this effort because it does entertain and did especially 50 years ago , providing wonderful escapism for a couple of hours . However , two warnings : ( 1 ) the special - effects are terribly dated : ( 2 ) like a lot of classic-era films , you have to have a lot of a patience because things really don't start to get exciting until almost the halfway point . Today's audiences , including me , might be getting too restless by then to keep enough interest to watch the entire 132 minutes . You have to stay with it . If does get interesting , despite being totally implausible in many areas ( phony accents , how much light there is in the depths of the earth , etc . ) |
523,695 | 4,445,210 | 737,767 | 5 | The Good & The Bad Of ' Mexican Stake-Out ' | Justice " is finally about to catch up to racketeer Theordore Newberry , the owner of gambling parlors , speakeasies , and houses of prostitution . " However , the key witness against Newberry , despite police protection , vanishes when the crooks come and capture him . When I look at these old shows , any crime story from movies or TV from the " classic era , " I just shake my head at some of the things I see . I wonder if they really were like that back then . For example , everyone handles evidence , messing up fingerprints , etc . Doors are left open everywhere , police beat up all the suspects . In here , " police protection for a key witness against a big mobsters consists of ONE guy outside the door and one inside . When the policeman outside the door is duped and slugged over the head , the witness is abducted . It's that easy ! Oh , well . In good twist , however , it turns out Newberry didn't kidnap the witness and doesn't know who did , but figures " the city hall boys ran him out of town . " He doesn't Ness to find him . What to do ? Get Ness out of the city so he can find the witness and kill him . He starts with a smear tactic . Most of the show is centered in Mexico and what happens there with Ness , his partner " Nick Delgado " ( played by Vince Edwards of Dr . Ben Casey " fame ) , and the bad guys . The most interesting character in this episode , by far , was " Jerry Fanning , " Newberry's hit man , who is played by well-known screen actor Martin Landau . He was intense all the way . Despite all of the above , this was too talky and just plain boring in much of it . I only mentioned the high spots and the most intriguing actor ( Landau ) . Some of these shows are a lot slower-moving than I remembered as a kid . Back then , however , most TV shows and movie were that way so we were used to a more leisurely pace . Now , it looks slow compared to what we are used to seeing the last few decades . |
523,458 | 4,445,210 | 87,065 | 5 | For Kids Only | This started off very strong with a fun spoof of James Bond-type spy movies with Dabney Coleman playing a secret agent using funny gimmicks in a short action scene . After that it settled down into a story of a young boy , " Davey Osborne , " ( Henry Thomas ) who accidentally stumbles onto real-life spies and with the help of his imaginary super-hero , eludes them as they chase him down . The familiar storyline of nobody believing the young boy got tiresome quickly and the cloak - and-dagger scenes were too juvenile for adults to enjoy . The kids might like as the focus is entirely on " Davey " and his little friend " Kim , " who , by the way , is very annoying and a poor actress . Coleman , meanwhile , plays a double role : the " invisible " hero and " Davey's " real-life father . |
522,712 | 4,445,210 | 404,757 | 5 | Different Band Members , Same Good Sound , But They Don't Connect On DV | The latest version of longtime blues-rock band concert is a long one , featuring tons of music . Everyone from the original group was gone , except Greg Allman . It is still a solid band with the same it always had . Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes both fill in nicely on guitar work . The only problem I found was the same thing I found with all the Allman DVD concerts - too much . Most of it is loud and many of the songs sound the same in concert . They don't vary the music enough and after awhile , the faster material just begins to sound like noise . I don't know why I get suckered into buying these guys ' DVDs all the time because they just aren't that great . As I said , too much of it just sounds the same . This was an expensive DVD , too . Since they aren't animated , and the lighting is nothing special , you're better off just enjoying the group on CD . |
523,322 | 4,445,210 | 51,457 | 5 | Fairly Entertaining But A Dumb Story | It's odd : the previous cartoon on this Spotlight Collection Vol . 4 DVD had " Marc Antony " and " Pussyfoot " as best of friends in a 1953 cartoon . Marc was a huge brown bulldog . Now , five years later , he's gray and he has no idea who this little Pussyfoot is . Plus , they are out of their home and in a outside in some construction site . However , we quickly get a similar scene in which the kitten scratches the dog as she kneads herself and then settles in for a nap on top of Marc Anthony . Anyway , when a nearby cat wants to steal some food from Pussyfoot , Marc Antony is there to protect . We get into high-rise slapstick when the chase scenes elevate to high altitudes on the construction site and Marc uses all the tricks of this particular trade to fend off the cat . Actually , the invading cat shouldn't have been portrayed as such a villain . He wasn't after the little kitten ; just the food , and what's wrong with that ? Every animal looks for food . So , in reality , this was a dumb story . The only redeeming quality was the decent artwork and direction with the high-rise shots . There was very little humor in here . |
526,799 | 4,445,210 | 60,287 | 5 | Great Title , But Unmemorable Film | This crime movie was only " fair , " not worth owning if you are a collector , but worth checking out if you are a James Coburn fan . The title is a lot better than the story . This is another of those mid-60s films that was Hollywood-in-transition , meaning it was just a year or so away from abolishing any moral codes . Here , we see casual sex accepted as okay and the bank robbers portrayed as the good guys , even though they are anything but good . The female lead , Camilla Sparv , was a strange-looking lady who never really made it as a star . One can see why . It's also interesting to hear the language of the period with the police being called " the fuzz , " etc . James Coburn is fun to watch , but the rest of the cast is unmemorable , except that it marked the film debut of Harrison Ford , who plays a messenger boy in one quick scene . Other than that , the film provides few noteworthy memories which is probably one reason why there are so few reviews of this here . |
526,488 | 4,445,210 | 923,985 | 5 | Tough To Stay With , But I Give It Points For Originalty | The man responsible for this film is called " M . Dot Strange . " That kind of gives you a hint of what you are going to see - something very " strange . " Listen : you'll either think this is super cool and love this film , or you'll get so disgusted you'll yank it off your screen within minutes . Actually , I was somewhere toward the latter , but I lasted longer than a half hour before losing interest . I really tried to like this . The good aspect of this film is the clever animation done on a low budget . This is an original film , that's for sure . The visuals and the sound are different and mostly interesting . You also have the option of hearing various soundtracks - now that's unique ! The bad part of the movie is that it's hard to watch much of it in one sitting . It gets to be too much and is weak in the area of getting the viewer involved with the characters and story . Very little of the story is explained , so you can get lost in a hurry and never recover . After a while , I found myself not caring what was happening and just attempted to enjoy the strange visuals and sound - effects . The visuals are a combination of computer-generated , stop motion and bluescreen effects . It is also a combination , according to its writer-director - producer-etc , of 8-bit and anime . I'm not versed enough in all of this to explain it . I'm just trying to give you an idea how different this film is from other animated movies you've seen . Also , it was first released on the Internet instead of movie theaters , I think , but did play in the Sundance Film Festival in 2006 and the following year put out on DVD . For the average movie viewer , this film would be torture to sit through . It would be a long hour-and-a-half . For someone who enjoys something different visually , this is a unique film that deserves a look and might prove to be fascinating , especially for some young person interested in becoming a filmmaker . I'm sure one could learn a lot of techniques and be inspired . |
523,915 | 4,445,210 | 529,893 | 5 | Not An Impressive Debut | Watching this on DVD last night was my first look at this program . It holds possibilities , but I'm hoping the dialog is a little more mature than the cutesy / hip / affected baloney I heard on this pilot episode . I hope they concentrate a little more on the crime and its evidence than the personal lives and stupid sexual remarks that prevailed in here . Nonetheless , it's nicely filmed and looks very good on DVD , with nice shots of Washington , D . C . and clean , crisp transfer . As with some the CSI programs , almost everyone here - especially the assistants in the lab - are a bit young . There's a guy here who honestly looks about 14 . Also , our female lead , despite being pictured as a brainiac who never gets out of the lab and has no social life , can kick the crap out of any man . Yeah , right ! How the lead female " Dr . Temperence Brennann " came to all these accurate conclusions is a little far-fetched , but what do I know about that science ? Anyway , this first episode shows how she and FBI Agent " Seeley Booth " will team up the rest of the way . The story ? The bones of an intern who had sex with a senator and became pregnant , was found in a pond . She had been dead for about a year and a half . Who killed her and why ? |
523,541 | 4,445,210 | 60,239 | 5 | ' Arty ' More Than Funny | The Inspector and partner Deux-Deux must spend a night in the famous art museum , the Louvre , because they suspect " The Blotch , " a famous criminal , to steal paintings . This criminal , like some of the others earlier in this colorful series , is not human but someone or something that can change shapes in a second . He can be a splash of water or a human , almost like the villain in " Terminator 2 . " The humor is the different methods the crook uses to steal the paintings underneath the noses of our dimwitted good guys , Clouseau and Deux-Deaux , who act clueless . The artwork comes in two forms in this animated short : the usual colorful stuff and small reproductions of real-life art , such as a Rembrandt . This isn't really that funny , not like the normal Pink Panther cartoons , but they still serve as entertainment and certainly are colorful to watch . It's on the DVD " The Pink Panther Classic Cartoon Collection , Vol . 6 - Inspector Cartoons . " |
524,567 | 4,445,210 | 106,223 | 5 | Good Adventure But I Didn't Care For Woods | This was a very entertaining film with lots of adventure but the lead kid , played by young Elijah Woods , got on my nerves . The sneer on his face is very annoying , although , to be fair , he could have been worse . In Mark Twain's famous book , Huck is worse than he's shown here . Sorry , but I just didn't like him . At least he cashed in on his srange looks a decade later with LOTR . Speaking of the book , Disney gets in its typical anti-Christian cheap shot by having Jason Robards dress up as a fake minister , even though that was NOT part of the book . Racism is a key part of this story , too , and Courtney B . Vance is very likable as the slave . He's just one part , however , of a number of characters and adventures in here . The movie is nicely filmed , too ; very colorful . It was good for one viewing , but that was it for me . |
522,229 | 4,445,210 | 36,349 | 5 | Possibly The Only Weak Entry In the Rathbone-Holmes Series | Nothing that special in this Holmes story , except a few nice comments at the very end by our detective hero about America and Washington , D . C . Otherwise , it's just a so-so espionage story about a clip of microfilm that is hidden in some matchbook , with nobody but Holmes aware of that . The man who put it there was killed . The good guys want to make sure the bad guys don't get a hold of it . We follow the matchbook as it goes from one person to the next . Most of the suspects are those who were on the train carrying the man who had the microfilm in the first place . The problem with the film is there isn't enough suspense and the ending scenes are so hokey it's almost embarrassing to watch . And - by the way - what was with that hairdo on Basil Rathbone ( Holmes ) . That was really strange-looking , so much so it was distracting . Thankfully , he found a new barber for his other films . |
526,758 | 4,445,210 | 86,973 | 5 | A Fun Role For Michael Caine ? | There was one major reason to watch this movie : Michelle Johnson , and that's about it . The film doesn't offer too much else . Basically , it's a silly story . Michael Caine ( " Matthew " ) and Joseph Bologna ( " Victor " ) plays some middle - aged guys who are going through marriage problems ( bad marriage and a divorce , respectively ) so they go down to Brazil to spend money since they're rich . They bring their late teen / young-adult daughters ? Huh ? Well , Victor's daughter is a knockout and they have a fling . Johnson plays the girl , " Jennifer , " who shows off her breasts as much as she can in this film . This is why I and a lot of other guys saw this movie . In reality , there isn't much merit to this story , regardless . This must have been a wonderful role for Caine to play ! Caine , an outstanding and likable actor , keeps this film - along with Johnson's obvious assets - from being a total bomb . As " Matthew , " his mind knows this a bad relationship and vows to end it , but you know what else " doing the talking " for him , so it ain't easy . Demi Moore , by the way , plays Caine's daughter in this movie . It's really not a horrible film but it's pretty inane and crude in areas . The real shocker might not be all the nudity or sex jokes and lying but who directed the film : good ' ole Stanley Donen , who also gave us " Singin ' In The Rain " and " Charade . " How in the world did he get involved with this movie ? Maybe Johnson was too much of an allure for him , too ! |
524,458 | 4,445,210 | 86,960 | 5 | Now-Tired Themes Make It A Lot Less Fun That It Used To Be | This was a very entertaining movie when I first saw it at the theater in the mid ' 80s . Later , I enjoyed it on VHS . The film featured good music , good action and good humor . After a hiatus of 5-10 years , I viewed it again in the late ' 90s and got more annoyed than anything else . By then , I had seen thousands of movies and was starting tired of the " new stereotypes " I was beginning to see with regularity ; reverse racism in which the black guy is always smarter than the white guy , for example . In here , it's Murphy smarter than all the white cops , most of whom are pictured as outright stupid . ( If the reverse was shown , there would be an uproar . ) It's also one more example - among hundreds in films since the late ' 60s - in which the renegade ( regardless of color ) is the only one who can solve cases . The regular law enforcement , from local cops to FBI to CIA , are always featured as bumbling idiots with stupid superiors . It's all getting tiresome . Murphy had a great run in the ' 80s , but his act has worn thin and I hadn't heard much from him in years until this year for his supporting role in " Dreamgirls . " |
523,495 | 4,445,210 | 36,341 | 5 | ' Is That All There Is ? " | This was another in the Val Lewton Horror Collection , released in 2005 on a nice 9-film pack DVD set . It's a typical film from the collection . Some stories , of course , are more interesting than others ( " The Body Snatchers " was , I thought , by far the best ) but this one - supposedly " Lewton's masterpiece , " according to one national critic - I found was generally typical of the rest . " Typical " for the following reasons : 1 - Great cinematography , film-noir-like with dramatic light and shadows , super black-and-white images that are a treat to see . The DVDs offer very good transfers with clear screens and fairly sharp images . 2 - Generally-speaking , not much happens in these films , such as this one . In this film , there was one quick " action " scene but nothing was shown . The rest of the film is all talk , talk and more talk . . . but great anticipation that something is going to happen . . . . but it never does . The ending to this particularly movie , and some of the others , was flat and very disappointing . You are left asking , as Peggy Lee sang in her famous song years ago : " Is that all there is ? " 3 - Decent acting and suspense . . . but see above for the end result . Of note , regarding the acting , this Lewton film has Kim Hunter making her debut . It also had a bunch of familiar faces from the 1940s and 1950s but no big names , unless you count " Ward Cleaver " from the " Leave It To Beaver " TV series . Ironically , his character name in this film is " Mr . Ward . " |
526,402 | 4,445,210 | 1,032 | 5 | Some Famous Names In The Background | I found it interesting that two very famous silent film stars , actress Mary Pickford and director Mack Sennett , had supporting roles in this D . W . Griffith silent film . To add another famous name to the mix , the screenplay was based on an Edgar Allen Poe novel . Yes , this short film looks creaky but it's one year short of being 100 years old , so you can't expect much as far as a big-budget film . It's hard to relate to much at all , actually , because movies were only 10-20 minutes long at that time anyway , and since there was no sound , the actors acted more like mimes . Since " talkies " were still almost two decades away , even the silent actors hadn't quite got their acts down yet . You can see the result : insane overacting and wild , crazy facial expressions - actually laughable at times . But , hey , it was 1909 . I find it amazing we still have the opportunity to look at a movie this old , and appreciate the fact it's available . |
523,182 | 4,445,210 | 86,984 | 5 | Stylish , But Not As Smart As It Tries To Be | This was a wild , confusing - and extremely stupid - movie for the first 50 minutes BUT once the action kicks in and all the twists and turns begin happening , it's definitely a fun ride from that point . That's director Brian De Palma , for you : intriguing visuals , with Alfred Hitchcock - type camera angles , a lot of twists and sometimes a great movie and sometimes a very bad one . More often , sad to say , a bad movie . I'd have to rank this closer to " bad " than " good . " I'd like to rank it higher but Craig Wasson's character , " Jake Scully , " ( he's the lead ) was so stupid at times that I almost stopped the tape . That , and too mean an edge overall to this movie , made it unappealing . It's not far removed from a very soft porn film at times , either , since the female lead , played by Melanie Grifftith , plays a porn star . We see a fair share of nudity , although it's hard to complain looking at a naked Griffith . Overall , it has style - De Palma loves that - but it plays like a film that that thinks it's smart , but doesn't connect to its audience . . . . . sort of like Hollywood in general . |
524,215 | 4,445,210 | 818,125 | 5 | Ah , Rats ! | Really , I am not dismissing or disrespecting this animated short . It is interestingly drawn and he story sucks you in and keeps you , but it is not appealing enough that I would want to watch it a second time . The best thing I can say about this is that it held my attention all the way . The story isn't funny , isn't profound although it perhaps thinks it might be . It isn't as sad or romantic as some infer , either . I'm sorry , but I can't get choked up on a couple or rats who just met each other in a laboratory and are instantly in love , and then taken away . This is another odd animated film , a serious tale about a rat who follows an empty bag of some snack , like a Cheeto's , that would have a scent that would attract a rodent . We follow the rat's interesting journey - which it is - as he follows the scent and discovers some strange sights . |
527,369 | 4,445,210 | 60,196 | 5 | Just Isn't The Same Now , But Still Love The Soundtrack | Usually , the more I see a film the more I learn to appreciate it . Here's the opposite : I really enjoyed this when it came it at the theater . It made such an impression that I remember where exactly I saw this film , and I enjoyed it on TV a few other times afterward . Now , 40 years later my opinion of it is not the same . The only aspect that I still have a high regard for in here in the music , now considered probably one of the " classic " soundtracks . However , the three main characters - the men who dominate this film - played by Clint Eastwood , Eli Wallach and Lee Van Cleef - are really nothing but overly crude and excessively violent morons . The worst , of course , is Wallach's " Taco . " He makes me want to take a shower after watching this film ! He and Eastwood's " Blondie " just take turns brutalizing each other through much of the film . Van Cleef's role is considerably less , as " Sentzenza " or " Angel Eyes . " Wallach's character is just plain insulting . He is a real lowlife and a horrible witness for anyone of the Catholic faith , which is why they probably emphasize the latter with him genuflecting throughout the film while acting like a complete degenerate . It's another slam on that denomination ( of which I am not a member , by the way ) . I usually like Director Sergio Leone's long , dramatic , slow shots and good facial closeups Leone keeps his camera so long on one subject that it gets boring . So , there is a rarely a happy medium in this movie : it's either too violently stupid or too slow . What was once " good " has now turned " bad " and " ugly . " |
523,557 | 4,445,210 | 113,870 | 5 | Good Story But Too Tough To Watch Again | I can take about anything in films , even blood-and-guts ( you can see that on television in the CSI shows ) but torture is another thing . This movie was tough to watch because of the terrible treatment given to a prisoner , played well in here by Kevin Bacon . It's an interesting story , and well performed and told , but so unpleasant to see in a number of spots that I wouldn't watch it again . Some of it was really disgusting . I am also getting tired of Liberal filmmakers making the prison warden a brutally sadistic person . That has become such a film cliché . Libs just hate any authority figure . They also hate the facts , according to " jorge's " review here , which I believe . |
524,486 | 4,445,210 | 94,606 | 5 | Geena Is Good But That's All | Once again , I found a movie I really enjoyed the first time I saw it , and then years later lost interest during the middle of the second viewing and never finished it . On that second look , frankly , I just found it boring . The only appealing character in the film is the one played by Geena Davis , who plays a " kinky " person , which made her interesting to watch . I didn't like the fact Kathleen Turner's character left her husband for selfish reasons , which seems to be okay , according to the script . ( " You didn't give ME enough support when our kid was killed , so I am leaving . " ) Wow , another plug for making marriage into a joke . William Hurt and Bill Pullman are the male stars in there , not exactly people who are going to inspire you to watch the film . Hurt should have quit after The Elephant Man and Pullman should never have started . |
524,306 | 4,445,210 | 60,165 | 5 | Too Drawn Out , Needs A Re-Make | The first 40 to 50 minutes of this movie was very interesting , but after that it dragged and never really recovered for me . They just went on and on and on between the time Henry Fonda's " Meredith " fell " ill " and the time the big poker hand was consummated - over half the film waiting to see what happened ! It was frustrating and ridiculous . The ending is neat , if you don't know there's going to be a big surprise . If you it , and I was tipped off , it's easy to spot and ruins some of the ending , although there is another twist added . All that was cool but it took far too long to get to that point . Today's audiences would never stand for something to be drawn out that long . Now that poker has become such a big game , I'd like to see this re-made but with a much tighter script . |
525,825 | 4,445,210 | 25,164 | 5 | A Glimpse At What Was To Come | This was a typical Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers movie which means one really good thing and one really bad thing . You could count on both for the remaining films these two entertainment giants did together over the next decade . THE GOOD - great dancing , as always , and a little humor thrown into the mix ; THE BAD - a stupid story filled with people who are misunderstood and another slam at marriage , trivializing it once again . This was the first film in which this famous duo were paired in leading roles . Have you noticed Astaire always looked the same age for at least two decades ? Rogers really looks young here . She exhibits a nice singing voice , too . Astaire sings more in this movie than in later films . The musical highlight is a very long song-and-dance number near the end , done to the tune " The Continental . " That helps make up for the stupid story . Alice Brady makes repeated attempts at humor but falls short most of the time . The same goes for Edward Everett Horton , who seems to play these annoying roles in many films . A very young Betty Grable is seen early on in the film in a Busby Berkeley-type number . |
527,064 | 4,445,210 | 9,887 | 5 | Life - Almost - With Father | For those not too familiar with life almost a hundred years ago , the phrase " Ask father , " meant you better get the old man's approval if you want to marry his daughter . That was a MUST , and sets up the premise for this Harold Lloyd short . He , along with several other guys , are all after the same woman but must get to the father . Unfortunately , he's a tough business leader who runs an office like a dictatorship and one runs the risk of being thrown out on his rear trying to get in and see him . That's the gag of the movie , which doesn't really have much spark until the last six minutes when Harold gets inventive in ways to see the boss , such as wearing a suit or armor . Without giving anything away , I will say this movie might be the ultimate in showing how lightly marriage has always been treated in the films . This is a comedy , however , so nothing to take serious anyway . I did laugh , too , at the end , when we see how much true love meant to Harold ( hint : not a whole lot , as it turns out . ) |
522,287 | 4,445,210 | 404,055 | 5 | The Good & Bad Of ' Frank , Ella & Jobim ' | Most of this 6o-minute made-for-TV concert footage involves Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald . Jobim was thrown in for a quick medley of Bossa Nova songs , which the rage at this particular time . It had a nice , pleasant sound and I wish they had spent more time with that music , but it didn't last long in this concert . Sinatra did sing the then-famous " The Girl From Ipanema " while Jobim accompanied on guitar . The rest of the tape are the two heavyweights : Frank and Ella , two of the best pop singers ever . It's almost always a pleasure to hear Sinatra . His voice is so good and the way he " jazzes " up a number in excellent . He was a great showman , not just singer . Ella had a great voice , too , but , frankly , I would have preferred more of Sinatra . The by-play between the two singers was terrible at times . Ella was no talker , just a singer and Frank's constant fawning over her was overdone . His jokes were lame , too . Still , where you can find a tape with these two " giants of the business " singing together ? |
523,200 | 4,445,210 | 473,444 | 5 | Beautiful Colors But The Story A Bit Too Slow Story | This film is as slow as it is pretty , or you can reverse that . Either way : it's gorgeous with brilliant colors that are eye-popping . It's also one of the more boring stories I've ever seen and I defy most people to sit down and watch this all the way through and not be bored out of their minds despite the wonderful visuals . This turned out to be a soap opera , with a little bit of swordplay here and there . . . . . mostly there , meaning the second half of the film . By then , most people - - at least us Westerners - were sound asleep or had taken the DVD out of their player . Gee , they are even starting to show us dysfunctional families in Chinese films . I like Chow Yun Fat and Gong Li . Most people who like Asian films , which include me , like them , too , but that didn't make this film any more interesting . One other thing : whoever was responsible for the English subtitles ought to be shot . I played this in Chinese with English subtitles and in dubbed English with the subtitles also on . The latter is what stunned me in that I have never seen so many sentences different from what was being said on screen . Sometimes it was educational . I got two translations of the same sentence , but it got ridiculous and added to already confusing storyline . This is wonderful stuff on the surface : real eye candy , but the story sucks . I am starting to lose my faith in film director Yimou Zhang . |
527,565 | 4,445,210 | 148,499 | 5 | Except As Chaplin , Flip Doesn't Make It In The ' Movie ' Business | Flip The Frog has a book about being an actor . That's his goal in this cartoon . The funniest part of the eight minutes is the opening , I thought , when Flip pictures himself as Charlie Chaplin . He does a good Chaplin imitation and it led me to believe the rest of this cartoon might be really a good one . It wasn't . It was okay , but nothing " to write home about . " Basically , it's a two-part story : Flip trying to get into the studio and then the things that to him once he's in . There was a clever gag in the first part when he hides under a fat man's shadow . The parts inside the studio were tons of slapstick stuff that mainly didn't draw a lot of laughs , at least from me . |
524,358 | 4,445,210 | 44,706 | 5 | ' Coop ' Should Have Shot Kelly ! | High Noon This " actual " 85 minutes , went by fast when I saw this movie as a kid . I thought it was very suspenseful . Today , yikes . . . . this film goes by at a snail's pace and features two annoying main characters that make this a dud , not the revered classic gem that is supposed to be . There is nothing wrong with the hero , played by Gary Cooper . His overall presence - the way he handles himself , the expressions on his face , etc . - make him a believable and likable character , as he was in most of his films . Grace Kelly certainly is easy on the eyes ( I'm a male ) but her character in here is unbelievably shallow and annoying . She plays Cooper's wife and , get this - five minutes after she marries him , she wants to leave him because he decides he has to stay and fight off the bad man who is coming to town to kill him . Talk about devotion ! Talk about commitment ! No wonder marriage was never taken seriously in Hollywood and its films . The other characters who gets decent screen time is a whining punk with a chip of his shoulder . Lloyd Bridges plays that role effectively but his character wears thin quickly . The rest of the star-studded cast have very small roles , unfortunately . The movie is played out in " real time . " Watching an hour-and-a-half of this might be worth your real time if you are hoping to take a nap and need some help |
522,652 | 4,445,210 | 114,048 | 5 | The Good & Bad Of ' Operation Dumbo Drop ' | This movie had some typically-good Disney aspects to it but also some typically - bad Disney agendas in here that just about made me puke . With modern-day Disney films - or at least the ones in the 1980s and 1990s - you can expect the following " good " and " bad : " This movie proves to be no exception . GOOD - Slick-looking photography with beautiful Vitenamese scenery ; low profanity ; an interesting story that moves well . BAD - Political-correctness run amok . . . . . . an annoying kid who knows more than the adults ; an ending that's always drawn out too long ; a reverence for Eastern religions or anything that is not Christianity ; a black and a white lead character in which the black is always the better of the two , etc . etc . A SURPRISE - Danny Glover and Ray Liotta losing their tempers but not swearing a blue streak . Wow , now that's different ! |
526,891 | 4,445,210 | 106,466 | 5 | Not Bad , But Too Smart-Too Fast , So Stick With The Original | This remake of the 1950 film which starred Judy Holliday was okay , but nothing super . The major problem was credibility with Melanie Griffith playing " Billie Dawn . " I'm sorry , but with her voice and mannerisms in all the movies I've seen her in , it's not believable enough for me to see her as a woman who suddenly gets very smart . Anything is possible ! However , she gets too smart , too fast and it's just too much . " Yeah , right , " is what you wind up saying over and over . However , I'm not saying she didn't do a good job acting , it's just that I know her too well to have her be credible in this particular role . I also was sorry to hear another example of a classic-era film re-done with profanity . Here , John Goodman ( no surprise ) blasphemes here and there as boyfriend " Harry Brock . " . This story is nice enough with a bunch of good messages without having to mess it up with needless profanity and sexual innuendos . Can't Hollywood make ONE modern-day comedy without that ? Speaking of credibility , I can picture a slob like Goodman being paired with Roseanne Barr , but a hot babe like Griffith ? No way . No wonder there was little chemistry in this film . However , I have to say Don Johnson , of Miami Vice television fame , was a very likable character in a pleasant low-key role as the tutor-reporter . I was never a big fan of his but I liked him in this movie . Still , the 1950 version was good enough to stand on its own , not needing a re-make in the first place . |
523,659 | 4,445,210 | 1,143,237 | 5 | Goofy ' Hodges ' And His Hypothetical Crime Game | I give this an " A " for " originalty " but only a " C-minus " for content . It just isn't that involving an episode , because there are too many factors involved in too many cases . All of the crime stories in here are " what if " stuff , made , as it turns out , to be in the form of a CSI table game that " Hodges " is inventing . He creates scenarios in which various CSI " lab rats " are knocked off . The idea is to why out the answers to the two basic questions : " who did it , and how ? " Most of this is played for humor but I found very few laughs in here . I've never found the " lab rates " - Hodges , Wendy , Archie , Mandy , Bobby , Henry , etc . , to be particularly good comics , only weird , unrealistic CSI " scientists . " Thus , for the most part , with three or four different cases presented with new clues every 15 seconds , it wasn't an entertaining episode in which you get involved with what's going on . However , despite saying the above , I did enjoy the last segment when Grissom sits down with Hodges and says , " I like games . " He's asked to try and figure out another hypothetical crime , this one in which Hodges gets shot in the middle of the forehead at the lab . That part is pretty cool , with a few funny scenes to it . Overall , half good / half terrible . Hodges ( Wallace Langham ) did an excellent job as the creator of this game and the host of the show , to to speak . |
522,429 | 4,445,210 | 106,375 | 5 | Okay , But No Match For The Fist One | This isn't a bad sequel but it's unable to measure up to the first " Beethoven , " which was an extremely likable film . This is still a " cute " film and one parents and all the kiddies certainly will like . It features a litter of St . Bernard puppies , and who doesn't go " aww " at the sight of little puppies , especially St . Bernard's ? The puppies are the main story here , which turns into a " crime " story when " Missy " is dog-napped and the little ones also become endangered . I didn't think this was a " silly " story as there are some good morals and lessons to be learned , but it was a bit " sappy . " I get a little annoyed , too , when animals are pictured as smarter than the humans . I'm sorry but , as much as you might love pets and hate some people , that just ain't so . Nonetheless , if you loved the first movie you'll find enough to like in here to enjoy it . If you thought the first film was just okay , you won't like this . |
525,625 | 4,445,210 | 36,027 | 5 | Not Your Typical Zombie Movie | Well , this was nothing like I thought it might be , which means good news and bad news . BAD NEWS - Very little action , almost none . Mostly talk , talk and more talk . This was much more of melodrama with the only skeletons were the ones in the closet that are revealed near the end , uncovering past sins in a family . With the title of this film , I can't expecting something dramatic , something to happen . . . . but it didn't . GOOD NEWS - The black-and-white film offered some great visuals , wonderful contrasts and , as Lewton films are known to do - " atmospheric " cinematography . That , and the strange-looking anorexic voodoo man , are my main good memories of this film , which was transfered nicely on DVD as part of the Lewton Horror Collection . The acting was fine and the dialog interesting at times . In summary , a so-so film I might watch again , and I might not . It's that kind of film . |
523,400 | 4,445,210 | 88,024 | 6 | Predictable , But Definitely Entertaining | This was a decent suspense film with a different twist for its day , dealing with robots . The idea has since been copied in a few films . Here , cops go after runaway robots and after a villain who is trying to steal deadly weapons ( gosh , that's original ) . The special effects are pretty good - especially since this was made over 20 years ago - and I particularly enjoyed watching the heat-seeking bullets fired from the villain's gun . Rock star Gene Simmons , by the way , does a nice job as the bad guy . As entertaining as this Tom Selleck movie was , it had a B-quality to it with some stupid and predictable dialog . The climactic scenes were very predictable . You just knew certain things were going to happen . . . and they did . Yet , it was fun to watch and worth one look . |
524,560 | 4,445,210 | 122,459 | 6 | The Good & Bad Of ' Return To Me ' | THE GOOD - A deep cast and no villains make this romantic comedy a nice movie . David Duchovny does a nice job in a low-key role . I've read in several reviews ( not here ) that James Belushi stole the movie with his supporting role but I thought if anyone did that it was Carroll O'Connor , not Belushi . O'Connor is just great as the kind , Godly Irish grandfather . He and all the older people , actually , are fun to watch in their matchmaking roles . THE BAD - For such a pleasing story , the language could have been toned down . Having a young kid blaspheme by saying " GD " was inexcusable , although it does point out the importance of parents being a better " witness " as their children often mimic them . Minnie Driver is okay but doesn't seem to fit the role and I wish Hollywood would come up with a different angle in these romance-comedies instead of the same " lying " routine all the time . All in all , a pleasant but unmemorable ' chick flick . ' |
527,442 | 4,445,210 | 979,456 | 6 | The Divorce Case From Hell | Wow , do they have over-the-top obnoxious people in this episode , led by a ridiculous couple going through a divorce . " Nasty " doesn't cover it describing this couple , " Hank and Laurie Atherton , " who are beyond bitter and vindictive . The problem was having to listen to these two jerks periodically during the show . The couple's two lawyers are almost as obnoxious and annoying , too . Having to hear these four idiots - and others ( like the " pool guy " ) - lessened the entertainment value of this episode . Although it was good to see them get their due . Anyway , in a nutshell , several people connected with this couple are found dead and the CSI team has to figure it all out . On top of that , poor Eric Delko has to go through more b . s . as his competence is questioned by one of suspects . It was fairly interesting but certainly not a likable episode . |
523,491 | 4,445,210 | 35,238 | 6 | Very Watchable But Frustrating Story | For those who like melodramas , this is one of the better ones . I don't particularly care for them , but this one kept my interest for the whole 127 minutes , so it must be good . The film reminded me of " Tomorrow Is Forever , " with Orson Welles and Claudette Colbert . That , too , was a fine film but a frustrating one to watch . This , too , has its frustrations as Greer Garson holds back information that you and I couldn't have the strength to do . I don't recall Garson ever looking prettier and more wholesome in a film . Ronald Colman , the male lead , entertains as he usually does . It was interesting to see Philip Dorn , too , the " papa " in " I Remember Mama , " one of my favorite films . Adding to this cast are Susan Peters , Henry Travers , Reginald Owen and Bramwell Fletcher . About the story , it's simply about a World War I vet who loses his memory , meets and falls in love with Garson , whom he marries . Then one day , an accident jars his memory and now his life with Garson is blanked out of his memory bank and he starts all over again in another town , leaving Garson back home and wondering whatever happened to her husband ! One thing : in all the time that passes - about 15 years - no one ages ! They still look the same ! Also , Colman playing a returning veteran was a little far-fetched . I mean , the guy was 40 or 50 years old , playing a young 20s guy ? ? Oh , well . Overall , a good story that keeps your interest , even if it suspends belief . How many times you'd watch this depends on how much these type of stories appeal to you . If you love them , this is one you'd want in your collection , especially since it is out on DVD now . |
526,394 | 4,445,210 | 147,615 | 6 | ' Hi , ya , Pop ! ' | There was a cute gag , right off the bat , when Tom Thumb's dad first sees his newborn kid ( delivered by the stork ) . The baby is in the palm of his wife's hand . Tom looks up - already in diapers - and says , " Hi ya , pop ! " Pop faints . The years go on and we see how little Tom manages to inadvertently get in trouble , like almost being baked in a pie . The inquisitive sort , he winds up in a lot of jams , only to be saved by either by luck or his scolding mom , who winds up giving him a loving-but-stern and strange spanking near the end . Overall , to be honest this was not a very humorous cartoon but it had a lot of charm , so kudos for that . It was part of the UB Iwerks ' collection of cartoons under the DVD title , " Cartoons That Time Forgot . " |
527,327 | 4,445,210 | 436,071 | 6 | Very Clever , But Very Short | This is very different . . . . . instrumental music with a " computer " band . It's almost too difficult to explain , because this is so different than most things you might have ever watched . The instruments play themselves as if they were alive . Sometimes you see objects , like small balls , flying around hitting drums or keyboards to produce the notes . It's very colorful and the music is decent . My favorite scenes were " Pipe Dreams " mainly because of the clever visuals ; " Acoustic curves " because of the music . On the negative side , I thought there was too much emphasis on drums which made some spots become a bit tedious . My real complaint was that I rented this after reading reviews of it elsewhere . Included was the fact this was 75 minutes long . In truth , it is only 33 minutes ! IMDb has it right . Had I known that , I probably would have selected something else . There is a short bonus feature : Beyond the Walls , in 3-D , but we don't get 3-D glasses so it isn't a big deal to watch , . . . but would have been . |
523,590 | 4,445,210 | 112,818 | 6 | Talk About " Playing Against Type ! " | Susan Sarandon playing a nun ? Sure . Only in the land of make-believe , meaning Hollywood or any other movie setting . Well , at least she's being somewhat true to her beliefs - not religion , of course , but a Liberal cause : being anti-death penalty . That's no surprise , especially with boyfriend and fellow ultra-Liberal Tim Robbins directing the picture . Sarandon , however , does an excellent job in the role of " Sister Helen Prejean . " The same holds true for Sean Penn , who plays sleazy murderer " Matthew Poncelet . " Well , at the sleazy part was more believable from him , but he's a great actor anyway . It's a well-told , powerful story and I really appreciated the soundtrack . There is some great music in here . This is a not a faithful adaptation of the book , as some have said here . A big part of the book by the real Sister Prejean is the Christian forgiveness exhibited by one of the families of the murdered victims , but that is never mentioned in the movie . |
525,759 | 4,445,210 | 95,742 | 6 | Freddy''s Funniest Film | This doesn't have the well-known cast of the previous Nightmare 3 movie but the special effects are still good . . . . . each very different and some of them very funny . They make this perhaps the most entertaining entry in the series . Memorable scenes include a junkyard , a water bed , a classroom , faces in a pizza , a girl bench pressing and faces coming out of Freddy's flesh . The storyline , however , features its usual dumb and ridiculous theology and has its usual share of unlikable obnoxious teens . Their parents weren't pictured as any better , perhaps worse . In fact , the kids and parents are so bad you wind up rooting for Freddy to do them in . Perhaps that's the idea ! |
523,168 | 4,445,210 | 95,687 | 6 | Now That's A Nice-Lookin ' Alien ! | I don't believe in aliens , but one ever existed and I ran into it , I hope it looks like Kim Bassinger ! Ditsy but humorous in spots and a generally likable movie is how I saw this film . Basinger hardly ever looked better , which is saying a lot . At the time , it was unusual to see her in a comedy after viewing her in tough crime or sex-type movies for awhile . ( I didn't see this film until 10 years after it had been released . ) She's a decent comedienne , like her ex-husband ( Alec Baldwin ) has turned out to be , too . The comedy is more chuckles than guffaws . There is the usual too-liberal " values " espoused here , in which sex on the first date is " cool , " even considered that b the teen daughter ! The latter , however , " Jessie " ( Alyson Hannigan ) is a cute kid and not annoying as most teen girls on in modern-day films . The casual sex and general secular attitude toward everything including that " science is everything " were all annoying to me but it's still a likeble movie . The profanity isn't too much , except by Jon Lovitz , who provides much of it . In all , a dumb story but a nice , feel-good ending helps . |
523,276 | 4,445,210 | 104,966 | 6 | Hopper Saves This Low-Class Film | This is a low-class film with low-class , profane characters . Many times that spells death to whether I like the film but in this case , not so . That's because Dennis Hopper ( perfect for profane , sick roles ) is entertaining and the story moves at a brisk pace . There simply are not any dry spots . I always like to look at Anne Archer , too . However , you can overdo the swearing , and that's the case here , and the usual modern-day clichés are here ( i . e . the police captain fires the cop , who is the hero ; Rambo-type action in which the good guys never get hit while the bad guys always do , etc . ) Those things downgrade this film to an average crime movie , which means it's still worth a look - especially if you like Hopper - but rent it before buying it . |
523,832 | 4,445,210 | 112,760 | 6 | A Fun Movie . . . . But TOO Much Action | Despite being fun to watch and very entertaining , this is not a film that draws me back for many viewings . Maybe it's too absurd : a beautiful woman pirate " Morgan Adams " ( Geena Davis ) punching everyone out at every turn can get a ridiculous and tiresome after awhile . It just an excess of everything , almost cartoon-like . If you haven't had enough action in first hour ( and you do ) , the last half really goes crazy with a non-stop battle scene that goes on and on and on . Nevertheless , there are some good things to watch in here besides Davis and her pretty face . the movie was filmed in Malta and in Thailand and features some beautiful island photography . The ship is magnificent and when two ships are side-by-side firing cannons at one another , it's an awesome sight and even more awesome sound . You really need to watch this with a good stereo system to appreciate the great audio work in here . Frank Langella also makes for an interestingly effective villain ( " Dawg Brown " ) while Matthew Modine ( " William Shaw " ) chips in with a co-star and male companion for the good guy , er good girl , Davis character . |
523,065 | 4,445,210 | 95,489 | 6 | Overall , It's Cute & Colorful | There are some beautiful colors in this animated film , nice golden hues mixed with purples that are very pleasing to see . The lead character is likable little guy called " Littlefoot . " Most of the scenes with the T-Rex might be a little scary for the little kids . The little dinosaurs are all ones you laugh with and enjoy . There are touches of New Age and secular humanism in here , which is no surprise , that being especially expected with a Steven Spielberg film , even an innocent cartoon adventure . However , all in all , pretty good and a decent hour-and-a-half of animated entertainment that adults should enjoy , too . |
522,362 | 4,445,210 | 26,138 | 6 | Here She Comes , There She Goes | This is a pretty solid movie , one of the few old-time horror films that still stands up to today's standards . The cinematography is excellent with many fascinating shadow-like shots , particularly with facial closeups . A surprise is that the actual " bride " of Frankenstein is only created and then seen in the final minutes of the film . The title can be misleading as we expect most of the story to be about her . Instead , most of the movie is simply a sequel to the original Frankenstein , picking up where that film left off with the monster somehow surviving his fiery doom . I would like to have seen more of the " bride , " who was fascinating to view . Elsa Lanchester , who played that character , also played Mary Shelley in the beginning of the film . The most interesting character , I thought , was the devil-like Dr . Praetorious , played by Ernest Thesiger . Now this guy had a true face of a " mad scientist ! " Most films need to be trimmed 10-15 minutes but here is an exception . This movie needed another 10 to 15 minutes tacked on , so we could see more of the " bride . " It's still considered one of the best horror films of all time and , at just 74 minutes , would certainly be worth your time to check it out if you've seen it . |
522,480 | 4,445,210 | 167,190 | 6 | Entertaining , If Nothing Else | This is a pretty good cartoon-character movie . It's entertaining because of two main things : 1 - good dialog by the lead character , likeably portrayed by Ron Perlman and , 2 - the violence is not overdone , wearing you out and dominating the film . It looked like the latter was going to be the case early on but the film calms down and the climactic scene is not overdone as it is on always every modern-day action film . I was sorry to hear some blasphemes in here , no place for that in a comic-book hero film geared to attract a young audience . I'm not familiar with this comic book here , " Hellboy , " but I was surprised he looks like so many alien-type monsters of today on screen , nothing original . They could have made him look different , unless that's how he looks in print . All in all , despite what may sound like a critical review , the movie was entertaining and even had some nice touches of humor . It's another example of good , mindless entertainment for two hours . I would like to see the extended version and see if that's better . |
524,522 | 4,445,210 | 650,598 | 6 | Funny , But A Little Too Predictable | You can imagine on jury duty , driving the other 11 jurors ( and the judge ) nuts . Well , of course , that is the case here . It's also predictable in that he would be the only one to vote " not guilty , " and , being the good Liberal-slanted show it is , would be proved correct getting an innocent black man off to boot ! ! This reminded me a bit of " 12 Angry Men , " except it's 11 angry people at Monk , and you can't blame them . Most of the things in here , including the jokes and the dramatic ending , are pretty predictable yet despite that , it was still fun to watch . It isn't however , one of the more cerebral episodes and a little more than far-fetched . . . . but that's Monk . To the writers ' credit , the surprise among the jurors was good ( one of them was rotten , and it wasn't Adrian ) . |
524,070 | 4,445,210 | 122,718 | 6 | The Good & Bad Of ' Small Soldiers ' | BAD NEWS - Typical Hollywood family in that the film features stupid parents , annoying teens who are too worldly for their age and think they get no respect from their parents . Also , there are the usual anti-military messages and anti - Republican cheap shots . The story has The Commandos ( military , which means bad guys , of course ) against the Gorgonites ( peaceful , different-looking creatures . ) GOOD NEWS - A very clever animated-live action computer animated film ( at least for 1998 ) in which the toys come to life and look real . Once the action starts , it's a very interesting story with fun special-effects , some good , funny dialog and some neat references to past films . Sometimes it's tough to catch them all . |
526,652 | 4,445,210 | 26,532 | 6 | You Never Know What You'll Get In These Old Cartoons - Even Color ! | You don't see too many cartoons from this time ( mid 1930s ) that were done in color but this one is in two-strip Technicolor . The William Tell Overture plays in here ; we see a big steamship with " Show Boat " written on the side of it , and we get an " amateur night " vaudeville show complete a " gong " and the " hook " to take the horrible performers off the stage . We also get Porky Pig ( I think ) directing the orchestra . Some sadistic guy sticks Porky's tail into an electrical outlet and he - and the orchestra - play at high speed . Some of these old cartoons are almost sadistic . It does do a good job though of portraying what cartoons were like in the mid ' 30s - the good and the bad . And , like all good cartoons , you are never sure what crazy sight you'll see next ! Anyway , there are a few funny sight gags I enjoyed but overall I rate it as just " fair , " not a cartoon I'd watch multiple times . I saw it as a bonus feature on the " Annie Oakley " DVD film , which starred Barbara Stanwyck and Preston Foster . |
523,494 | 4,445,210 | 34,959 | 6 | A ' Brutal ' Typical 1930s Prison Flick | When I see old-time prison / crime movies , I laugh out loud at some of the things I see , at least compared to films of the last 40 years which may be very profane and sadistically violent but at least they are realistic . In this film , the lead female character " Dot Burton , " played by Faye Emerson , is sent to a women's prison . Inside are all white women except one black , who dances all the time . Talk about a stereotype . Emerson and her best buddy in here look like lesser versions of Rita Hayworth , Look around and you more of these nice , wholesome-looking babes . I guarantee you no prison population has ever looked this good ! Yes , there are a few " baddies " and , of course , they are ugly women . The story also gives us a typical classic movie romance in which a guy falls in love with a " dame " the first time he talks to her . Then she falls for him quickly and but right away , of course , there is a misunderstanding and now the woman hates him . Ten minutes later she loves him again , then hates him , then loves him , etc . etc . No wonder few people in the film world ever took marriage seriously . On screen , it was just one big joke . Anyway , the story is pretty interesting even if it is more than a bit too dated . The film might be noted more for having two very young actors in here than anything else , guys who went on to because famous on television in the 1950s : Paul Drake and Jackie Gleason . Drake was Perry Mason's assistant on hat hit TV show and Gleason , of course , went on to huge TV fame with " The Honeymooners " and other shows . Here , he is billed as Jackie C . C Gleason . " Lady Gangster " is only a little over an hour which is fine and the DVD transfer was surprisingly good . This was part of a 4-movie disc called " Mobster Movies , " put out by Platinum . I have two of these discs so there are eight films I can watch , movies that , as far as I can tell , were not available on VHS . The other movie I watched on one of the other discs did not have the good picture quality this one had , so they probably vary from film-to-film . But , despite the drawbacks , these 1930s films are fun to watch because they are fast-moving , short and entertaining . |
526,571 | 4,445,210 | 105,435 | 6 | The Good & Bad Of ' Sneakers ' | GOOD NEWS - A very entertaining thriller , for the most part , that kept my attention for the full 126 minutes . It had some neat high-tech gadgetry and had a big-name cast of Robert Redford , Dan Aykroyd , Ben Kingsley , River Phoenix , David Straithairn , Mary McDonnnel and Sidney Poitier . THE BAD - More of the tiresome and typical Liberal propaganda that tells us the U . S . Government is the " bad guy ' " the radical Left are the good guys ( yes , the same ones who blew up a lot of buildings and killed people in the name of peaceful protest ) . The film also had a very unrealistic and stupid ending . I was also sorry to hear ( but not surprised ) Redford and Poitier both blaspheme throughout the movie . |
522,603 | 4,445,210 | 105,414 | 6 | Good Back In ' 92 , But Lost Its Shock Value | Here's another film I really enjoyed on the first viewing but lost its impact dramatically on subsequent viewings . This interesting story was quite a topic of conversation when it came out 15 years ago . By now , it's probably considered fairly tame , and nothing that shocking or special . Bridget Fonda and Jennifer Jason Leigh star with Leigh getting the juicier role as the wacko , " Hedy Carlson . " Character studies of people like her are usually entertaining . Leigh has made a career of playing totally immoral women . She also shows a lot of skin in this movie , something else she likes to do in her films . Fonda's character , " Allie Jones , " is no Mary Poppins , either , or should I say Fonda isn't anybody pure . The movie shows several scenes of her having sex with her boyfriend . This actress isn't shy , either . The movie starts building its suspense about halfway through when Leigh - the roommate and admirer of Fonda - begins to lose her girlfriend to that guy . . . . and decides to do something about it . There really isn't a lot of violence in this movie , mainly just at the end . It's a good suspense movie , though , which builds and builds . It's good for one viewing . |
522,247 | 4,445,210 | 35,019 | 6 | If You Can Suspend Belief , Ginger Makes It Fun | This movie was charmer , with some funny moments and two attractive likable leads in Ginger Rogers and Ray Milland . This is one of those classics I really enjoyed when I first watched it but dragged too much when seen recently . Sometimes , the more you get used to modern movies , the more some of these classic films can seem too slow . This is an example . Also ( and I am a classic movie fan despite these comments ) , this film is another example of how much viewers were asked to suspend belief in these older films . Here were asked to believe that no one would suspect that a grown-up Ginger Rogers couldn't pass as a 12-year-old ? One look at the very female-like Rogers and it's previous obvious she's and adult , especially at the dance near the end of the film . Well , if you can overlook that , this is still a fun movie . Sometimes the dated dialog and attitudes of the time period make it all the more fun . Rogers was a great comedienne , not just Fred Astaire's most famous dance partner . She is the big star of this film . There is a bit of " Lolita " mentality in here as Milland begins to fall for this " 12 - year-old . " They never really tell you here whether Milland knew how old she was all along , however . The end the film a bit too abruptly as the two run off to get married ! ! ! ! As I said , there are lots of holes in this story but it is entertaining enough that you don't care . Of note , too , is that Rogers ' real-life mother plays her mom in this film . |
525,823 | 4,445,210 | 43,667 | 6 | Solid , Yet Not Quite Scriptural | This was a pretty good movie in that the main character was a solid preacher , not the flawed one seen in all modern-day films . The only chink in his armor was that he married an unbeliever , something a sincere minister ( William Lundigan ) such as the one shown here , would NEVER do . Susan Hayward's character , the minister's wife , is annoying at times but at least she admits her weaknesses and doubts and then realizes the doubts were unfounded . However , her allegiance , even at the end with a quote from Scripture , is not to God but to her husband . She thinks her purpose in life is to follow him , not Him ! Interwoven in this story are a couple of touching stories of relationships that are transformed from hardened to soft with the patient help from the preacher . It's basically life in strict small Georgia town in Protestant church setting . Overall , a nice story and good family viewing , as the cliché goes , but nothing extraordinary to be honest . Worth at least one look |
525,574 | 4,445,210 | 35,047 | 6 | ' The Biggest Chiselers In Town ' | Oh , boy : more corny signs . The boys are in ancient Rome and are stonecutters . The sign over their front door of business reads , " Ye Olde Pottery and Stone Works - Mohicus , Larrycus And CurleyCue - The Biggest Chiselers In Town " Emperor " Octopus Grabus " has issued an edict in which all unmarried redheads are ordered to the palace of for matrimony . One hot babe is pursued and runs into the boys ' store looking to be hidden from a Roman soldier . The boys are happy to oblige . My first or second look at this particular story probably made me laugh but now , some 40-50 years later , I had seen Curly pretend to be a woman so many times that isn't funny , anymore . The scenes with him and the Mr . Magoo-like " Octopus " ( Vernon Dent ) What I am saying is that is just too much familiar material . To end on a positive note , the " dame " in trouble , " Diana , " played by Marjorie Deanne was very hot . I'm surprised she didn't have a longer career , unless that was her choice . |
527,188 | 4,445,210 | 70,248 | 6 | Great Music , Visuals But The Story Is Lame | Great soundtrack , great visuals , somewhat confusing and disappointing storyline . I always thought this was Neil Diamond's best work . He sang the soundtrack , and it's filled with great songs that he did exceptionally well . The photography is beautiful and the scenes as mellow as you can find : a seagull gracefully gliding through the air surrounded by beautiful seascapes , sunsets , billowy clouds . . . . . just magnificent scenery . On the negative side is the usual New Age " look within yourself " theology . This is pure Secular Humanism . I say this because some people thought this was a Christian film and it is not . It only confuses people because there are analogies that could easily apply to Jesus , to the Pharisees and to Heaven itself . It was a bunch of mixed messages but author Richard Bach , from whose book this movie is based on , leaves no doubt near the end of the movie - or the screenwriters did , if they changed his book . Still , a peaceful , calming movie that is unique . |
526,742 | 4,445,210 | 43,660 | 6 | A Few New Twists , But Basically A Familiar Screen Story | I've seen this kind of story many times : the frightened wife fearing her husband was going to kill her , most people not believing this , and a dramatic ending in the final minutes after long , drawn-out scenes building suspense . For you classic film buffs , this should sound familiar . The problem is that - at least with today's audiences - that drawn-out suspense on will-or-will-he and how ? - the story is way too slow . It's like , " Okay , we get the setup here . Now how about something actually happening ? " Nothing much did until the final minutes , with the exception of a very short automobile scene . The first part is the most interesting , when we see how the " heroine " of the story , " Victoria Kowelska " ( Valentina Cortese ) makes it to America to take the place of another woman in San Francisco . She was interesting , to me , only because she was a new face , sometime I don't recall seeing before on film . Most of her fine film career has been done in Italy . I did enjoy the two main male actors , too , Richard Basehart and William Lundigan , but they were nothing super , playing routine roles . The set designs with the big house on Telegraph Road were nice . It was another of those big old mansions in which these kind of stories always took place in the 1940s films . Great lighting always makes these houses , with the long stairways , look Gothic and foreboding , especially in black-and-white photography . For those who see the title and read the " previews " and thus , are excepting more of a film noir , or even a thriller with horror overtones , consider yourself warned . Instead , it's more of a women's film and a stereotypical one , at that . It's okay , but nothing memorable . |
525,649 | 4,445,210 | 420,740 | 6 | Filmed In Iceland , This Is Intriguing , But Ending Hurts It | This was an intriguing , although not satisfying , , movie and one I still felt was worth my few bucks I paid to rent it . It was filmed in Iceland - one of the few films I've heard of with that locale - but the story in the film takes place somewhere in Midwestern America . I knew that going in , so it made it kind of strange to view , in that respect . However , the story seemed very realistic . In parts , it almost felt like a documentary , it was so real and atmospheric . However , as much as I enjoyed the movie , and particularly Forest Whitaker with his odd accent , the ending was a big disappointment . The film had so much promise up until then . Some people say this film had the feel of a Coen Brothers movie , and I agree with that . To some , this might also have been a bit slow or boring but I thought it had unique atmosphere to it . With a more satisfying ending , I would have bought the DVD and watched it several more times . |
523,207 | 4,445,210 | 849,857 | 6 | Murder At The Marathon | I liked the second story in this episode better than the first one . It had more intrigue and was one more people could relate to , a simple mystery how a guy the New York City marathon could be murdered in front of spectators without anyone seeing how it was done ? First tests indicate cyanide but then it looks more carbon monoxide . The CSI team , headed by Mac and Stella , work with one piece of evidence and go from there . Danny and Lyndsay are among the investigators on the case that opens the show , featuring a bizarre vodka company party where the booze is served in ice bottles and the model for the night is discovered stabbed and killed with some icicle-like wound . This is a little too far out , which is why I preferred the other murder over this one . This show features a lot of play-on-words , too clever and too humorous for CSI people but I'm not complaining . The puns and such are fun to hear . Almost everyone here has at least a few " smart remarks " such as " oooh , that's cold " as they look at the victim murdered with the icicle or " I'll bet you gave him a run for his money " talking to a marathoner who hated the victim . Everyone is a comedian . |
522,986 | 4,445,210 | 95,270 | 6 | The Name ' Corny Collins ' Says It All | This fast-moving film had a number of good and bad things going for or against it . . . . at least with me . It was very corny , but that was the idea . In fact , one of the characters is named " Corny Collins . " It was pretty charming film , too , with the put-ons about the old American Bandstand-type dance shows that were television for years . " Hairspray " features some good 1960s music , too . The first half of this movie is about local teens of that period and the dance and petty jealousies in the group while the second half theme is all about racism . When I saw this movie in the mid ' 90s , I was shocked to see talk show host Ricki Lake in here , and looking so young and fat . She was way overweight , but was a good dancer . ( Some of the dances in here are hilarious . ) Her mother in the film was played by transvestite " Divine . " Yes , this is a another movie by the sick director John Waters who loved to feature Divine in his films , this being probably the most tame story he put on screen . The film takes place in Baltimore , and whether racism in that city was a bad as Waters portrays it here , I don't know , but I wouldn't be happy if I lived in that city and saw this movie . However , this film is like " Leave It To Beaver " combined to some of the other stuff Waters has produced over the years . |
523,791 | 4,445,210 | 489,662 | 6 | Spacey's Tribute To Bobby Darin | This was a " so-so " behind-the-scenes bonus feature , nothing that great but not boring , either . I think the most interesting statement might have been the one made near the end by Kevin Spacey . He gave a really nice tribute to Bobby Darin with the following statement : " My hope ( with this film ) is that we will introduce Bobby Darin to a whole generation to whom he isn't known . Quite frankly , with all those guys that were in that ' Rat Pack ' and the revival with them in these last few years , Bobby has been the forgotten one . And that's a real shame because of all of them , he was probably - next to Sammy Davis , Jr . - the greatest nightclub entertainer we've ever had . " Well , I can't comment except some guy named Frank Sinatra was a pretty good entertainer , too , but I think Spacey was talking about the whole package because Darrin could dance as well as sing . Spacey could dance , too , and had been in musicals from the young age of 14 to his early 20s , so he wasn't out of his element singing and dancing in this film . . The movie was filmed entirely in Berlin , Germany , because they had an enormous soundstage , for one thing . A pleasant surprise was find a huge park next door where they could film the other scenes . so , they did the whole movie within a 10-mile radius of Berlin . The hard part was doing the summertime outdoor scenes that were supposedly taking place in Italy . The problem was the cold spell which plummeted temperatures to five degrees . Kate Bosworth said her lips were blue , she was so cold , wearing nothing but " these little Sandra Dee summer outfits . " This movie was a five-year project for Spacey , who idolized Darin . The latter's longtime manager told him " over my dead body will anyone sing in place of Bobby " but Spacey won him over . He , and the Darin family , did all they go do to help . |
524,613 | 4,445,210 | 105,298 | 6 | Aww , Aren't They Cute ? | This wasn't much of a story and Martin Sheen did probably the worst job of acting I've ever seen him do , but it doesn't really matter because the essence of the movie is the wildlife photography . John Varty , a British conservationist living in Africa , plays himself in this story of him raising two baby leopards and finding a home for them . Brooke Shields is an American writer looking to write about a story about it . She's just in the movie to show her pretty face and say , " Aww , aren't they cute ? " That's about all she does , which gets a little annoying after awhile . Some of the photography is spectacular , with beautiful scenery and a disturbing scene or two ( i . e . a crocodile trying to eat a water buffalo . ) The language is very mild , with only three swear words , probably put in to get a " PG " rating . |
527,110 | 4,445,210 | 303,849 | 6 | Cathedral Best Part Of The Show | This was a concert in Montreal's impressive Notre Dame Cathedral . ' Impressive ' might be understating it since this church is the most spectacular I have ever seen . I'd love to see it in person . However , after the viewer has examined the magnificent cathedral , the visuals are nothing special - just shots of Luciano Pavarotti singing . The camera shots don't keep it interesting and could use the rest of it as background music while you do something else . From what I've seen , I'd take the Andrea Bocelli DVDs over this . You get a similar great voice and better visuals . The latter is why we get concerts on DVD ; otherwise just stick with a CD . |
524,171 | 4,445,210 | 43,564 | 6 | Colorful , But Not Too Humorous | Bugs , hiding inside a crate of carrots , winds up on the streets of Paris when the crate falls off the truck . He then meanders down the street and is spotted by competing chefs . They both think the rabbit is what they need to complete their menus . The colors in here are magnificent as they make Paris look really colorful . Our bunny hero , as he usually does , makes fools of his opponents in a variety of ways that makes them look really stupid . In this case , one of the chefs is a little too stupid for humor . Although there were a handful of funny lines at the expense of the French stereotypes at the time , this really wasn't one of the better Bugs Bunny efforts . |
525,077 | 4,445,210 | 43,465 | 6 | Intense , Crazy Characters But Very Talky For A Crime Film | This is mostly talk , which is no surprise since it's taken from a play . I usually don't go in for that sort of thing but the characters were so intense that it kept my interest . Having said that , it still could have used a little more action and a change of venue more than on one quick scene . This was truly a play , not a crime movie in the normal sense . By the way , the story was changed from the play . In the play , the doctor was an abortionist . To my memory , that isn't mention in the movie ( yeah , Hollywood's always been run by Liberals , so they would hide that " fact " about the abortions ) . In the movie , the doctor is simply portrayed as a poor one who delivers babies on his own as some sort of adoption ring for unwed mothers , or something like that . The scandal is that that Kirk Douglas ' wife had a baby two years out of wedlock before her relationship with her husband . Today , this would be no big deal , sad to say . Douglas plays the intense main character , " Dr . James McLeod . " His character is actually " super intense " and some of the other cops are pretty tough-sounding guys , too . The movie also made a goat out of a gung-ho " law and order " cop , making him look heartless . I guess this film was ahead of its time as we have seen that over and over since the 1960s . Some of this movie reminded of the old TV comedy series , " Barney Miller , " where all these oddballs would wind up at the police station . However , in this film that sort of thing wasn't played for laughs . There is no humor in this movie . Excellent acting - and a deep cast - made this film watchable , but not enough to be a " keeper " for me . However , if you enjoy stage plays , you should enjoy this movie . |
524,881 | 4,445,210 | 35,754 | 6 | Not Much Humor But Nice Visuals , Music | Cartoonists just love puns ; have you noticed ? Here , we begin this corny parody of " Fantasia " at " Corny-Gie Hall . " Elmer Fudd is the conductor and tells us what to expect in the concert , using as many " w's " instead of " r's " the writers could think of for a 10-second speech . We then witness the Strauss waltz , " Tales From The Vienna Woods " featuring hunter Porky Pig , his dog and their prey , Bugs Bunny . All the action is done to the music . The same holds true for the second number , " The Blue Danube . " This second part was totally lame except for the great artwork . The colors in here at stunning , and might be the highlight of the whole cartoon . The laughs were not plentiful , but you can't win them all . This cartoon is part of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume Two and can be seen on disc three . |
523,158 | 4,445,210 | 87,544 | 6 | Story Unable To Match Interesting Visuals | Visually - thumbs up ; story - thumbs down . The animated effort from the famous director-writer Hayao Miyazaki features , as usual for him , very nice animation . I especially enjoyed the beautiful colors in the landscapes , the interesting windmills , World War II bombers , strange insect-monsters and a lot more . The problem is that it's too long and , despite the decent characters and colorful animation , 116 minutes of this so-so story is too much . Combine it with a story that can be convoluted at times , way too environmentally preachy at other times ( tree huggers would like this storyline - literally ) and I can see where viewers ' minds would begin to wander or get discouraged after about 45 minutes . Nausicala is a cute little heroine , but bland , someone I just couldn't relate to , and an unnecessarily unclad for a preadolscent . The main villain , " Princess Kushana , " didn't excited me much , either . I couldn't get involved enough with the characters to sit through a two-hour animated movie and be entertained as I hoped to be . More good and bad : I liked the main voices , those of Alison Lohman and Patrick Stewart . A little humor would have helped , but there is none in here . ( Exteme environmentalists aren't a bunch of laughs . ) This should be a lot of fun to watch , but I didn't find it such . |
526,517 | 4,445,210 | 236,784 | 6 | Decent , Low-Key Spy Story | This is extremely low-key , too much for most people but I still enjoyed it . In a nutshell , it's about a British spy sent to Panama to see who is going to control the Panama Canal . The public didn't care for this movie because it was so slow-moving . Pierce Brosnan , Geoffrey Rush , Jamie Lee Curtis , Brendan Gleeson and Catherine McCormick are all actors I find interesting so I enjoyed watching them and this film , in general . My only objection was the normal Liberal bias , here making George Bush , the British and the Americans look pushy and obnoxious in their dealings to control the locks . The story is a bit confusing in spots but interesting enough to stay with for the entire 109 minutes . There are a few sexy scenes thrown in to help keep your attention . I was surprised at the number of f-words in this movie . |
522,383 | 4,445,210 | 96,219 | 6 | Interesting Character , But Not A Fun Guy | I found this fascinating when it came out . How I would feel about it now might be different , knowing Oliver Stone's beliefs and how he likes to put them on film . Back then , I didn't care . I just looked at this as a character study of a nasty and very disturbed radio talk show host who had nutty callers and was nuts himself . I have to warn viewers - and this has nothing to do with politics - after the riveting first 30 minutes , this lead character " Barry Champlain " ( Eric Bogosian ) wears thin big-time . He is so obnoxious that he makes this movie uncomfortable to watch in a number of areas . This is not fun to witness , folks , but Bogosian does a super job in the lead role . Personally , this story is so full of anger , hatred and sordidness that I wouldn't watch it again . However , if you know all this in advance and appreciate fine acting and different kind of story , it's worth checking out . Just don't expect to be uplifted ! |
527,261 | 4,445,210 | 60,840 | 6 | Clouseau Has A Nose For Criminals , But That's About It | A pickpocket extraordinnaire is on the loose and the Inspector feels he can trap the criminal by flashing money around at a bar . He must have a sixth sense of where criminals are located because the pickpocket - who has four arms - is right there and quickly lifts his money . That money belonged to our buddy Deux - Deux , but there is some story involved with the cash . Deux-Deux tries to tell his boss something about it a couple of times but is always cut off . We find out at the end . Meanwhile , the shifty pickpocket seems to everywhere the Inspector is and has no trouble lifting almost everything Our Hero owns ! Clouseau seems to have a nose to where to flush out the thief , or is it the opposite - the thief tracking him ? Overall , a " fair " episode , somewhat entertaining but not particularly funny . It's on the DVD " The Pink Panther Classic Cartoon Collection , Vol . 6 - Inspector Cartoons . " |
524,193 | 4,445,210 | 87,363 | 6 | This is Not A Cute Little Kids Film ! | When this came out , the amazing special-effects helped make this film a big hit , along with an interesting story with a likable little creature ( " Gizmo " ) who got the viewers involved in the story , rooting for him . However , this isn't some cute little animal picture . His offspring are anything but cute and lovable . They are downright nasty , and scary at times . Because of that meanness , violence and some profanity I do not recommend this movie to kids . The sequel I would recommend instead . That has much more of a comedic tone with less language . There is humor here , too , though , such as the clothing and actions of some of the gremlins . The film is entertaining all the way through , and very intense in spots . On my last viewing of it , several years ago , I was shocked to hear the Lord's name in vain several times by Dick Miller and once by a little kid ! That did it for me ; now I stick with the sequel . |
527,082 | 4,445,210 | 60,837 | 6 | Unique Ending Helps Save Mediocre Effort | Our boy is obviously trying to become a great violinist , as we see pages of instructions and lessons littered on his floor . After a few notes , we can tell he is anything but ready . Nonetheless , he packs his violin and heads out to a concert hall ( which looks like Albert Hall in London ) , where he promptly gets booted out . Later , however , when the real concert starts , featuring Beethoven's Fifth Symphony , the Panther sneaks back inside and sets himself up in the orchestra ! ( What happened to the Security ? ) Most of the " story " is simply the Pink Panther playing different instruments and tormenting this temperamental conductor during the concert . You couldn't root for either party as the PP had no business there and the conductor was an idiot . Although certainly not boring , I found very little funny in this cartoon but the last minute was " cute " and one of the most unique endings in this series . |
527,033 | 4,445,210 | 364,725 | 6 | ' Patches ' Mends This Tired Formulamatic Comedy | Well , here is yet another sleazy PG-13 modern-day comedy that also has genuinely funny characters and scenes . For those of us who care it's a shame we have have to put up with the bad stuff if you want laughs out of about any comedy made in the last 30 years . . . . and this is a prime example . By the way , this is an " R " all the way , if any concerned parents are reading this . You need a computer to add up all the sex jokes in here and the last 30 minutes are really , really stupid . Both of those are typical , too . Yet , most of my friends said this was hilarious and to check the film out . Prior to the typically-dumb ending are some very funny moments , mostly provided by Ben Stiller's over-the-top fitness guru , " White Goodman , " a man who runs an ultra high-tech fitness center . Vince Vaughan plays the likable good guy small-gym owner who is in competition with Stiller , sort of like David against Goliath , the nerds against the jocks . . . . . another formula that is so often used these days in comedies because it's always fun to see the little guy knock off the arrogant big jerk . Christine Taylor is the token young " hottie " that you also see in these kind of pictures : skinny , pretty , but not exactly the wholesome type . Rip Torn almost steals the show as " Patches O'Houlihan , " the old man who helps coach the underdog volleyball team using some unorthodox methods . I laugh every time I think of him . In fact , " Patches " puts the added edge in this film to elevate it slightly above a " fair " rating . A lot of the humor in here is the improbableness of the whole story . Of course , it's an insult to anyone's intelligence but that's part of the charm and one does get a decent amount of laughs for an hour-and-half , so it's not all bad . |
525,241 | 4,445,210 | 382,077 | 6 | Possibly Passable For One Viewing | This was okay but nothing special . Frankly , I hate to see a young likable talent like Dakota Fanning play morose , ugly roles like this . Let her be a kid who laughs , has fun and acts like a kid , such as she did in " The Cat In The Hat . " Since then , she's playing in rougher and rougher films although " Dreamer " with Kurt Russell , I am told , is a nice film . Anyway , you know that with her and Robert De Niro , you're going to get some excellent acting . The movie also offers a lot of suspense . While it was not fun seeing a young girl mentally tortured and depressed all the time , it was nice to see De Niro play such a low-key role for most of he film . I would think , without giving anything away , that one viewing of this film would be enough , even if one likes it . Once you know the ending , well . . . . . . If you are not a big fan of either Fanning or De Niro ( I am ) , I wouldn't even give it one viewing . |
526,157 | 4,445,210 | 104,549 | 6 | Okay , But Nothing Special | With Andy Garcia , Uma Thurman and John Malkovich all playing intriguing characters , this should have been better than it was . It was okay , but nothing special . Had the main character , " Sgt . John Berlin , " ( Garcia ) been more likable to me , perhaps I would have rated it higher . He was just too excitable and profane in parts , yet remarkably composed when grilled by Malkovich's character near the end . Malkovich played " Agent St . Anne , " an annoying , nasty investigative cop who you hate . His acting is usually so good that you have no trouble believing his roles . Overall , this thriller is fine for one look , meaning more of a rental than a purchase . Note : That is not Thurman nude in the bathtub , but a stand-in . That kind of sums up the film , too - okay , but not the real thing . |
526,595 | 4,445,210 | 78,721 | 6 | Thoughts About ' 10 ' - Then And Now | Boy , this was " hot stuff " back when it came out in 1979 : I am referring to both the movie AND Bo Derek ! Actually , Dudley Moore was a box-office star , too . Nobody had heard of Derek before this , but this film certainly made her an overnight sensation . She didn't have to say anything in the film , just walk down a beach . Certainly , the number " 10 " now had a new meaning in the culture . Basically , the film is about a guy who spots Derek , and then totally makes a fool of himself over her . Most guys would have done the same thing . Moore , making an idiot of himself as " George Webber , " provided a lot of laughs and Bo had to just . . . . well . . . . just let herself be photographed . Fortunately , in real life , she turned out to be far more than just some hot - looking bimbo . I've heard her on several talk shows in recent years , and she's no dummy . . . . . and still looks tremendous . Meanwhile , Moore , who had some tough physical ailments , really didn't have a noteworthy career after this film with one exception : Arthur ( 1981 ) . The poor man died in 2002 . One forgets that a huge big-name actress co-starred with Moore in this movie : Julie Andrews . Perhaps a good part of that reason we forget that is she doesn't play a memorable character . It fact , she's downright unappealing as Moore's girlfriend " Samantha Taylor . " It's also easy to forget about some of the cultural issues songwriter " Webber " dealt with , bemoaning the shallowness of the current generation and its music tastes , and finally realizing his own shallowness won't lead to happiness just by being with a woman half his age . There are some profound things to ponder in this film even though it often concentrates on the slapstick humor angle . As a guy who has gone through the usual " mid - life " crisis , I would to sympathize with Webber's dilemmas but since this idiot is drunk half the time and an extremely self-indulgent person , I found it hard to " root " for him . Drunks have never been funny to me . So , when I watched this film on VHS 15 years later , it wasn't as fun as the fist time . Speaking of drinks , Brian Dennehy was excellent as a bartender . I wish he had played more " nice guy " roles like this during his career , instead of so many evil and profane villains . Along with millions of others , I enjoyed the movie 30 years ago , but now it's kind of sad , too slow and even painful to watch at times . For those of us who saw in the theater , the film now appears somewhat dated , but so are all of us , I guess , are dated , too . |
525,055 | 4,445,210 | 35,658 | 6 | If Only The Nazis Were This Dumb , It Would Have Been A Short War | The boys rush in the house , and we hear " Tizzy ! Lizzie ! Dizzy ! Inky ! Winky ! Stinky ! as they greet one another . The girls - all with those long early ' 40s hairdos - ask , " what's with the get-ups ? " We've signed up as sailors on a steamer , " they explain . " Kiss us goodbye . " The dodge that and Larry and Moe wind up kissing each other while Curly smooches the Saint Bernard . They get their real kisses , though , and announce " we're off to sea to see what we can see ! See ? " Yes , there are a lot of corny lines in here , as a corny dance number as they exit . Once on the boat , Larry and Moe are seasick while Curly is fine and asks them if they'd like some of his raw liver . He laughs at them , as they run elsewhere to throw up , but then it hits him . Longtime Stooges contributor Vernon Dent plays the Bosun " Duncan " who is really a German spy . Totally insane things happen from that point , such as the boys thinking a torpedo is a whale and trying to hammer it and , in the process , blowing up the ship . Yet , after surviving on a small raft for days eating beans , they wind up on a German ship ( the S . S . Shickelgruber ) with the same " Duncan " and another longtime Stooge player , Bud Jamison . Through some ridiculous turn of events in which the Nazis are made to look like total idiots ( too much so , to be fair ) , the eliminate every German on the ship ! Don't ask . . . . none of it makes sense , but that's the Three Stooges . |
525,706 | 4,445,210 | 113,189 | 6 | Wow , What An Opening . . . . . But After That ? | Perhaps the best part of this 130-minute film is the first 10 . 5 minutes . It's so spectacular that the rest of the film almost becomes a letdown . When I first saw this 10 years ago , I thought that opening action scene , capped by the most outrageous stunt I had seen to that point in film - Bond falling off a cliff and catching up in mid-flight to a falling airplane , landing in the cockpit and righting the plane - was , of course , ridiculous but great fun to watch . The rest of the film is more typical Bond silliness with far less spectacular scenes . When it comes to gadgets , sexual innuendos , unrealistic action with Bond escaping from impossible situations , lots of pretty women and exotic scenery to ogle , these James Bond films always give plenty of the above . Sad to say , in this film , the dialog is much dumber than usual and the fake Russian accents are hard to decipher which is very annoying . One good point : there is almost no profanity in this film , even minor stuff . . . . but overall , it's just a " fair " Bond flick . decent but nothing to write home about , except to note that it was Pierce Brosnan's debut as Bond and he is fine in that role . |
522,305 | 4,445,210 | 53,125 | 6 | Okay . . . . But It Seemed A Lot Better When I Was A Kid | When I started collecting videos in earnest ( by the thousands ) , I was excited to get this film . I had such fond remembrances of seeing it on the big screen when I was young teen . I remember being terrified when Cary Grant was being chased by the crop duster and then awed at the end with the climactic scene on Mount Rushmore . I saw it maybe a decade or so later on television and enjoyed it again . Well , seeing the film again five years ago on DVD as a 50-something-year-old turned out to be a major disappointment , mainly because the first hour was so boring . The beginning had scenes that looked too dated and worse , were drawn out too long , such as Grant's drunk scene and the romance between he and Eva Marie Saint . Once Grant goes on the run , the story improves noticeably and mixing in some comedy with the drama was a good move . From that point , it's still the fun film I had remembered but , overall , didn't have the suspense anymore and , to this day , I believe is an overrated Alfred Hitchcock film . The more I see of Hitch's old films , the more disappointed I am , with the exception of Psycho and Rear Window . |
522,298 | 4,445,210 | 35,664 | 6 | An Unusual War Movie | For a war movie , this was a bit unusual in that almost the whole film took part in one place . You could almost make a play out of this . A group of men stay in one area trying to sabotage a bridge so the Japanese can't use it to transport supplies . Meanwhile , they have to fend off attacks by the enemy . The closing scenes feature that attack and some are quite brutal . At least half of the story is not action but melodramatic looks at the soldiers , particularly of the squad's sergeant leader Robert Taylor and one of his men who has an attitude problem : Lloyd Nolan . We also get some shorter profiles of combat men played by Robert Walker , Thomas Mitchell and Desi Arnez ( yes , Lucy's husband ) . The special effects are more than passable considering they weren't too advanced in the film industry compared to today's technology . However , credibility was a little thin as those Japanese soldiers died awfully fast in those combat scenes at the end . I swear I saw several of them drop over before anyone hit them ! Taylor was the best in this movie " army " and Walker was the annoying character , playing an extremely young and generally stupid Navy guy ( don't ask ) who never stopped talking in this irritating voice . Other than his character , this was a tough , no-nonsense war movie . |
522,384 | 4,445,210 | 265,193 | 6 | Pete Has Fun With A Silent Movie | We are taken back to the early days of the 20th Century , in simpler times , where movies were silent except for the two-piece band in the theater providing music and sound effects . We observe the hand-turned projectors which gave people movies on a screen . We are given clips of one of those old films called " Passions Of Horse-Pistol Pete " and Pete Smith , the man who presented many short comedy features , narrates the silent film for us . Rather , he explains what is going on . . . . with humor , of course , along with a couple of wild sound effects that deliberately don't match what we're seeing on screen . Pete's humor , frankly , is a bit too corny . It might have gone over in ' 41 but you shake your head and roll your eyes up listening to him now . ( However , the last minute of this silent film was very entertaining . Pete must have had fun making fun of this film . ) This " Pete Smith Speciality " short feature was part of the Marx Brothers double-bill DVD of " Go West " and " The Big Store . " |
524,695 | 4,445,210 | 443,108 | 6 | A Noirish Animated Short | Once again , this modern-day animated short is different , both in looks and in content . We see stop-motion animation of wooden mannequinsand we get narration as if we were watching some late 1940s film noir . It's pretty interesting . A man ( the narrator ) is fascinated with a contortionist who performed with the Patranski Brothers Traveling Circus . One night the girl couldn't unravel from " an intricate sailor's knot . " The narrator notes that " Magda " has a look of panic on her face , so our hero rushes from his seat and unties the girl , saving her . The crowd loves it and the owner of the circus hires our man as a new " shill . " The couple become very close as well . They make his heroics in the circus tent a nightly part of the act . However , the " cheapness , " " as he puts it , of the fake heroics ruins the relationship of the two participants and the story ends suddenly . It's like , " huh . . . . that's it ? " I loved the look of this animated short , especially all the neon and film noir look to it , but the story ends unsatisfactorily , in my opinion . Still , it's pretty interesting and I definitely enjoyed watching it . I would just like to have seen a better ending . . . . . or would it ? Maybe that's what you get with " noir " story . |
522,317 | 4,445,210 | 95,927 | 6 | Quite Memorable , But Gut-Wrenching At Times | Memorable . . . . . but bad memories outweigh good , at least for me , with this movie . That's my recollection of this film which , frankly , I haven't seen in over a decade . However , this movie left some indelible impressions in my sensitive memory , and perhaps I'll re-visit it again one day . Tom Hanks was mesmerizing as the haunted comedian , a man with a lot of talent to make people laugh but a guy tormented by the lack of support from his father . There is a scene or two in here with this dad that is so uncomfortable to watch that it has prevented me from seeing this another time . Too bad , because I do remember some wonderful , funny scenes such as Hanks in the hospital entertaining the patients . Sally Field also gives a touching performance as a housewife trying to break into the business , and John Goodman is likable as her husband . An interesting film with very emotional scenes you won't forget . It's almost too much for me , for some reason . |
527,185 | 4,445,210 | 113,636 | 6 | Low-Class Fun Comedy-Horror Flick | This gets decent marks only for one reason : it's entertaining . Other than that , it has no redeeming value , is classless , has poor acting and even poorer dialog . . . . but sure was fun to watch a couple of times . The Leprechaun ( Warwick Davis ) has some very funny lines and rhymes and is the undisputed star of the show . There are a lot of special effects used for both comedy and for horror . This is the third of about four of these type of films , and the only one I thought worth keeping , mainly for the laughs . Eventually , the quality of the tape was so bad I canned it . Maybe I should check out the DVD , which was subsequently released . Lee Armstrong provided the female lead role and she was a pretty woman but obviously not much of an actress and few people have heard of her before or since . If you want something stupid but entertaining , a good mix of horror and comedy , this little dirty Leprechaun should fill the bill . . . . but only this edition . Don't bother with the rest in the series . |
523,001 | 4,445,210 | 52,809 | 6 | Nice Sounds In This Classic Film | The Five Pennies Danny Kaye plays Red Nichols , a famous coronet player of yesteryear . I found this story a notch better " fair " and nicely aided by the musical talent of Louis Armstrong . Kaye and Armstrong's duet on " When The Saints Go Marching In " is the highlight of the film . For a classic movie , the stereo in here is amazing , especially on the songs . In one instance , there are three people singing and their voices all coming out separately on different speakers . Pretty good for just the tape . Now that a DVD has been released , I wonder what the sound on that is like ? The story starts to lag a bit near the end when Kaye starts to feel sorry for himself and this goes on and on as he retires from playing . However , there is a nice , sentimental upbeat ending . Notes : Kaye and Barbara Bel Geddes , who plays Red's wife " Bobbie , " never age in the film even though it spans 15 or more years ! It's interesting to see Tuesday Weld as a teenager . |
523,228 | 4,445,210 | 95,953 | 6 | Cruise's Abrasive Character Ruins This For Me | Once again , here's a film I liked a lot on the first viewing , but less and less on subsequent ones and finally calling it quits after the third look . By then , Tom Cruise's character " Charlie Babbitt " was too much to take . It wasn't entertainment to listen and see his profane , arrogant , mean-spirited character . Yeah , he comes around to some decency in the end but it's too little-too late for me . Dustin Hoffman , of course , gained a lot of recognition for his idiot-savant role of Cruise's brother " Raymond Babbitt . " It's tough to root against a mentally - disabled person , even if he's math wizard . As interesting a story as this is , and as is Hoffman's acting and character , Cruise ruins this film for me . For others who wouldn't be offended , I highly recommend the movie as it's an involving story and Hoffman's performance alone is worth the rental . |
526,038 | 4,445,210 | 104,952 | 6 | Funny , But The ' Youts ' Could Have Had Cleaner Mouths | Like most people , I loved this film when it came out . I watched it and laughed all the way through it several times . I got a kick out of about all the characters , particularly Fred Gwynne , whom I always enjoyed in his two old TV series : " The Munsters " and " Car 54 , Where Are You ? " Joe Pecsi provides most of the laughs as the defense attorney . A lot of people also laughed at Marisa Tomei's character here , too . Watching this 10 years later in 2002 was kind of a shock . I had changed and now was totally offended at the extremely large amount of profanity and particularly the high usage of the Lord's name in vain ( five in the first five minutes alone ) . It's funny how you can deaf to that sort of thing . Tomei's super-Brooklyn accent , which also was funny 15 years ago , now sounds like chalk on a blackboard - just brutal . However , if the profanity or accents don't annoy you , this is a very , very funny movie and one of the more popular ones of its day . Gwynne made the word " yout " ( for youth ) funny by mocking Pecsi . It isn't just that word ; the whole film is well-remembered . I was talking about this movie to several people in recent and all of them had nothing but fond remembrances of " youts " and other humorous scenes and words in this movie . |
525,775 | 4,445,210 | 412,437 | 6 | The Jokes Are On ' Jump ' | Poor Charley Chase ; he can't win in this movie . He plays a reporter , " Jimmy Jump , " who goes to work on April 1 and is the butt of a number of April Fools jokes . The little kid who cleans the newsroom is the first to play several stunts on Jimmy . Then a few other reporters and secretaries also make him the butt of their jokes . " Jump " gets in trouble on two fronts : when he thinks something is a gag and it isn't , and when he tries pulling stuff on the boss that doesn't work . Actually , almost everything backfires on our hero . The way Jimmy is treat makes this story almost appear kind of sadistic , but it is entertaining and Jimmy gets a few licks in here and there . |
525,249 | 4,445,210 | 26,110 | 6 | More Charm Than Wit | Henry is walking along the streets when he spots " Betty Boop's Pet Shop . " In the window is a cute little puppy who Henry would love to own . He goes into the store , where Betty is singing , " Everybody ought to have a pet . . . . . " Unfortunately , Henry only has two cents and the dog costs two dollars . Betty makes a deal with the disappointed young boy . If he'll watch the story while she goes on an errand , she'll give him the puppy . Henry then takes charge and has a unique way of feeding the birds . After what looks like a bad incident which cost Henry the dog , he uses that unique method of bird-feeding to give the story a happy ending . I guess " cute ' would be the best way to describe this animated short in which Henry , not Betty , is the star . |
526,848 | 4,445,210 | 35,549 | 6 | ' We Don't Wanna Seista ; We Wanna See Delores ! " | It's those kind of puns in the subject head above that make this Stooges-in-Mexico short humorous at times , but overall it is not one of their more memorable movies although it could have been given the Mexican locale . Mostly it's just the normal Moe sticking his figures in Curly's eyes type slapstick . The skit in which the boys have no clue what the Mexican is saying because he speaks Spanish is lame and goes on too long . Suzanne Kaaren as " Dolores Sanchez , " was pretty ; kind of a poor man's Rita Hayworth with her hairstyle , body and looks . She was offered a role as a Ziegfield girl at the tender age of 15 , and then later had her legs insured for a million bucks . . . . . so the Rita Hayworth comparison wasn't exaggerated , although Rita was . . . . . . . well , Rita . I was hoping the bullfight scenes at the end of this Stooges short would be hilarious but they were only so-so , and should have been funnier . Overall , this was okay - I did laugh out loud a few times - but not one of the more laugh-producing shorts the boys made over the years . |
523,139 | 4,445,210 | 832 | 6 | A Biblical-like Parable Of Greed | While others see this in a political light , the first thing that came to my mind watching this silent film was the Biblical parable about the man - to paraphrase - who wanted all his barns full and to be rich above all else , but not realizing it wouldn't do him any good if died the next day , which he did . Here , in this short story , we see a man who wants to corner the entire wheat market , and does so making him an incredibly wealthy man . However , moments after he hears the good news about how much money he's worth , he slips and falls into a grain elevator with that grain suffocating him . In addition , we see the poor people suffering because they can't afford a loaf of bread , thanks to the greedy people like this guy ( and others ) . We also see the same opening and closing scene , indicating to me that Griffith thought the best way to make a living is to work at it , and do things the right way even if it takes awhile . |
526,410 | 4,445,210 | 148,455 | 6 | Better Than What People Say | The first thing you notice is the color : " Comicolor , " to be exact . It's pretty decent considering the year this cartoon was made . Although overall nothing great , the story had it's funny moments . It's certainly a lot better than what you might read from other critics here . Perhaps they were offended at " Percy , " the gay kid who did a hilarious song and was greeted by " wooooos " at the end of his number . The teacher also was humorous , both in her song and in her movements , although I would have liked to have seen the poor little lamb exact a little more revenge on her than what was seen here . The lamb , who was ham and wanted to sing and dance , received abuse from everyone , which was uncalled for . Nonetheless , it was entertaining enough to merit a look . This cartoon was viewed on a DVD called " Cartoons That Time Forget : The UB Iwerks Collection Vol . 1 . " |
523,492 | 4,445,210 | 35,530 | 6 | Fun The First Time , A " Bomb " The Next | I liked this a lot more the first viewing . Some half dozen years later , I bought it when the DVD came out and was very disappointed . It just wasn't as good as I had remembered . The movie has its good points : interesting characters , enough action to satisfy and special effects that were pretty good for its day . A cast that has Brian Donlevy , William Bendix , Robert Preston , MacDonald Carey and Albert Dekker is pretty solid , too . What kind of grated on me with the second viewing was the dumbness of the two leads , played by Bendix and Preston . These guys , frankly , were just too stupid and annoying . The other characters were more level-headed and fine to watch . The first half hour drags , but if you can through that , it's pretty good . There are few nice scenes with men praying , too , something you wouldn't see today . In summary , a so-so war flick . One viewing is entertaining but two is too much . |
526,689 | 4,445,210 | 684,279 | 6 | Red Was A Great Ad-Libber | Red Skelton's show was a little bit like Burns & Allen in that the star would come out and give a monologue before the actual story of the episode took place . While George Burns might have talked for a minute or two , Skelton expanded that to also include a little pantomime skit . I also liked Sketon's monologues , as seen here , because they sounded so natural , not rehearsed . You know he ad-libbed certain things that would come to mind . Here , he interjects about being ill recently and show's producers surprised he showed up at rehearsals . All the time , he's laughing and making jokes about it . In all , six minutes before had elapsed before the actual " George Appleby's Garage " story began , but at 18 minutes with a lot of chaos , that was long enough . Skelton's ad-libbing in these skits seems to crack up the guest stars , particularly Jackie Coogan and they all have a good time in this " gangster " skit . It was a typical show where Red really put everything into it . I doubt if the humor , frankly , would go over today . It's sad to say but this kind of comedy has been replaced by a lot of raunchy , sex-oriented material . This stuff probably looks like caveman material to young folks of today . |
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