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527,551 | 4,445,210 | 831,887 | 7 | Louis - All 3 Of Him - Helped Save This Film | A minor character in this film actually made this movie fun for me . I laughed every time he was on screen , usually as two or three people ( twins or clones ) , although with a different name on the front of his tee-shirt . At first , I thought it was the last guy to play " Curly " of the Three Stooges . Then , it dawned on me : it was Louis Lombardi , who played " Edgar Stiles " on the TV hit " 24 . " Well , those of you who have seen this film know what I'm talking about . Lombardi's characters will have you either hysterical or thinking " how stupid is this ? " I guess you could say the same for much of the film . It seems to be either great or terrible , depending on what scene you're viewing . " Over-the-top " is a good description of this film . That's not necessarily an insult , as the film is another of these comic-book-come-to-life films that are supposed to be wild-looking stories and visuals . To me , the visuals were a real treat , but I expected that bold black-and-white " Sin City " look . It didn't disappoint in that area . The characters in the film are all - repeat " all " - over-the-top , but that creates a lot of fun . You can't take one scene here seriously . Gabriel Macht as the main character , " The Spirit , " was so-so , at best . He neither was dynamic ( which he could have easily been ) nor was he annoying . He's a good guy with good principles , but he's bland . How he got this role , I don't understand . If they want a wooden actor , they could have hired Keanu Reeves . Dan Gerrity , as " Lt . Sussman , " is a typical Frank Miller character : tough-noir-like , profane , with gravel voice and always mad , always yelling . ( Miller is the artist and thinker behind some of these dark comic books which are being made into films of late . ) Samuel Jackson plays his normal over-the-top character . It's amazing an actor of his ability plays so many wacky characters , a la Johnny Depp or Christopher Walken . Eva Mendes is getting typecast in these kind of movies , playing the sleazy-looking-and-talking violent woman while Scarlett Johansson just keeps attempting to self-destruct her career with small and stupid roles . Whatever , it's not easy to stay with the story ; something is missing - maybe caring more for the characters , or a story that's a little too rough and disjointed in spots for mainstream audiences . Maybe it's the hero's inspiration . He says does what he does because he " loves the city , " loves the grime , dirt and buildings . It's tough to warm up to that . All-in-all , it's pretty good entertainment , especially if you are into great-looking visuals , but it does a poor job in getting the audience involved and caring about the characters . You have to have that in " superhero " film . |
522,904 | 4,445,210 | 95,958 | 7 | A Rough-But-Interesting Look At The Insanity Plea | Warning : this movie is pretty grisly in spots , at least in the first half where the creepy character played by Alex McArhur goes on a couple of killing sprees . This film features a bit of an oddity : filmmakers actually opposing the " insanity plea , " showing how it can be misused . In this story , several psychiatrists are made to look corrupt and just plain stupid in parts . I also noticed a jab at Catholism in here as killings are shown in flashback as a mass is shown with the words " body of Christ " said over and over by the priest . Overall , not pleasant to view in spots , and not super overall , but it does hold your attention and certainly brings up some good points . The screenplay and direction is by William Friedkin who did a number of interesting and controversial films . |
523,398 | 4,445,210 | 26,056 | 7 | Gee Whiz ! | I am NOT a fan of Katharine Hepburn . . . . but I really like her in this film . I don't think she ever looked cuter and was more appealing . One often forgets the fresh face and beauty she had when she was young . This film starts off wonderfully for 20 minutes , then bogs down a bit for an hour and then rallies brilliantly in the last 20 minutes . That last part is so good that made the film not only worthwhile to view but one to keep and watch every few years . It bogs down when Hepburn starts her deceiving scheme and nervously yaks and yaks and yaks trying to impress her boyfriend ( Fred MacMurray ) . The deceit involves her trying to hide her social status , something that must have meant a lot more back in the early ' 30s than it does today . Critics comment about how the dinner scene is a " classic " and the highlight of the film , but I didn't think it was all that great , although Hattie McDaniel is funny . It's what happened afterward that made it a memorable film to me . Although Hepburn and Fred MacMurray are the stars of this romance-comedy , Fred Stone almost steals the show . Playing Hepburn's dad in the film , he was both hilarious at times and very sad . . . . and always interesting . He gives an unbelievably powerful speech to his boss near the end of this film . Another plus for " Alice Adams " is the direction . This is early George Stevens , but just about any film that man directed is top-notch , including this one . Without giving away what happens in the story , the film does present a nice message of forgiveness and reconciliation and sports one of the stronger feel-good endings I've ever seen on film . Hepburn's last words in the movie are " Gee Whiz ! ! " That bygone innocent reaction to MacMurray's comment that he loved her says a lot about how movies and times have changed . |
524,852 | 4,445,210 | 148,422 | 7 | The Good & Bad Of Lord Of The Dance | GOOD NEWS - This musical-dance performance is astonishingly beautiful . When I first saw this , I was stunned . I had never so many beautiful colors on one stage in my life ! It's just an awesome production , visually-speaking . Not only are the colors spectacular , so is the lighting , and the beautiful of some of the females , particularly a violin player and a dancer in a red dress . Those two women were not just gorgeous , but talented . . . . . but then again , who wasn't ? Like " Riverdance , " the play varies its acts well , going from tap dancing to instrumentalists , from fast to slow songs , ballet , you name it . Michael Flatley is a great dancer and is without doubt the star of the show . . . . which leads me to . . . . THE BAD - Flatley , unfortunately , knows he's the star and his ego is more than apparent here . That whole bit with the bared chest certainly is one clue that he suddenly thinks of himself as some sex symbol . It doesn't help that he has these young screaming idiot girls in the audience literally shrieking every time he comes on stage . Perhaps he is a symbol , at least to those teen ( I assume ) girls . Flatley didn't annoy me : the shrieking audience did . They ruined the audio of this performance , often drowning out the music with their idol - worshiping screams . It really detracted from a fine show . |
522,262 | 4,445,210 | 1,066,643 | 7 | Last-Minute Fortunes Change For Lincoln , Union | In this episode , we learn ( at least I did , not being familiar with the man ) about Bedford Forest , " the most feared calvary commander of the war " and the man who raised himself in rank more than anyone in the Civil War . . Not being much of an expert on the civil war , any factors or opinions of this man were new to me and pretty fascinating . All the historians seem almost in awe of him . It was said he was almost impossible to defeat , no matter what the odds . The summer of ' 64 was the low point for the Union Army Grant's losses had been " appalling . " The army's progress was stalling and his grand strategy had apparently come to nothing . Nobody else was succeeding . even Sherman was stalled outside of Atlanta . No nation had ever held an election in the middle of a civil war - nobody in history . Horace Greely said there should be another ticket because Lincoln has no chance to win . Politicians in his own party preferred someone else . " We can't have a free government without an election , " said Lincoln , who felt he would lose , too , but the country's well-being was more important to him than his own personal gain . By the end of the summer , though , things looked better - a lot better - for both Lincoln and the Union . Sherman had taken Atlanta and some areas of the South had been totally devastated by the ruthless Philip Sheridan . At this point , though , it was tough to feel sorry for South after people learned about Andersonville , a prison camp of 33 , 000 inmates who were starved . It looked the Holocaust . Shown are some pictures of men , still living , who are literally skin and bones and as bad off as anything I've ever seen . Lincoln then gets elected easily . Robert E . Lee's former house is turned into Arlington National Cemetery . Overall , a very grim segment in this long , grim war . This is still an interesting series but this particular episode was tough to watch in spots . It got depressing . |
522,844 | 4,445,210 | 290,095 | 7 | Very Silly , But Fun & Fast-Moving | If you enjoyed Jim Carrey's " The Mask , " you might enjoy this Jackie Chan film . It has a similar storyline but instead of a mask , it's a suit someone puts on and receives some supernatural powers . It's all extremely silly but with a lot of slapstick and outrageous scenes , you are going to get some great laugh-out-loud scenes and some really stupid not-funny stuff . . . . especially in a Chan movie . Jackie is an amazing man , with the stunts he can do at his age . Meanwhile , Jennifer Love Hewitt is easy on the eyes , especially showing us her body , but her character in here is pretty lame . The whole movie is pretty brainless but if you don't care and just want some laughs and be entertained , this serves its purpose . It's certainly a fast-moving 99 minutes and there's nothing wrong with that . |
525,983 | 4,445,210 | 833 | 7 | Powerful Drama Which Makes You Reflect | I like the sub-head to this early silent film : " A Story Of The Temporal Deeds That Reap Spiritual Reward . " It's something to think about . This is a D . W . Griffith movie , and a powerful little ( 16 minutes ) drama of a country doctor who seems to have an idyllic life with a beautiful wife , daughter and a beautiful country setting . One day is daughter falls critically ill . While the doctor-father is examining her , and tending to her , another frantic mother comes by , seeking the doctor for her sick little girl . At first , the doctor is reluctant to leave his daughter but after the second mom , a very poor woman , almost faints , he goes to see that girl . In the meanwhile , his daughter dies ! The story ends on that dramatic scene . Wow , this isn't what I expected and the story almost leaves the viewer stunned . The movie is a thought-provoker , making audiences ponder the question of whether the doctor did the right thing and did he give his own daughter sufficient treatment , etc . ? Apparently , the film brought some discussion . At any rate , it was to show life realistically ; that there aren't always happy endings to all stories in life . Notes : Griffth is famous for " Birth Of A Nation , " but he made tons ( over 400 ) of short films prior to that 1915 movie . . . . . In the scene at the poor people's shack , an older sister is seen at the far right of the bedside scene . She was 16-year-old Mary Pickford ! |
526,277 | 4,445,210 | 260,866 | 7 | Decent Kidnap Story Worth One Look | Here's another interesting kidnap story . Sean Bean always plays a believable villain and Michael Douglas usually plays roles that keep the audience's attention . . . . so the almost - two hours go by pretty quickly . The whole cast , actually , pretty good with no one person standing out . The story loses points because the ending goes on too long and has the standard villain - holds - the - gun - and - doesn't shoot-too long cliché which drives critics , me included crazy . That , and a bit too many f-words in here by the female cop ( Jennifer Esposito ) which simply aren't necessary , and a few other holes all reduce this from a sure 9-star to an " 8 . . . . . but don't misunderstand : it's worth a look . |
524,104 | 4,445,210 | 265,086 | 7 | Good War Flick , But A Little Too Much To Take | If you like war action films , this one is for you ! After a slow start - about 40 minutes to set things up - it's almost non-stop action the rest of the way as American soldiers fight in the streets of Somalia . Frankly , it was too much action for me , but I'm not a kid anymore so non-stop action gets a bit tiring after 20 minutes . This thing goes almost non-stop for 100 straight minutes . After awhile you want to just say , " Enough already ! Let's take a break ! I don't know how much of this story is true . When they say , " based on a true story " that could mean as much as 90 percent of it is fictionalized for dramatic purposes . However , reports are that it is pretty accurate . Regardless , the film has some good things going for it . First of all there is the military credo : : " Never leave anyone behind . " That message certainly is demonstrated here even at the cost of about 20 American lives and who knows who many Somalis as soldiers go back into action to rescue men after a helicopter ( named Black Hawk ) goes " down . " With today's filmmakers and special effects capabilities , you get Saving Private Ryan-type realistic action scenes . That also means you get some gruesome scenes , too . This film is very bloody . It's intense and visually unique , I think , for a war film . Speaking of that , with director Ridley Scott , you get stylish visuals : lots of them . In this film , you see bunch of interesting orange-ish colors , great lighting and great facial closeups . The sound also is excellent with bullets " flying out " of all the surround speakers . In the end , a little too much but still a good military movie that does justice to the unselfishness and heroism of the men in the military . |
527,285 | 4,445,210 | 43,075 | 7 | Try And Get Me ! | The subject headline - Try And Get Me ! - is the title of the movie , as I know it . Man , this is a different kind of film noir story , mainly because of the ending . It centers around two crooks , played by Lloyd Bridges and Frank Lovejoy . Of the two , Bridges is the more fun guy to watch . He and his girlfriend ( played by Adele Jergens ) have some very good dialog . Lovejoy and his potential girlfriend have some lines that are so bad they are laughable ! It almost reminded me of poor Elisha Cook verbally duking it out with tough-gal Marie Windsor : in other film noirs corny but fun stuff . This was an entertaining film almost from the start . The last 30 minutes are really intense after Lovejoy cracks , stupidly admits his crime and is unfairly accosted as the murderer ( he was the accomplice , not the murderer . ) Then , the townsfolk , fueled by sensationalist journalism by the local paper , form into a huge lynch mob and storm the jail after the two criminals . The scenes of that , and what happens , are horrific . I am not exaggerating . In fact , it was one of the most disturbing scenes I've ever seen on film , especially for a classic movie . The cheers from the crowd when they kill the two men ( which is not shown ) are downright chilling . The film obviously is a powerful indictment on yellow journalism and of mob mentality . The last scene was so distasteful that I have never wanted to watch this movie again ! |
523,505 | 4,445,210 | 95,785 | 7 | Probably The Worst Day You've Ever Seen Anyone Have | B-r-u-t-a-l ! ! ! We see this story through the eyes of one man , who has a bad day . . . . . to say the least . So many incredible things happen to him in a short period of time that your jaw will drop watching this . Just to give you an idea : he begins by accidentally shaving off his nose . Later , his problems drastically escalate from a dog who won't let go of him , to a steamroller who flattens him to explosions and a few other things that are actually somewhat disgusting to watch ! It's all done in cartoon's Bill Plympton's wild style of artwork . The animated short runs only seven minutes but so many horrible things happen it seems like the story is longer , believe me ! This was included in the DVD titled , " Plymptoons : The Complete Early Works Of Bill Plympton . " |
526,678 | 4,445,210 | 25,889 | 7 | Has Its Moments ( and famous guest star ) But Overall Not Up To Expectations | The big professional football game between the Cubs and the Tigers is coming up on the weekend and the Tigers ' owner is just informed that his three best backs got plastered and rolled over in their car . Now he has to go out and find three players , fast . He's told about some great amateur backs - The Three Horsemen - at Boulder Dam College . Meanwhile , in the college town our boys are on the street panhandling and getting socked in the jaws for their efforts . However , they do get a job holding signs promoting the big college football in town , and they are dressed in football gear . You guessed it . The boys are mistaken for the Three Horsemen - by the men's girlfriends , no less - and are taken back up to their apartment . One of the girls , by the way , is Lucille Ball , but you wouldn't recognize her . The scenes in the apartment are far better than the football game which is only shown in the last three minutes and aren't much . Overall , okay but a little too dumb and not as good as expected out of the guys . However , it was still early ( 1934 ) in their careers and they were learning . It was interesting to find out how many people got injured filming this short . |
523,582 | 4,445,210 | 78,496 | 7 | Nice-Looking , Low-Key Story Of The Wright Brothers | Here's another film that still hasn't come out on DVD that I would love to see in that format . Few people , I gather , have seen this in any format since my review is only the third on this website even though the movie was made almost 30 years ago . It's not a great movie but it has a dream-like look and feel to it , which is why a good DVD transfer could give it justice . It's a nice , clean movie with no profanity or blood and an interesting story of the Wright Brothers struggling to build their first airplane and then keep their famous plans and ideas from being stolen by others . There is a lot of justified paranoia in here . On the downside , if I didn't know it was Michael Morarity , I would have thought this was some rookie actor who couldn't put any inflection into his lines , but maybe his " Orville Wright " character is supposed to be this ultra-key . Nonetheless , Moriarty sounded very wooden . The movie also drags a bit here and there , which might be one reason it's difficult to find and still not out on DVD . I'm still glad I own the VHS because , overall , it's a nice film and a worthy additon to any collection . |
525,085 | 4,445,210 | 25,321 | 7 | Learning The Hard Way | This is another of those moralistic cartoons in which kids are given the message to listen to their elders , or they'll be sorry . In this case , it is the warning from " Jack Frost " that winter is fast approaching and you better prepare for it . A little grizzly bear thinks because he's fuzzy and warm and a bear , the cold won't bother him , so he disobeys his parents , tries to sneak off , gets caught and gets spanked and then , after wiping away his tears decides to run away from home . ( Hey , we've all been there , at least in thought ! ) Of course , the bear doesn't find he's as strong and insulated as he thinks he is and gets chased all over by Old Man Winter , who is blue and looks like The Grim Reaper . That character was seen in a couple of these old Celebrity Productions color cartoons of the day . The songs in here were very good . Most of the dialog is sung and the little bear's tune and voice sounded reminiscent of Shirley Temple . In all , a cartoon and message mainly for kids but one that adult can be mildly entertained . |
523,084 | 4,445,210 | 183,659 | 7 | Great Artist , Lousy Person | Jackson Pollock was not a likable person . He was an alcoholic , an adulterer , an egotist and simply a plain jerk . He also was a pioneer in the field of modern art , so he became famous and hence , even had this movie about his life . Ed Harris , a jerk himself , was a good choice for the role . Harris , who looks like Pollock , did a fine job of portraying this " tormented " soul , a word critics love to use for famous artists ( see Van Gogh ) . This was an interesting film and I watched it twice . It inspired me to become an artist and I did a handful of Pollock imitations , several of which sold for a decent price . I love Pollock's work , and I enjoy character studies of people on film . But this gets a little sordid as the film goes on with a definitely-unhappy ending . Hat's off to Marcia Gay Harden for her performance as Pollock's wife . She has the New York City accent down pat . She is shown worshiping her husband and it's painful to see her get hurt . The story is a bit soap operish but if you enjoy art , and especially Pollock's work , you'll find this story fascinating . More than one look , however , changes the canvas , so to speak . The story , more than the art , then will come through more and that can be too much of a downer . So , visit this " art show " once and leave it at that . |
526,858 | 4,445,210 | 280,665 | 7 | A Different Male Lead Would Have Made This Much Better | This was a lot better than I expected , which wasn't a lot . It turned out to be interesting thanks in part to the stylish film-making and the nice job it did in keeping the audience's attention . It got a few extra points for at least us males gaping at Rebecca Romijn-Stamos , who looked spectacular , but lost a few for some big credibility holes in the story . The film also would have been much better with a different male lead than Antonio Bandaras , someone who could speak English so people could understand him ! With Brian De Palma directing , you get some stylish camera shots in here , so it's a good visual movie . . . . a lot more than just girl-watching . It's a film you could enjoy multiple times , especially if you get a translator for Bandaras . |
522,901 | 4,445,210 | 253,556 | 7 | Pretty Straightforward Stuff | This was a bit different than one expected . There was no nonsense , no tongue-in-cheek humor or special-effects just for the sake of it : this was simply a humans vs . dragons story taking place in the future . No laughs and nothing hokey , which is what I expected . They played it straight , simply as a fight story between the two parties . Yes , there were credibility problems with the story but overall , it was good escapist adventure . The dragons were realistic-looking , the scenery dreary but the story interesting and intense in spots . I wouldn't buy it , but I would definitely recommend it if you are looking for a night of adventure on film . You could do a whole lot worse , especially with two young actors who have arrived as stars : Christian Bale and Matthew McConnaughey . |
527,520 | 4,445,210 | 373,861 | 7 | Very Slow , But A Nice Movie | Overall , this may not be that memorable a film , but one scene certainly is one I doubt you'll ever forget . I mean , how many of us have seen a camel give birth ? Not only that , but labor for two days to get the young " colt " out , and then do it standing up ? It's a very dramatic , intense five-minute scene , one I won't soon forget . For most of this film , however , not much happens yet it does have a certain appeal . I had read how fantastic the scenery was but , outside of the snow-capped mountains in the background , the terrain is flat and totally bleak . Living in this vast desert is almost depressing . Imagine living in that barren land year after year ? For the family featured in this film , it didn't seem bad . They didn't know any other way of life and they seemed quite content . However , as we see near the end of the movie , not everyone in that area lives in a sturdy tent and raises sheep and camels . There is a store miles away and schools and music and dance classes , etc . The little boy in featured family is awed when he sees a television set . He wants one , of course . The grandpa tells the boy he'd just sit around and watch TV all day and that would be bad . In the end , though , the movie concludes with a shot of a huge satellite dish outside the tent ! The story is basically about how the family figures out who to get the mother camel to nurse its young one and , yes , there is a happy ending . Summary : a likable film but you must be patient with it . |
524,843 | 4,445,210 | 86,969 | 7 | A Strange , Depressing Character Study | This is a strange and fascinating - but that likable - story about a kid who becomes obsessed with birds and then literally goes crazy . Matthew Modine plays the introverted " Birdy . " A young Nicholas Cage plays his best friend , " Al . " It's not a particularly pleasant story . In fact , it's downright depressing many times . It also had an unusual ending , one the critics seemed to all pan but I liked . I thought it was neat . The movie does keep your interest , so it gets decent points for that , and it certainly presents a unique character study . I haven't seen this film in a long time , but after writing this review , I'd kind of like to view it again . . . . . depressing or not . |
526,397 | 4,445,210 | 148,655 | 7 | Music Is The Main Attraction | There really isn't that much humor to this Flip The Frog story , but it has a lot of charm and good " ragtime " music . I liked the various horns on Flip's car ; Flip's " picture " on his girlfriends bedroom drawer coming alive and getting a kick out of seeing his girl undress and Flip getting all the musical instruments out of his car . After that the cartoon is mostly musical as Flip serenades his girl , and then she comes down and the two of them entertain the whole building . . . . . except for one old lady who wants to get her sleep ! Overall , not bad . It's actually better on the second viewing , especially the music which will get you in a good mood . It's old " ragtime " music . It will have you tapping your feet ! |
526,098 | 4,445,210 | 280,590 | 7 | Very Funny But . . . . . . . . . . | This , once again , has most of the earmarks of modern-day comedies : tons of sexual innuendos , lots of good laughs but many of them out of questionable lines or behavior , and a stupid , rushed ending that tries to make all the good guys win and the bad guys lose . The latter is fine - I want the good guys to prevail - but they way they go about it is stupid . I did think this movie had a little softer edge than most other blatantly-low class " Something About Mary / American Pie " - type comedies of today however . I guess what I am saying is this isn't as in-your-face type offensive most of the rest are . Of course , Adam Sandler is playing the low-key Gary Cooper role of Mr . Deeds from the 1940s , so he's not the high-strung Happy Gilmore type here , although he does get violent at times . Winona Ryder plays the love interest , a tabloid low-moral reporter who is reformed by the amiable Mr . Deeds . She's not believable at all and one can see one reason she isn't much of star actress anymore . It isn't just her real-life problems . She's pretty and she's okay in the role but something's missing in her acting . The real star of the film is John Turturro , as the Spanish butler . He's funny in about every scene he's in and he's a guy everyone roots for here . In summary , it's a pretty nice film , with a number of laugh-out-loud scenes , but it's still a long way from the Gary Cooper-Barabara Stanwyck classic film version , at least in terms of an aw-shucks wholesome hero . This film just doesn't have the heart and soul of the original , because it's more concerned with cheap laughs than a moral message . Still , it has its funny moments and I found worth watching . |
523,217 | 4,445,210 | 209,189 | 7 | Amateurs Present Good , Simple Story | There isn't much to this story , I but I still liked it . The lead character , played by Wei Minzhi , is supposed to be playing a 13-year-old girl and was really interesting to watch , as were the young students and some of the other people in this film . Oddly , all these actors were amateurs , real-life students and people of varied professions . It's nicely filmed , too , despite the bleak background many times . I find the dialog of many Chinese films to be very pleasing . Yes , there is a lot of receptiveness , at least in the translations , but it's tolerable . There is very little profanity and plenty of good old-fashioned values and feelings of people , simply told . You don't find much of this is in modern-day movies of the Western World . The colors in here - the reds , yellows and oranges - are always a treat for the eyes and the Asian kids ' faces are intriguing . This film is very different from anything Western audiences are used to , but I recommend it for those who realize that fact and are okay with it . |
523,525 | 4,445,210 | 139,809 | 7 | Wish I Had This Back In My Collection | I'll get my ' bad news ' ' out of the way first . I found ti a very confusing storyline with sci-fi mumbo-jumbo which is hard to follow and makes the film somewhat unsatisfying to watch in the long run . Yet . . . . . . The good news : Excellent visuals and audios . When it came out in ' 99 , VHS sales were still somewhat substantial but this is one film in which DVD and an accompanying surround system makes a big , positive difference . I like the cast , too , with Craig Bierko , Gretchen Moll , Vincent D'Onofrio and Armin Mueller-Stahl . They may not be big names but these are actors who are almost always fascinating in the roles they play . Now that I've seen D'Onofrio in " Law and Order : Criminal Intent " and enjoyed Bierko as Max Baer in " Cinderella Man , " I'm inclined to give this another look . I traded this DVD for something else around 2001 and I wish I had it back . |
522,985 | 4,445,210 | 79,271 | 7 | Powerful , But A Tough Movie To Watch | This is an extremely sordid movie , but one you never forget . I saw it in the theater almost 20 years ago and it was shocking then , so much so that I've only seen it once since and have no desire to see it again . It just left such a bad taste in my mouth . This is a frightening picture of the pornography business 20 years ago featuring about everything you can think of in that seedy world . Unfortunately , the story centers around finding a girl from a " religious " family and the father , played by George C . Scott , is painted as something of a fanatic . He's portrayed as a cold and violent figure . ( Hey , Hollywood isn't going to portray a Christian father as kind and loving . ) Yet , Scott is not all that bad because he still is extremely dedicated father who went to all lengths to get his daughter back . This movie really shows the sleazy side of the entire porno business and , thankfully , it doesn't glamorize any of it . Peter Boyle is good as the detective and Season Hubley is interesting as the prostitute who gives you her ideas on life in the business . This is a fascinating film in parts but also very tough to view in a number of areas . This may sound naive , but when I saw this in 1979 , I was stunned that this type of sick-underbelly of a society existed . . . . at least to this degree . I can't imagine what's out there today . In summary , a very powerful but brutal movie to watch , especially if you have kids of your own . |
526,349 | 4,445,210 | 183,790 | 7 | Jousting With A Modern Take | A story about jousting but this old knight's tale is anything but old because it mixes in satire of today's modern sports-audience age with some funny bits . Those include the overly dramatic public address announcer ( boy , that's even more so since this film came out ) , rock music blaring out as the contestants do battle , etc . The main characters are nicely varied with distinct personalities . Shannon Sossamon , however , was not quite up to leading-lady status and hasn't had a choice role like this since , either . I would have rather seen her " assistant " in this film , or the blacksmith woman , be the lead . Anyway , even though it's a bit long at 132 minutes , it's still entertaining most of the way , with some of the funniest bits at the beginning . However , it's just as much a romance ( with Heath Ledger as the male lead ) than a comedy . What also is good is the sound and visuals in here : all high-class . The lance hitting an opponent made an interesting sound each time . The surround sound in here was good , too . As entertaining and slick-looking as this was , I didn't find myself caring if I saw this twice , frankly , which I why I didn't rate it higher than ' 7 ' stars . However , it's a film most people would like , and I recommend seeing it . |
526,184 | 4,445,210 | 335,549 | 7 | Debbie Reynolds With A Lot Of Back-Stage Details Of This Famous Film | Not surprising , host Debbie Reynolds said everyone connected with this movie thought they were " just making another splashy MGM musical , like so many that were so popular in the 1950s . We had no idea this film would be listed , years later , as one of the greatest films of all time . " This 35-minute feature is part of the two-disc special-edition DVD of " Singin ' In The Rain " which celebrates the 50th anniversary of this famous musical . It starred our host , along with Gene Kelly , Donald O'Connor and Jean Hagen . This has to be Kelly's most famous film . Even those who never watched the movie have , at some time in their life , has seen clips of him dancing to the title number . Many silent screen stars did not survive the " talkie " revolution , the switch to silent to talking films . That transitional period is the primary story of " Singin ' In The Rain . " Debbie gives us the history of musicals at MGM , beginning with the " The Broadway Melody " in 1929 . I was shocked to hear that in the next musical , " The Hollywood Revue Of 1929 , " the key song was " Singin ' In The Rain . " I guess like others I presumed the song was made for this 1952 hit movie . Reynolds , director Stanley Donen , screenwriters Betty Comden and Adolph Green heap praise on Arthur Freed , who produced those first musicals , and more after that including , of course , this film . He also wrote the lyrics to the songs and those were written back in the late ' 20s . It was nice to see Donald O'Connor again , along with Kathleen Freeman , Cyd Charisse and Stanely Donan . O'Connor , however , was only on briefly here . My guess was that he was ill because O'Connor died the following year after this interview . Kelly , who co-directed as well as starring in the film , was a perfectionist and had to have everything , not just the dancing , to be perfect , such as set decorations and having everything look just as it would in the 1920s . Yet , no one resented this because they liked the guy . Like fellow hoofer Fred Astaire , Gene worked his partners hard . Reynolds feet bled at times and Cyrisse would go home black-and-blue . Reynolds covers a lot of ground and , of course , a fair amount is about herself but , that's okay . She was fair to everyone . If you really love this film , you'll enjoy all the details she provides . |
525,336 | 4,445,210 | 490,502 | 7 | Some Awesome Sights , But Let-Down At End | I found this so-so , with the good being some awesome tornado and cloud - formation scenes and the " bad " being a little too much behind-the-scenes stuff and an anti-climactic ending . In a nutshell , we travel along as a young guy who has built this expensive , amazing tornado-proof vehicle goes in search of tornadoes , hoping to get literally inside of the eye of one . He is accompanied , in another truck vehicle , by an older guy with the same passion who wants to analyze as much data as he can , and with this equipment can help Casey get right in the path of a twister . The tension mounts as time is running out . On the final day - which seems a bit hokey - things finally go right and the big moment arrives . However , when it's over , you - the reviewer - may ask " Huh ? That's it ? " The camera just doesn't capture the excitement these guys felt inside the big vehicle . We really don't get much of any feeling of what the experience of being the eye of tornado was like . It's a bit disappointing . To me , the most amazing visuals were those of the incredible cloud formations just prior to a storm . I've never anything like them , and with violent lightening in the middle of these very dark , huge clouds , it's an awesome sight . I can see why so many of these " storm chasers " are addicted to this peculiar " hunt . " |
525,062 | 4,445,210 | 381,849 | 7 | The Good & Bad Of This Western Remake | For you lovers of classic-era films , make no mistake : this is not the " 3 : 10 From Yuma " that you know : this re-make is a very rough , very violent and profane . It does entertain , however . Its biggest " plus , " I think , is that it pulls you in almost immediately and and keeps you involved in the story . It's hard to take your eyes off the screen . So . . . . . the " good news " is the entertainment value ; the " bad news " is the ludicrous story and poor moral message . MORE GOOD NEWS - It's always a pleasure , or usually a pleasure , to watch Russell Crowe and Christain Bale : two very good actors who you can count on to be entertaining . A lesser-known actor , Ben Foster , is extremely effective as " Charlie , " the most evil man in the movie . Meanwhile , the cinematography is good and the sets are excellent . You really feel like you are part of the Old West and are witnessing these gunfights as they happen . The story has many twists and turns to keep you guessing . MORE OF THE BAD - Every time God or the Bible is mentioned , it is done so in negative terms . God doesn't answer prayers ; the villain is the only one quoting Scripture . His mother told him to read the Bible , so he did for three straight days and his mother left him , etc . , etc . All of it is needless , but obviously the biased writers had to get their atheist agendas into the story . Meanwhile , our intelligence is further insulted in the big action scene at the end when literally hundreds of shots , some from close range , are fired at the two main characters and nobody is killed ! In fact , these guys are still running all the way through town to the train : no problem . Neither guy gets hit ? ? ! Puh-leeze . There's more , but you can read other reviews for more pros and cons . I rarely mention another reviewer , but I was impressed with the review written by " robertblanton . " It is posted on the first or second page and I recommended reading it . Overall , suffice to say , I still enjoyed the movie , was entertained , but was not impressed with a lot of the writers ' agendas , nor the credibility of the action scenes . On a final note : if you have the DVD , check out the bonus feature " Outlaws , Gangs and Posses . " It has some fascinating material on what these guys , and others , were really like in the Old West . |
526,989 | 4,445,210 | 114,117 | 7 | Root Shines In Normal Jane Austen-Fare | Being a Jane Austen novel ( this edition brought to the screen courtesy the BBC ) , you know it's primarily a chick flick , a romance novel with old English spoken , very nicely photographed with nice period sets and scenery and some interesting women to view . This seems to be the case in most of the films , a la the famous combination of Merchant-Ivory . While this isn't that duo , it's still a decent version of this famous story . What's different about this is the leading actress : Amanda Root , who plays " Anne Elliot . " In America , this is not a lady whom we are familiar with , so she was a new " face " for me , as well . I liked her . I've heard criticism of her looks . You don't have to be glamorous to be accepted as a fine female actor . She was excellent in her role and just the looks on her face , particularly the sad looks , spoke more " volumes " than any dialog could manage . |
526,368 | 4,445,210 | 113,972 | 7 | Very Suspenseful For One Look | This is one of the most suspenseful movies you'll ever see , but that good for only viewing . After you've seen it , the impact is greatly lost for further viewings . It got panned by many critics for having too far-fetched a storyline , and I agree . However , if you can put your brain on " hold " for 90 minutes , you'll enjoy the movie . The only annoying part for me was the typical Liberal bias in here where the Liberal politician is the target of a Conservative fanatic . They never show you the other way around . At least the writers here were somewhat subtle . As interesting the characters as Johnny Depp usually plays , the two villains in here were more fun to watch than him . Christopher Walken and Roma Maffia were riveting as the killers . Depp actually played a normal person , which is not normal for him . The suspense was so good , I could hardly watch parts of this . That was the best part of the movie . The worst may have been the so-overplayed cliché of the killers hesitating before shooting and then , because of that , being shot themselves . That is so tiresome . Or sometimes the crooks talk instead of shoot , and then are shot . It's one of critic Robert Ebert's biggest pet peeves and I agree with him . It's another reason this film got low grades by most critics . However , this " real time " movie ( trying to get the viewer even more involved ) , is guaranteed , if you've never seen it , to give you an entertaining hour-and-a-half . |
526,002 | 4,445,210 | 71,360 | 7 | You Have To See This More Than Once | This is one of those films I'm glad I gave a second chance because it got much better , and has continued getting better with each viewing ( I've now seen it four times ) . I know a few other people who watch this and ask , " What's the big deal ? " Well , do what I did and give it another chance . Here's a tip : put on the English subtitles . It helps understand what is going on , as the taped conversations are often difficult to discern . Then , you might discover what I did : a fascinating character study , one that did not bore me as it had on the first viewing . It's the study of a paranoid loner who is suffering a guilty conscience over the work he has done over the years , and what tragic consequences could happen with the latest project he's involved with . Without giving anything away , the loner's fears are realized in a shocking ending , but not in the way he imagined . Gene Hackman , as always , does a super job of acting . He dominates the film as the main character , " Harry Call . " The topic matter - high-tech surveillance - was intriguing , too . After watching this film , I wondered what kind of surveillance tools are available now , 30 years after this film was made . |
526,911 | 4,445,210 | 51,380 | 7 | So Bad , It's Good ! | This campy 1950s sci-fi film has turned into a real cult classic . The film is so bad - horrible special effects and terrible dialog - that it is a hoot to watch . It's so terrible it's fun to watch . Instead of scary you , the corny dialog just makes you laugh out loud . I forget whether this film was made to be serious but at this point , it's like an Ed Wood film : so terrible that you laugh through the entire thing , making it a good comedy . As a bonus for guys , you get to ogle Allison Hayes , who looks good at any height ! I am amazed this movie is not available on DVD . If it wasn't well-known , they certainly wouldn't have bothered with a re-make . |
523,762 | 4,445,210 | 35,957 | 7 | Movie Went From Bad To Good | This wasn't bad , when you compare it to the average World War II film made back in the 1940s . In the first half , it had too many of the same negative aspects that many of its contemporary war movies had at the time . The narration was corny and the dialog by the GIs here is so dated and so racist it's embarrassing . Hey , I am the first to acknowledge how political correctness has run amok in recent years and , in fact , is out of control , but , still , hearing " Jap " yelled out every third sentence , and guys making slant-eyed " jokes " all the time is offensive , even for me . In that 40 minutes , we had the normal William Bendix-role of playing - - a-clown-from - Brooklyn , the priest who is a good guy but too often indistinguishable from the soldiers , the young kid who looks and acts about 15 , and most of the other cliché characters you see in this old movies . However , part of this was for a purpose : to show how these guys went from cocky , almost - ignorant soldiers who underestimated their foes , to veterans who calmed down and had their arrogant attitude kicked out of them . In fact , Bendix wound up making some very profound statements about 20 minutes from the end when things really looked bad . There's a lot of honesty in this movie , as it turned out . But , despite that first 40 minutes of mostly-inane chatter which took away from the sense of the guys being in a brutal situation , which these GIs were in - the second half made up for it . It had tons of drama , suspense and action , plus a plea or two to the folks back home in the USA watching this film . I have no problem with that . Why not ? Our soldiers should always be given whatever they need since they're putting their lives on the line for us back here . Some people didn't like those , nor the prayers or the religious angle in here , but that's today's secular-progressives who have no tolerance . I read one big-city critic who objected to the scene showing the soldier disappointed he didn't get any mail ! Give me a break . Sorry , but sometimes it's good to see a war movie with some old fashioned patriotism , " religion " and sentimentality . Overall , however , these 60-some-year-old movies just can't stack up to the realistic ones made today , and that's understandable . But , credit this film with having easily more actual war action than the average movie of its day and totally switched from dumb to pretty intelligent the last half of the movie . These guys got pummeled from the land , the sea and the air . It would be interesting to see this movie re-made today . It might be tough to watch with all the carnage , but I'd like to see it with a appropriate tribute to these brave men . The DVD sports a good transfer . " Fox War Classics " always look pretty sharp . |
524,321 | 4,445,210 | 44,554 | 7 | Spike Is The Undeserved Victim Here | If one more thing happens to my little dream house , there is going to be murder ! When he hears threats like that - always delivered to Tom by either Spike the dog or Mammy Two Shoes the maid , it's music to Jerry's ears . . . . . . and the devil sets to work to make sure that DOES happen . His goal is always to see that Tom gets what's coming to him . Spike hasn't built the house yet ; he just has the blueprints , but he's working on it . Unfortunately , every time he's trying the build the house the stupid cat - who is always chasing Jerry - gets in the way , ruins what has been built . . . . . and pays a big price . Spike never bluffs . If he promises something ; he'll deliver ! Actually , Spike shows more patience and tolerance in this episode that you would think . Tom , in the beginning , accidentally demolishes the in-progress dog house but later he acts nasty himself . . . . so you wind up rooting for the dog in this one . Some of the gags in here are good , such as Spike looking like a daisy or a few other odd things . Actually , the poor dog takes the brunt of the violence in this cartoon . In fact , I can't think of another Tom and Jerry where Tom deserved punishment more than this one . I usually root for him , but not here . |
524,500 | 4,445,210 | 106,350 | 7 | Haunting Performance By Amis | I found this to be one of those " haunting " films that has stayed with me . Suzy Amis ' performance has stuck with me since I first saw this movie in 1994 . As for the story , yes it's hard to believe that no one would notice a " man " who never had any facial hair , whose voice was fairly high and had such narrow shoulders but despite the unrealistic premise , it's a good story that keeps your attention all the way without the need for action ( although there is some . ) Amis does transform her looks from a fairly pretty woman to someone that looks like a frail 17-year-old boy . David Chung , who plays her Asian friend ( well , more than that ) also is very good and Bo Hopkins also has a strong contribution as the neighbor . But this movie belongs to Amis all the way and just the painful looks on her face alone are memorable enough for me . What a haunting , sad look ! Thus , it is not a happy story , but it's powerful one and worth seeing . Worth hearing , too , with some nice guitar work for the soundtrack . If you are looking for a western that has a different angle , this certainly qualifies . |
525,488 | 4,445,210 | 1,108,057 | 7 | ' Gil ' And ' Jack ' Okay , But Not Exactly The Dynamic Duo | Anthony LaPaglia , star of " Without A Trace , " guest-stars here as " Jack Malone " of the FBI . Jack is in Las Vegas to investigate a abduction and killing of a 10-year-old boy and his babysitter , respectively . Malone thinks the boy is the same one abducted six years ago in New York City by a guy also slaughtered the babysitter . Is it the same killer , or even the same boy ? Actually , this story gets a little confusing . There are a couple of boys involved in this story and several relatives and you begin wondering who is whom ? It wasn't really as riveting as one would expect , since it turns out to be a two-part story , and a " crossover , " to boot , meaning it's continued on LaPaglia's show . Usually two-part stories are very intense and interesting . As mentioned , this was so-so and sometimes confusing . Much of the show is " Jack " and " Gil , " not exactly two dynamic to start with , especially " Jack , " who is really a dud , personality-wise . He makes Grissom look like a stand-up comic . |
526,118 | 4,445,210 | 44,464 | 7 | Droopy Is Relentless | Droopy is south of the border , happily riding a donkey and singing . He's also playing the violin and wearing a big sombrero . Suddenly , out of a cactus tree comes a bandit you quickly rifles through Droopy's wallet . He stops when he gets to a picture of a gorgeous woman . Droopy says , " That's my girl . I am going to serenade her . " The bandit replies , " No , I , the Crisco Kid , will serenade her . ( Hey , the real Cisco Kid - star of the 1950s TV - is a good guy , not a bandit ! ) . He sends Droopy away on his little burro and rides off on his big horse " Diablo " to get the girl . Of course , the moment The Kid arrives as the senorita's house , Droopy's already there . The rest of the cartoon is similar to others in that no matter what the " villain " does , Droopy is always right there , too . You cannot shake loose from this dog ! Droopy is relentless . In a surprise , the woman gives him a big kiss , but Droopy only says , " You know what ? That's not sanitary . " You just never know what this dog will do , or say . The artwork in here was tremendous ; beautiful , lush colors of the Mexican countryside and villas . There is plenty of music in here and wild sound-effects , too . |
526,869 | 4,445,210 | 335,345 | 7 | The Good & Bad Of ' The Passion Of The Christ ' | I can't believe I didn't write a review after seeing this , but I must have incorrectly presumed I did . With so many other reviewers by now , I'll make my points as brief as possible . GOOD - Kudos for someone finally presenting an accurate account of Christ's sufferings , as gruesome and horrible as they were , although , if you read the Gospel accounts in the Bible , it was even worse than shown on this film . Jesus ' face was beaten to a pulp and " unrecognizable " so keep that in mind if you think the film overdid the beatings . However , the overall effect is that there isn't anything sanitized in this film ; it's an according-to-the-Book account and after you see this on film , it shakes you up . I heard that people were so stunned they couldn't speak for about a half hour after coming out of the theaters . I thought that was probably exaggerated , but it wasn't . I felt the same way , just stunned at what I had witnessed . As a Believer , it was something I needed to see to remind me of what this God-in the flesh human voluntarily went through . For non-Believers , scoffers or whatever , I don't know what your reaction was to the film but for me , it was a humbling , sobering experience . THE BAD - The unrelenting brutality against Jesus the last three-quarters of this film is so bad that , frankly , I would hesitate before ever watching this again . One viewing is enough . I am amazed so many people sat through this , including Christians . I wish director / producer Mel Gibson had shown more of Christ's resurrection instead of centering 99 percent of this movie on his suffering , although I understand Mel's point . However , all of Jesus ' claims and sufferings are meaningless without the resurrection , so why not emphasize that instead of just tacking it on for the last minute or two ? Just asking . It's a cliché , but this is a film you won't soon forget , but I would add to that , one you probably won't want to watch multiple times . |
524,707 | 4,445,210 | 36,780 | 7 | Daffy WAS Different , But Not In His Prime Yet | I kind of stand out from the crowd , don't I ? Yeah , Daffy , you certainly do , which is why we love you . Anyway , that's the question my favorite duck asks in the beginning of this cartoon as we see four ducks just sitting there on a pond doing nothing , except for Daffy . He's filing his nails ! When Porky Pig comes by firing shotguns , the ducks stick their head in the water , but Daffy puts on a swim cap first . Then he walks out of the water and tells Porky that he's not dealing with the average duck . " I'm gifted , just slopping over with talent . " Yup , he's different all right . To demonstrate , he sings , dances , does imitations , a one-act drama , shows Porky his Warner Brothers contract , etc . Unfortunately , a decent share of the humor in here is a bit juvenile or dated or just not plain funny . Some of Daffy's remarks are good , as always . Frankly , I liked the 1950s Daffy Duck cartoons better than these 1940s efforts . They are a lot more sophisticated in the humor department . |
523,161 | 4,445,210 | 17,136 | 7 | New Restored Version Worth Checking Out | For its time , this movie has stunning visuals , kind of Kubrick-esqe in appearance , especially the opening scenes of workers going and coming from work . It's very strange , with the group leaving walking with their heads down like zombies . The set designs in here are also something that might draw your attention . This really has a futuristic look . I thought the visuals were fascinating . This was " German expressionist " filmwork at its height , I would think . Director Fritz Lang went on to become a very famous man in his profession . This wasn't his first effort but , I think this might have been the film that put him " on the map , " so to speak . Several years later , he gained a lot more fame with " M . " At any rate , with the photography , sets and overall Flash Gordon-type sci-fi look , this must have been a real eye-opener to movies viewers 80 years ago . I still think they look very cool today . The music was also very dramatic , at least in this restored 5 . 1 surround sound restoration DVD , put out by Klino . Obviously , the eye makeup on men and the exaggerated motions by actors in silent films look a little hokey but I was mesmerized by Brigitte Helm , who plays " Maria " and her evil clone . She is something else ! I also appreciated Klino's explanation of lost footage and how they did the best they could do to still make the story flow together . They did an outstanding job . I wouldn't attempt to watch this on anything less than this DVD , which looks pretty darn good . This is a " worker " story about a man wanting to trade his comfortable life to join the oppressed workers , who do their thing beneath the earth in " Metropolis . " Workers are seen as nothing but replaceable robots . If someone gets hurt , they get carted away and replaced immediately but some other zombie-like human . Of course , people being mistreated can only take it for so long before rebellion . That's history , from the days of the Jewish slaves in Egypt to today , so that's part of this story , too . I won't say more to ruin it . I don't want to mislead people on one major point : today's audiences watching this . Few people in 2008 watch silent movies . To ask them to sit through two hours of a silent film is , obviously , asking a lot . I had to break this up into several viewings , myself , but that's okay . I still enjoyed it . . . . . but it a silent movie this long is not easy to sit through . You have to be a student of film , or a big film buff , to watch this . . . . but those people will be rewarded . Over 250 reviews in here show you this film has enough to offer , or at least take a look . Now that this restored version is available , check it out ! |
526,572 | 4,445,210 | 381,074 | 7 | You Wouldn't Want To Live Here ! | Frankly , I am surprised I hung with this movie because it's pretty slow . It's not a real " entertainer , " except for two things : 1 - the camera-work is nice at times ; 2 - the story is quite different from anything we are accustomed to in the West . But after two-thirds of this story had elapsed , it was tough going the rest of the way . It's not an uplifting story , either . It left me feeling depressed . Yet , it IS a memorable film and I'm glad I watched it . I mean , as one reviewer says here " Vietnamese dude leads a bunch of buffaloes in search of grass . That's it . " Yes , in one sense he's right , but obviously there is more to it than that . We get glimpses of this guy's father and mother , friends , enemies , thieves , sex , loyalty and abandonment and generally what life must be like for those in this story of people who live in this odd environment . With all the water around them , they couldn't bury their loved ones until the dry season came . They wrapped them up and put them on poles , and hopes the crows didn't peck away at the bodies . Yes , you wouldn't want to live here , at the southern tip of Vietnam with these rainy , long flood season . Lugging a couple of Water Buffaloes through waist-deep muddy water for miles can't be a great existence , either . I agree with another critic here who labels this story as " lyrical . " For the most part , I liked watching and listening to " Kim " ( The Lu Le ) give his outlook on various topics and the dialog between he and his father often was humorous . Hey , how many times have you / did you sit around and smoke " weed " and play the flute with your dad ? This is a culture far removed from mine , which is one reason why I stayed with this film - to learn something while witnessing some very foreign sights and sounds to me . I would recommend this only to people who know what they are getting into ( something slow , and very different ) or who just plain love most Asian films . |
524,830 | 4,445,210 | 105,629 | 7 | The Good & The Bad Of ' Toys ' | THE GOOD NEWS - What a visual treat this movie turned out to be , with some really colorful scenes that were unique and fun to view . Robin Wright was also great to view , looking the prettiest I've ever seen her , and playing the role of a nice lady , to boot ! Joan Cusack is a treat to watch in here , too , playing a very unusual character . There are so many neat toys and so many Robin Williams ' jokes that you can't catch them all , but it's fun trying . THE BAD NEWS - The bad news is the obvious Liberal agenda which is extremely anti-military . Hey , as an ex-protester back in the ' 60s and 70s , I can tell you there is no one the Liberals hate more than the military . They still do , and probably always will . There are so many cheap shots in this film against the military I lost count . OVERALL - A fun movie , quite entertaining and a visual treat . |
525,681 | 4,445,210 | 131,704 | 7 | Decent , But Don't Be Fooled | One thing that was misleading : the cover of the VHS ( or DVD ) shows Robert De Niro , Rene Russo and Jason Alexander but those three do NOT have major roles or a lot of lines in this picture . Most of the lines are by an unknown name : actress Piper Perabo ( " FBI Agent Karen Sympathy ) " and the two cartoon characters . This is another one of these live-action cartoons in which some characters are real-life and others are cartoons and the all interact on screen at once . This comedy has a lot more subtle than laugh-out-loud lines . It's decent , and does have a certain appeal but is not as good as I expected after reading a couple of reviews prior to its release . I think it has an equal appeal for kids or adults . |
526,840 | 4,445,210 | 365,748 | 7 | Snatch-Like Brit Zombies | I guess you could call this a combination of " Dawn of the Dead " and " Snatch , " the latter used as a comparison because of it's modern-day dark humor , That's what this film is : a combination of irreverent , modern-day attitudes and profanity from young Brits and a re-make of sorts of a famous horror film . Here , we these these 20-ish types fighting a mob of the " undead " as zombies roam neighborhoods devouring everyone . Our hero ( Simon Pegg ) , a shiftless bum who has just lost his girlfriend due to his ineptness , winds up being the productive guy who saves the day and gets his girl back . Along the way , we get a number of laughs and a number of gross-out horror scenes , and a lot of f - words and the like . Nick Frost , as Simon''s best friend , provides the best and most disgusting of the low-life characters , which are unfamiliar over here . This is dark humor , to say the least , and would would appeal more to younger people although I like dark humor and I'm an old fart . . . . but others over 50 , beware . It was good entertainment in a crude way . My only complaint was trying to understand some of the sentence and British phrases of the day . |
522,658 | 4,445,210 | 52,139 | 7 | Entertaining , But Did Daffy Steal Wile E . Coyote's Act ? | Just seeing Daffy dressed up in Robin Hood's green-and-red outfit and playing the mandolin while singing is pretty funny in itself Porky Pig plays Friar Tuck . Well , he has the build . This Robin Hood is so unimpressive that the Friar is convinced it is " he . " Daffy , er Robin , finally says , " Look - I'll prove I'm Robin Hood . See this guy passing by ? I'll rob him of his gold and give it to some poor unworthy slob . " Ahh , finally a Robin Hood who tells it like it is ! From that point , this cartoon was a ripoff of the Road Runner . Daffy trying to rob the guy was exactly like Wile E . Coyote attempting to get the Road Runner . Every thing that happened to him , I've seen in RR cartoons . Did Daffy steal his act here from Wile ? Since this came out in 1958 , apparently so . The only thing original was the ending when Daffy says " Shake hands with Friar Duck . " That was a great closing line . The best thing about this animated short was the color . This is another case in which the restoration job is fully appreciated because the forest colors are magnificent . It can be seen on the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume Three . |
523,518 | 4,445,210 | 59,797 | 7 | It Was The Machines That Were Magnificent | This was a fairly long but interesting story of an early 20th century airplane race taking place between London and Paris . The actual race only takes place for the last 45 minutes , and that's fun to watch . The terrain also is nice to view . Before that , you get profiles of the competitors of the race . You really get the typical stereotypes of movies : the French men woo all the women ; the Germans are make to look too militaristic and stupid ; the English are portrayed as very stiff upper-lipped and the Italians are all too emotional , etc . Stuart Whitman and James Fox both battle for Sarah Miles ' affections and Terry Thomas has some funny lines as a villain . I loved the airplanes in this film - really cool " flying machines , " as they are labeled here . They came in all sizes and shapes . In the very beginning of the movie , they show actual footage of early flight failures and they are familiar but still fascinating . Interspiced in the actual footage are closeups of Red Skelton playing the part of some of those unsuccessful fliers . Since he had no lines , Skelton reminded me of some of the great silent film comedians . |
526,584 | 4,445,210 | 149,017 | 7 | Soup's On At Flip's Cafe | The title refers to something that happens in the last minute of this cartoon , in Flip's Cafe . A customer is making noise slurping his soup so Flip puts music to his slurping . It's not well-received as the rest of the customers throw food at them ! This early animated effort gets off to a rousing start with some foot-tapping swing-type music in which we see the chimney of the building swaying to the music and fireflies acting as a neon sign , advertising " CAFE . " That was pretty clever . Inside , we get a some sight gags of how Flip runs the restaurant , some of the entertainment at the café - a hot female cat who flirts with Flip - and a whole bunch of music . There is no dialog . Overall , it's very dated but decent entertainment . The first segment of this cartoon was the best . This was the second cartoon in a series of fourteen old ones on a DVD called " Cartoons That Time Forget : The UB Iwerks Collection Vol . 1 . " |
524,237 | 4,445,210 | 870,430 | 7 | What Happened To Vance & Sciorra ? | Since I watch this show in chronological order , I was shocked to see two more regulars missing , especially " Ron Carver , " the district attorney . Did I miss something ? I remember " Capt . Deakins " ( Jamey Sheridan ) commenting about leaving at the end of the fifth season , but there was nothing on Carver ( Courtney Vance Jr . . ) exiting the show . The other person who has disappeared is " Det . Barek , " played by Annabella Sciorra . Now , I know her character was bland ( not Sciorra's fault if they gave her a dull roll ) but , as in Vance's case - don't they owe us viewers an explanation ? This is ridiculous . She's just gone and we are introduced to " Det . Logan's ( Chris Noth ) new partner , " Megan Wheeler " ( Julianne Nicholson ) . Nicholson looks like a good edition . The writers have given her a lot better dialog than they gave Sciorra , and she's young and pretty , so most male viewers will like the change . Still , it would have been courteous to mention what happened to these other characters , especially Carver since he was with the show since its inception . Replacing Vance is Theresa Randall as " A . D . A . Patricia Kent . " Here role was so small in here I can't make a judgment about her . All I know is I really enjoyed Vance in this show and I'm not happy about him leaving . The same goes for Sheridan , who is more likable than Bogosian . As for this episode's story , it is right out of the front pages of the newspapers the last few years : a female teacher having sex and a relationship with a younger student . I believe Mary Kay LaTourneau might have been the " inspiration " here but there have been more - several in Florida - that have followed in her footsteps . This is a sordid story about two extremely people and sleazebag plastic surgeon , who is the father of the young boy involved with his teacher . Yeah , it's a pretty sleazy story . The episode is titled " Tru Love , " and , boy , it's a strange kind of love , that's for sure ! |
526,666 | 4,445,210 | 95,016 | 7 | Pure Schmaltz , But Very Entertaining | This remains one of the modern-day " classic " movies that was so popular that is spun several sequels . It was just great entertainment value . The story was ludicrous : one man beating a group of terrorists with outrageous , almost-impossible feats - another " Rambo " mentality flick - but it worked . The action scenes are memorable ; Bruce Willis is good as the macho hero and David Warner is excellent as the villain . Otherwise , the film is way too profane and too biased , as usual , against law enforcement showing the acting police chief and FBI agents to be arrogant , stupid and crude . . . . just what Liberal Hollywood always does to anyone in authority . But John McTiernan gets away with his profanity-laden bias by directing a film that grabs you early on and never lets you go . . . . . very involving . |
526,645 | 4,445,210 | 105,483 | 7 | Interesting Look At Hassidic Way Of Life | Here's a very low-key movie that centers around Hassidic Jews and their lifestyles , similar to what " Witness " was with the Amish people . I found it to be interesting look at the Hassidic way of life . The first half of the film is much better than the second half , or this would rated higher . It has two big things going for it : wonderful golden-hued cinematography and not much gratuitous sex and profanity . It's probably too low-key , at least in that second half which needed more suspense and action to be a better-liked and known film . Despite being difficult believing the soft-spoken Melanie Griffith as a tough NYC cop , she still does an excellent job in the lead role and Eric Thai , ditto , as the romantic interest . There are a few disappointments in the last part of the film but the very ending is good and surprised me . |
523,140 | 4,445,210 | 1,680 | 7 | George , The Faithful Servant | In this story , Negro servant " George " is asked to look after his master's wife and child when he ( " Colonel Frazier " ) goes off to war . Soon , the master is killed in the Civil War . It's bad enough the man died , but then the heartless Yankees came and looted the house and burned it down . George goes into the fire and retrieves the small child and the Frazier's sword - a sentimental piece offered to his wife after her husband's death . George , the woman and child - all homeless - then find a shack and poor George has to sleep outside . End of story . Wilfred Lucas played " George ; " Dell Henderson , " Col . Frazier " and Claire McDonald played Frazier's wife . She had a very square face that reminded me a bit of Demi Moore . For a film made in 1911 , I thought the battle scenes were pretty good and were probably considered " big production " at that time . I know the obvious flaw of having all white actors play the black people will turn off a lot of viewers but that's the way it was for the first three decades or so in film-making , and you just accept it as a " product of its time . " Otherwise , this was a decent little drama for when it was made and that ending , with George curling up on the front steps to sleep , was very powerful , I thought . |
526,298 | 4,445,210 | 941,918 | 7 | Cheetah's Learning To Survive , Family-Style | I'm not sure if this is the same episode as the one I saw , but it's the only one listed under " Cheetah " here . It's the tale of a cheetah family of brothers trying to survive in the huge wildlife preserve in Botswana . One of the three brothers , named Achilles , is the hunting leader of the three . He leads all the time while the other two follow . However , one day he gets killed by a deadly cobra . Now , the other two - who don't know what happened to him and are lost - are shown trying to make things on their own . They almost starve to death in the process , having depended so much on their older brother in the past . In the end , a lone cheetah winds up joining them and once again , they are three . Along the way of this journey , we learn about the speed , grace and personality quirks of the cheetah , including the all-important " territorial rights . " |
524,994 | 4,445,210 | 114,576 | 7 | Powers Gives Boost To Film | I found this to be a very interesting action with with Powers Boothe fun to watch as the main villain , thanks to his dialog and no-nonsense approach . At least he wasn't one of those talk-first , shoot-maybe-later clichés from the world of film . The hockey scenes in here are realistic , too . However , the rest of the film doesn't exactly exhibit realism : lots of hokey stuff in here , too . At the end , the action really gets carried away and brings the rating down on this to a manageable " 7 . " Otherwise , it would be a minimum of " 8 " just for the entertainment value alone . After a slow start , it picks up when Boothe enters the movie . Then it never lets up . If you want a pure hour of action , this is it . There is no female lead in this movie , so you get no romance nor gratuitous sex scenes , which is a bit unusual . It's a straight crime story . One note : unless things have been changed , I was disappointed my DVD did not offer a widescreen version . |
525,769 | 4,445,210 | 79,367 | 7 | Martin In His Wild & Crazy Days | A very popular movie in its day , watching it a couple of years ago wasn't the same . Oh , it was still funny but just not the " hilarious " movie I always remembered it as . Maybe its reputation and memory exceeded its value , or maybe it's funnier when you are younger . Whatever , there is still a lot of good laughs in year , subtle and slapstick variety . Now I laugh more at the subtle things . Almost all the characters in here , beginning with Steve Martin's " Navin R . Johnson , " are wacky . Bernadette Peters , by the way , never looked prettier . This was in the earlier days of the ratings system and that PG rating would be at least PG-13 today . It still fun to see it after a long absence . Martin was on a roll back in those days , " a wild and crazy guy , " and it's good that he's still entertaining us - - years later , although in a more subtle way . Hey , he's getting older , too . |
526,981 | 4,445,210 | 870,902 | 7 | Looney Tunes ' Effort Into WWII | If you watched the recent Ken Burns documentaries on World War II , you know how much America - all its citizens and businesses - went to bat in a unified effort to win that war . Well , the makers of the famous Looney Tunes cartoons put in their fair share , too . That is documented in this behind-the-scenes featurette on the Golden Collection Volume Three disc 4 DVD set . The topics of rationing , blackouts , being drafted , working in a Defense Plant , selling bonds and , of course , actually participating as soldiers were all part of a number of Looney Tunes during the period of the early-to-mid 1940s . It's pointed out by several historians , critics and directors that some of the cartoons were made just for soldiers , such as " Pvt . Snafu . " They believe that this led to much more brassier , bolder and edgier cartoons , that WWII actually helped propel cartoons into their " golden age " by the mid ' 40s . Also , writer-producer Paul Dini and others comment how " Bugs Bunny captured the American spirit so clearly . " |
523,610 | 4,445,210 | 36,542 | 7 | What's With All The Kissing ? | A question before discussing this cartoon : why , in cartoons back then , did these characters like Daffy and Bugs Bunny , always kiss their adversaries on the lips then run away ? Is that supposed to be funny ? Was that a standard gag in those days ? It looks stupid and gets annoying . Daffy does it a half dozen times here , and Bugs did it frequently . By the mid 1940s , you stopped seeing it in the cartoons . I wonder if " Mr . Meek " was a caricature of actor Donald Meek , a good classic-era comedian who looked the part of a small , very timid man . In this early Daffy Duck cartoon , " Mr . Meek " has to go kill a duck or his wife , " Sweety Puss " will cook HIS goose , or so he says . Of course , who know who first sees first : Daffy , and Daffy is too smart to let this guy chop his head off . Our favorite cartoon duck puts on a funny act , pretending to have his head chopped off and poor Mr . Meek goes away sobbing . He's no killer , and Daffy takes advantage of his compassion by beating the man home ( how did he know where the man lived ? ) and tormenting him further at his residence , trashing part of his house , too . Daffy goes insane , which is what he does best ! |
522,619 | 4,445,210 | 879,422 | 7 | Those Into ' Stunts ' Of Yesteryear , Like Filling Up A Phone Booth | Who remembers the how-many people-can-you-cram-into-the phone booth prank ? It was one of several college fads of the day 50 years ago , goofy things kids did to get their names and faces in the newspaper . Pretty harmless compared to some of the stunts today , eh ? Because Rick's fraternity seems to be getting no publicity and , hence , few people showing up to their dances and other social efforts , the boys are desperate to get some publicity for their group . Even though it is " old news , " they try the phone booth bit down at the local Malt Shop hangout , but need the fire department to rescue them . The stunt Wally finally comes up with is to take a canoe to the top of a local mountain . There is no water there to row a canoe , but that's the idea - doing something that makes no sense so it might be different enough to make news . Wally , by the way , supervises , doing no work . He only likes to eat . What happens on the trip and the ironic ending make up the rest of the episode , which was just " fair . " It really didn't deserve a spot in this excellent " The Best Of The Adventures Of Ozzie & Harriet " DVD . |
526,299 | 4,445,210 | 149,335 | 7 | Not Much Said , But A Lot To See | There is a lot to see in this old Flip The Frog cartoon . For instance , right near the beginning we see a farm scene with about a dozen animals in it , all doing cartoonish-things , along with dancing trees . Everything is moving to the music . Actually , that's how the things goes throughout as only a word or two is spoken . Most of it is either pantomime or singing a song or two . A horse pulling an attractive female frog throws a shoe . Luckily for them , the village smitty is right there so the horse - the most entertaining character in the cartoon - goes to get re - soled . A few wacky things happen after that , thanks to a pretty funny but brutal horse fly . Overall , it's dated but it has enough sight gags to make it worth a look . This was the fourth cartoon in a series of old ones in a DVD called " Cartoons That Time Forget : The UB Iwerks Collection Vol . 1 . " |
527,131 | 4,445,210 | 105,813 | 7 | The Good And Bad Of White Sands | Here is another modern-day film-noir , featuring interesting characters played by a diverse cast . That cast is led by Willem Dafoe , who reminds me a lot of another noir actor , Dan Duryea . There is the usual corrupt government / military officials angle but the plot does have a few neat twists and is generally a non-nonsense kind of story . However , I did find the storyline a bit confusing , especially in the last half hour . On a second viewing , five years later , a few things cleared up but not a lot . I guess it will take looks to figure out everything , especially the very end . I'm not usually a fan of Elizabeth Mastrantonio , but I thought she was exceptional in here : by far , the best and most interesting character . The movie has a nice soundtrack . Overall , the good outweighs the bad and the somewhat confusing story helps draw me back for future viewings . Aside notes : this must have been one of Samuel L . Jackson's first films because he was listed as " Sam Jackson " in the closing credits . Unbilled were three always-interesting actors : Fred Thompson , Mimi Rogers and Jack P . Ryan . |
522,935 | 4,445,210 | 802,009 | 7 | England : A Country With A LONG History ! | Little area , big influence , is the way our host , Justine Shapiro , describes England in the opening of this 52-minute historic tour , which is just half of the DVD . The other half is similar-length tour of just London . Justine's trip begins at Hastings , where the famous battle of old days is reenacted each year , and we see some of that . We also go inside a neat lighthouse , very old penny arcade , and a spectacular Fantasy Pavilion . In going up to London , she advises to try to out-of-way places where you won't get mobbed with tourists . We visit a " pie and mash " eatery in the East End , made famous by Jack The Ripper , for one . The boat rides are a great way to see the countryside around the area . Traveling further north , she takes us on a special double-decker bus complete with showers , beds and whatever . . . . enough for eight people . That's where we go through Yorkshire and the famous Moors , where Emily Bronte was inspired to write , " Wuthering Heights . " Next stop is Whitby , an eerie place where Bram Stoker wrote " Dracula . " Then it's on to a place that might be unfamiliar to a lot of us North Americans : Hadrian's wall built by the Romans in 2 A . D . as a kind of border between the " civilized world " ( England ) and the " barbaric " ( Scotland ) . I'll bet the Scots don't think much of that . The wall stretches for 73 miles . We are then on a steam train . The Brits love them and their looks , and I agree with them . They are beautiful trains . Shapiro takes it to Liverpool where she then takes the " Magical Mystery Tour " to celebrate The Beatles . The final leg is in the West Country and the magnificent Longleat . This is another place where one really feels the history of this country , our host remarks , summing it up with " The past feels present here . " I checked out the next segment - the one covering the city of London - for 40 minutes until the host , a young Australian , Jonathan Atherton , got too offensive and obnoxious , getting drunk " in our church sanctuary and getting crucified , ha , ha , ha ! ! " as he hoists another beer . Imagine insulting another religion like that and putting it on TV and in a DVD , but insulting Christianity and the Cross . . . . well , that's okay . I won't watch anything more hosted by this ignorant moron nor will even report on what he said in here prior to his drunk scene , expect to say about 10 minutes before that , he did meet some fellow Aussies and they all got drunk , too . Nice lot , those mates , eh ? Let's hope they don't represent the average citizen in their country . |
523,895 | 4,445,210 | 94,828 | 7 | Nice Face , Nice Sculptures ! | There's some nice photography in here , which is what helped me get through this long ( 159 minutes ) soap opera-type story about the girlfriend ( the title name , played by Isabelle Adjani ) of the famous sculptor Rodin ( Gerard Depardieu ) . There are a lot of closeups of Adjani which was fine with me as I never get tired of seeing her looks . " Camille " also was a sculptor but when the romance with Rodin went sour , she went literally crazy . This movie details that saga . In addition to the cinematography , you get to see some great sculptures - really good pieces of work . I just wish they had shown how the artists accomplished these pieces . Since they are just actors , all it did was show the two leads chipping away chunks of clay , never showing any detail work . At least , the film made me appreciate the art form more . |
527,126 | 4,445,210 | 79,574 | 7 | Not Great , But Still A Likable Bond Movie | Without Sean Connery in the starring role , I wasn't expecting that much , so this was a pleasant surprise because I found it to be one of the better Bond movies . I'm not saying it was one of the better-made , just one I enjoyed more than most . Except for Roger Moore as Bond , the actors in here are mostly no-names . However , it was entertaining , had some good action scenes , lots of pretty woman , almost no profanity and some nice European and American scenery . The opening six minutes of action was great as were the opening credits . Gee , I sound like I'm describing almost all the Bond movies . Well , I just felt this one is a notch above most of them in the categories listed above . The only negative to me was the ending , unfortunately . It was just too hokey and didn't live up to the excellence of the first 100 minutes . |
526,219 | 4,445,210 | 932,032 | 7 | What's In Store Is Really Incredible ! | The most amazing part of this hour-long show was the final short segment where the filmmakers showed the guns that are being worked on right now . Those include guns which can shoot around corners ; guns which fire multiple bullets in the air and stop at a certain distance and rain down on the victims ; guns with options in it for lethal or non-lethal bullets ; a machine-gun like box capable of firing up to one million bullets per minute , etc ! It's incredible . We already have the " frangible " bullet which penetrates skin but does not seriously hurt the target . That's the ultimate goal of police : stop people in their tracks but don't kill them . The problem , as so evidently shown in the North Hollywood shootout in 1997 , is that the criminals often have superior firepower or bullet-proof armor . Technology in bullets and guns today are producing more new things in the last few years than in the thousands of years prior to today . Heck , it took five hundred years to change the bullet from a small round ball to the conical shape . The Modern Marvels episode details the history of the bullet , all the trouble people had to contend with to fire it and how and why a bullet comes speeding out of a gun , in the first place . Some of these things are basic to gun owners , but to a novice they were interesting . Some of the key inventions in the 19th century - which changed things radically from the past - were not only the shape of the projectile but better rifles ( cutting down on residue , which would render guns useless after about 10 firings ) , self-continued ammunition / smokeless powder , and more . At the end of the century , the machine gun was developed . Progress made a big leap , as often the case , in a war . During World War I , the British had tanks so the Germans countered with armor-piercing bullets . We were now into the " Full Metal Jacket " era . " Hollow points " and tons of other advancements ( see above ) have been made since . Even bullets have been highly-affected by the Computer Age . so Lord knows what's next . |
525,197 | 4,445,210 | 36,399 | 7 | Two-Against-One . . . . . Sort Of | Two cats fighting over Jerry ? Yup , that's the case here . Tom is just tormenting his buddy but some stray outside means to have Jerry as part of a submarine sandwich . Jerry tries to smooch up to each cat , playing up to one to stay away from other . That only works once for each cat . After that , this is just one big chase scene , but that's par for the course for a Tom and Jerry cartoon . What's different is that there are two cats chasing the mouse . Thankfully , for Jerry's sake , the cats are also beating each other up while trying to hold onto the elusive mouse . Finally , Jerry starts producing pain for both cats , something he's used to doing to poor Tom . All in all , it makes for a fairly wild eight minutes , with most of the laughs in the second half of it , particularly when Tom is about to chop Jerry in half , but then gets another idea whispered in his ear from " the Devil . " As always , the devil's advice winds up to be the wrong kind |
527,024 | 4,445,210 | 985,512 | 7 | Odd Sights In Missouri & Idaho | Missouri and Idaho are the two states our wacky races get to travel through in this twin-bill . The first challenge in Missouri is to climb the " precipitous peaks of Pikers Peak . " Why all this mountainous Arizona-Colorado-type terrain is in Missouri is a mystery . Well , at least the scenery in this episode was very colorful . That might have been the best part of the show as the humor was slightly sub-par . Most of it just dealt with Dick Dastardly trying to take a short cut and win , with the predictable results . There were a couple of clever jokes , such as the way the competitors managed a hairpin turn on a mountain , and the way Pat Pending turned his machine into a " convertible turtle top . " On the second part ( Idaho ) , the destination is Baked , Idaho . The title of the episode gives you a ' 60s flavor with the " Go-Go " lingo . That , and the psychedelic backgrounds in the openings , bring one back to the late ' 60s when this TV show was drawn and written . This was a little bit pre-feminism era , too , as Penelope Pitstop is into all the shallow glamor stuff and not much else . There are a tons of stereotypes in here , some of which still exist in elitist-Liberal Hollywood , such as making hillbillies , Southerners in general and the all military guys all look stupid . That's why the best and most humorous competitors are those devoid of politics or bias , such as " The Creepy Coupe " or " Pat Pending . " The highlight of the Idaho trip was the side trip to ' grandma's house " a la " Little Red Riding Hood . " That part was clever and funny . Kudos , by the way , to Warner Brothers for making English subtitles available and for providing a nice , sharp and colorful picture of each episode . |
524,127 | 4,445,210 | 36,377 | 7 | Young Jennifer Jones Something To Behold | Despite being a little long at almost three hours and not all that exciting , I will watch this again if for no other reason than to see a young , beautiful , sweet Jennifer Jones once again in her screen debut . Much of this film is a frustrating experience as the sincere and honest " Bernadette " ( Jones ) is not believed by the powers-that-be : the local politician and clergyman . That disbelief goes on and on and on as Bernadette sees the image of the Virgin Mary , and cannot convince politician-staunch atheist Vincent Price and some stubborn heads of the Catholic Church that she's seeing exactly what she's stating . The real story goes that Bernadette had conversations with Mary ( only referred to as " the lady " in the movie ) for 15 straight days and miracles took place where the two talked . The acting in here is very good , top to bottom . Included on that this of good actors , but who not any billing on the DVD cover , is the great Anne Revere , one of the most interesting and underrated actresses of her day . The cinematography also is very good and can be easily under-appreciated while one gets involved in the story . This is definitely a movie to check out , whatever ones theological beliefs , for the acting , photography , involving story and , of course , to see Jones in her youthful beauty and innocence . |
526,568 | 4,445,210 | 36,367 | 7 | Appropriate Tribute To The Nurses In WWII | Without some of the sappy romances , I would have rated this powerful movie a couple of stars higher . That's only my tastes in films . For the ladies , they might like this " war movie , " a lot more because it pays tribute mainly nurses and all the romances are probably just the ticket . But for 126 minutes , I would have liked to see a bit less courtship scenes , which included some corny dialog . I realize they needed to break up the action scenes and give something for the females to watch , but they often made no sense . For example , near the end Colbert marries George Reeves ( yes , Superman ) even though she admits she knows almost nothing about the man ! ! . I did enjoy watching Claudette Colbert , Paulette Goddard and Vernoica Lake , however . All of them looked very pretty . Lake was missing her peek-a-boo long blonde hair but probably - at least facially - looked better than I've ever seen her . Her role was the most interesting . The movie succeeds in paying tribute to unsung heroes of any war : the nurses . They were an extremely hard-worked , under-appreciated group during World War II , so this tribute is well - earned and I'm glad to have seen it . God bless those ladies who made such sacrifices . |
526,361 | 4,445,210 | 80,377 | 7 | Many Adjectives Describe This | Crude , sophomoric , irreverent , silly , stupid , overly macho , etc . , etc . - yet , an endearing and very enjoyable film for a lot of people . I wouldn't put myself in that category any more , calling it " endearing , " but when I was a lot younger and more less discerning , I laughed a lot at this . I enjoyed this as much , if not more , than the original film , " Every Which Way But Loose . " Now , it's a bit too seedy and I don't care for all the abuses of the Lord's name in vain , especially in comedy . However , this is an entertaining film . No one falls asleep watching the antics of the orangutan or Clint Eastwood and his fighting opponent or the irascible Ruth Gordon . The villain in here - Eastwoood's boxing opponent " Jack Wilson " ( William Smith ) was a good guy and the bare - knuckle was something to see ! It's low brow stuff , but a lot of that kind of humor was big in the ' 70s and early ' 80s . |
525,592 | 4,445,210 | 89,941 | 7 | Voight's Performance Makes Film Tolerable | This used to be one of my favorite films until I began getting offended at hearing the Lord's name in vain . This movie is brutal in that regard , but it's still such an interesting story and character portrait that I still look at it but not often . Jon Voight's character is the only reason I would look at it again . Voight , as " Manny , " provides about as intense and good an acting performance as you could ask for . He's riveting in here . As tough as he is - a hardened criminal who escapes from prison with " Buck " ( Eric Roberts ) - he Roberts a little speech during this story which is about as good a parable as Jesus gave in His brief stay on Earth . He lectures his friend about being humble enough to serve , even in the most humiliating circumstances . I've just never forgotten Voight's speech . This is an action-packed , rough film with rough people and very rough language . The language is actually ludicrous at times with over-the-top characters like the ones played by John P . Ryan and Kenneth McMillian , two of the most profane actors of their day . Being a Golan-Globus film of the period ( ' 70s and ' 80s ) , this film is overridden by low-life characters , a trademark of those scummy filmmakers . Back on the positive side , the story features great suspense , and a real feel for the bleak , snowy Alaskan terrain . The last 30 minutes is the best , because of less dialog , a pounding music beat and a great , memorable ending . Overall , if you can take the blaspheming assault on your ears , this movie is worth it for the great adventure and atmospheric feel of cold and suffering . . . . and , if for nothing else , Voight's fabulous performance . |
524,482 | 4,445,210 | 332,639 | 7 | Nice People , Nice Music | Here is fairly pleasant story of a 13-year-old violin prodigy and his financially-strapped father try to get the boy professional help to aid in the kid's musical career . The father is a bit on the pushy side but he has a good heart and he's pretty comical , too . The young teen is a likable kid and the other main characters - two of his teachers and the " big sister " - are all interesting people . The dialog , as with many " foreign " films , is different from what we are used to hearing in North America and I , for one , find it appealing . At almost two hours , this might be a bit long for most people to put up with subtitles , but I didn't find that a hindrance in keeping focused on this story . Along the way , you get to enjoy some excellent violin playing , too . People who like amiable-character stories and good music should enjoy this very much . |
527,067 | 4,445,210 | 110,678 | 7 | Better Than How It First Looks | On the surface , this looks like a dumb movie which is overly violent and too seedy because it features nothing but hardened criminals plus the normal sadistic warden Hollywood always shows in all modern-day films . But . . . . it turns out the story isn't as sordid as it looks and the violence , although plentiful , is somehow not overdone . Also , the chief villain " Walter Marek " ( Stuart Wilson ) is a man with a good sense of humor . The comedic relief he brings is a real plus to the story . By the way , Wilson doesn't look like Mel Gibson but his voice sure sounds similar . " No Escape " is strictly an action movie with an all-male cast that has a grim atmosphere of convicts fighting it out on an inescapable island in the year 2022 . Profanity isn't as much as you'd except in a tough film like this and - in a real oddity - Lance Henriksen is the nicest guy in the movie ! He never utters a bad or angry word . If you know the characters Henriksen usually plays , you know this is a rarity . Ray Liotta , Michael Lerner and Ernie Hudson also star , so it's a decent cast . You could do a lot worse looking for two hours of " escapist " fare . |
525,923 | 4,445,210 | 453,451 | 7 | ' Mr . Bean ' A Likable & Funny Guy , But Wears Thin After An Hour | Well , overall I'd say that I enjoyed this movie and got enough laughs out of it to make it worthwhile , but I wouldn't watch it again . I think you can only take so much of Rowan Atkinson's " Mr . Bean . " A newcomer to him ( believe-it-or-not ) , I found him a lot of fun in the first half of the film but , boy , this guy is tough to take in longer dosages . I wonder if others feel that way ? It's weird ; the film was entertaining . . . . . but I found myself looking at my watch a lot during the last 20 minutes , hoping it would end . Maybe breaking the film into two viewings would have helped . Atkinson's goofy faces are very funny at first but get tiresome after an hour . Well , it was a " cute " story , anyway , and certainly one the whole family could watch . There is nothing , language or sex-wise , that would offend anyone . This is just old-fashioned , almost silent-film-type slapstick comedy . " Mr . Bean " certainly is a likable guy , as are the co - stars , Emma De Caunes and young - - - - - - . Actually I probably laughed more at the ultra - corny lines delivered by Willem Dafoe , whose character pokes fun at film makers . How Dafoe uttered some of these lines with a straight face is beyond me ! The film , though , belongs to Atkinson who is in about every scene and hams it up to the max . If you laugh at his contorted facial expressions and limber body ( check out his karaoke work ! ) , you'll love the film . It's very lighthearted comedy and I wouldn't knock the innocence of it , but it's difficult to take in one dose . Overall : recommended because this is one of the few comedies of recent times you can actually watch with your kids and not worry about anything offensive . For that , it deserves some accolades . |
525,190 | 4,445,210 | 763,362 | 7 | ' Too Many Forensic Shows ' | One of those annoying crime " investigator " shows is following the Las Vegas CSI around on a case as Gil and Catherine walk into a big hotel to check out a crime scene . Gil tells the cameraman , " There are too many forensic shows on TV . " That great line opens this episode . I am sure William Petersen enjoyed saying that line , as he was quoted years ago as being against a second CSI show , much less three , plus other copy - cat efforts on TV . Anyway , the local CSI investigates after a seriously-wounded woman staggers out of a room , also the victim of some kind of date-rape assault in which she was tied up . Who did this ? It doesn't help that the victim can't remember much expect that a fireman came to her door . That's the story for the episode . There are no secondary crime stories . At first , I didn't the way they handled the filming , most of it through the lens of the tabloid - TV camera , which means just one straight-on angle , weaker sound than normal , etc . However , as it went on it served its purpose : providing something a little different . The flashlight-camera was kind of cool . Humor was provided by the nerd-ish " Hodges , " who mugged for the tabloid cameraman . Meanwhile , the case involves a guy with a " foot fetish . " Man , these Las Vegas shows get weird at times . |
526,371 | 4,445,210 | 110,632 | 7 | One Of The Wildest , Sickest & Craziest Films You'll Ever See | Yikes , this is a sick movie and one of the wildest I've ever watched . THE GOOD - This is so stylishly-filmed it's unbelievable . The wild camera techniques - quick flashes , sudden changes from color to black-and-white and back , distorted sound bytes , tilted camera angles , wild colors and symbolic images , distorted sound bytes - are all fascinating to watch . Then there's the crazy story , which ranges from really good to really bad . It's good to see the tabloid media mentality mocked for the trash it is , glorifying evil just to get ratings and the evil killers feeding off that media frenzy . Most of the characters in this film , as bad as they are , are definitely attention-getting . The two leads , " Mickey and Mallory " are two names that now go together , thanks to this film and the ultra-sleazy portrayals of them by Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis . THE BAD NEWS - Most of the people in this film , if not all , are so vile , so profane , so morally bankrupt , so disgusting you want to take a shower after watching this film . Even the film critics who gravitate toward evil were repulsed by this movie . I actually enjoyed the story up to a point : about the halfway mark . After that , it becomes one gigantic mess , almost too difficult to watch in one sitting . I am mainly referring to all the scenes in the prison including the drawn - out riot / prison break , which goes on way too long . Over 20 usages of the Lord's name in vain - almost all of them in the second half of the movie , didn't help in my rating . Tommy Lee Jones , as the warden , and Robert Downey , as the Aussie scumbag tabloid reporter , absolutely go over-the-top . OVERALL - In order to stomach this film , you have to look at it as some outrageous satire on violence and the media and take these characters as extreme cartoon-like people and nothing else . Take nothing seriously here . It might help to wear earplugs , too , in profanity and just plan noise bother you . |
522,765 | 4,445,210 | 453,467 | 7 | Entertaining , But Extremely Contrived | This crime-time travel movie was interesting all the way , but I can't help thinking it could have been much better . There were just too many holes in this story , too many clichés and implausible things that made it less enjoyable than it could have been . It wasn't an intelligent time-travel story , not like " Frequency , " or " Somewhere In Time " or a bunch of others . For instance , when the killer has his two adversaries right in front of him and walks away without checking to see if they are dead , it isn't smartly written . When everything important happens at the last possible second , literally , then it's too contrived . The movie is filled with contrivances , and it's too bad because it good have been an excellent film . Hey , I like happy endings , too , but this is too much and an insult to any viewer's intelligence . For pure amusement , I recommend this . You'll be entertained . But don't be surprised if your intelligence is insulted a number of times . |
525,668 | 4,445,210 | 650,643 | 8 | Nothing Super , But Decent Start To New Season | A jewelry store owner is a little early in opening his shop and looks harried . It turns out " Peggy " is being held hostage and the owner cleans out a good bit of his store and then meets the perps at their waiting car outside . The owner demands to see " Peggy , " who turns out to be his dog ! A mall security guards senses something is wrong , sees a man with a hooded face mask on and orders him out of his car . The man does so , calmly takes his mask off and then shoots the cop . He then gets back in the car , rolls down the window and shoots the store owner and his partner drives off . Minutes later , we see Capt . Stoltemyer , Monk , Natalie and a bunch of cops all around the crime scene . Monk won't go near the dead body because there is so dog poo nearby . A disheveled little guy drives up in a beat-up car , says he's a detective ( he is but a poor one and nothing but a pain in the ass , " according to the captain . ) However , within minutes he ( Jason Alexander of " Seinfeld " fame ) begins making these incredible observations , deductions and looks like a genius , much to the befuddlement of the onlooking Mr . Monk . What's going on here ? It gets worse as the mousy detective , with his mom cheering him on , just about solves the whole thing . " He's cheating , " repeats Monk , over and over , but even Monk is having his confidence ruined as this fake keeps impressing everyone . How does he figure out how the man is cheating ? In all , nothing super but a good episode and a solid start to the fourth season . |
523,489 | 4,445,210 | 427,312 | 8 | Haunting Story , Scary Statement Of Radical ( s ) Gone Amok | This is a very , very disturbing documentary about a sick individual , a man who re-named himself , " Timothy Treadwell : Kind Warrior . " The most alarming aspect of this biography may not be his lunacy but the huge of numbers of people out there who support a wacko like Treadwell . That's frightening . This was a very interesting film , but not one I would recommend particularly to my friends , at least those who are offended by the f-word . There are 50 cases of that in here so be forewarned . There are also a few short scenes that will visually disgust you . In other words , this is not an easy film to watch and " Grizzly Man " may sound like a nice Disney adventure but it is anything but family fare . The movie gets points for keeping one's attention and making us think about it , but a film on horrible car crashes could have the same shocking effect , so I wouldn't go overboard in praising this film just because it held our attention . Nonetheless , an intriguing film and one that should encourage intelligent debate , and for that , it's very good . I will play amateur psychiatrist here and write a few thoughts about the mental problems Treadway obviously had before and during his 13 summers in the Alaskan wilderness attempting to bond with grizzly bears and other wildlife , but there are enough good reviews here already that do just that so I'll try not to go overboard . Four excellent reviews are right near the beginning of the comments , those by " chosunkid , " " fvww , " " jgriffin689 " and " davendes " all hit hit the nail on the head and I highly recommend reading them . I don't know if I've ever come across a film with so many intelligent reviews of it as I see here , at least in the first several pages . Veteran German filmmaker Werner Herzog narrated and put together this film , from many hours of footage all shot by Treadwell . Suffice to say the documentary paints a disturbing portrait of a Far Left radical who goes way over the edge . If Treadwell was a Christian , the filmmakers would be quick to point out here is another " religous nut , " but Treadwell was the opposite , a non-believer , a man who admitted he was clueless when it came to whether there is a God or not or what He would be called . I only mention this because Treadwell's atheism points out one of the dangers of it : you make up your own set of rights and wrongs , based solely on what pleases you , what you can live comfortably with , and it's extremely selfish and usually very destructive in the long run . Treadwell worshiped himself . . . . period . He loved his looks , his courage , his noble actions , as he puts it , on and on . Just listen to him . That constant " I love you " to all the animals and even insects was another mask for his inability to adjust to his own human species and sexuality . In his selfishness , he forces himself on a world that wants no part of him and where he has no business being . . . . . . all in the name of being this great protector of animals . Listen , there are screwballs are on both sides of any political issue , Left and Right Wing , but Treadwell really demonstrates the hypocrisy of the modern-day liberal , and the extreme PETA-type environmentalists . They chant " pleace and love " and most of all " tolerance " but deep inside are many times hate-filled people with unbelievable rage inside them , who - like Treadwell - have NO tolerance for anyone who might disagree with them or dare to tell them what to do . Treadwell is the poster boy for this kind of thinking . An extremist like Treadwell winds up hurting his well-meaning environmental cause for the more sensible people who might be on his side , but at least have respect for laws , know the difference between humans and animals and have tolerance for all viewpoints . Treadwell cared only for himself , despite his claims , and to Herzog's credit , he shows this . I didn't even get into his high-pitch speech , his gay affectation-like inflections , fake accent and another personality traits that don't help his cause either , only because his mannerisms would irritate anyone - straight or gay . The real tragedy in the whole story was that someone else also died a horrible , violent , unnecessary death along with Treadwell . And - despite Treadwell and his friends opinions - human beings are far more precious than animals . |
523,508 | 4,445,210 | 210,203 | 8 | Only The Shadow Knows ! | Now this is hard to explain , even with a 10-sentence minimum . It's just a very bizarre and unique animated effort , which only runs several minutes but is mesmerizing . In a nutshell , this gangling young man is seen shuffling along a sidewalk . He notices a poster advertising " Hercules " and winds up being a different person than his shadow . The latter begins to have some shapes that don't reflect who he really is and watching this animation unfold is almost like seeing a three-minute Salvador Dali painting come to life in parts . . . . . just strange . This was part of the DVD called " Computer Animation Extravaganza . " Only a couple of the 16 short films are listed here on IMDb and this is one of them . I recommend the DVD to anyone who appreciates nice computer visuals and has an odd sense of humor and wonder . Some of these animated efforts , mostly done by college-age students , are very inventive and fun to view . |
527,351 | 4,445,210 | 52,561 | 8 | The Good & Bad Of ' Anatomy Of A Murder ' | This is another one of these Liberals ' favorites for several reasons . - ahead of its politically - correct era , actually - in which the writers conveniently overlook justice in favor of style with the let's - sympathize - with - the - criminal mentality . It also had a topic and some language that was new and " daring " for its era , which gained it more favor from the critics . Today , this would be like a Disney movie . It's a courtroom drama film that lasts almost three hours , but in its day did such a good job of entertaining and shocking people that time was not a problem . I mean , audiences back then were not used to hearing details of women's panties ! The story bogs down , panties aside , big-time in the middle , which was tolerated 50 years ago but wouldn't be today . I found it fascinating , myself , but that was years ago . You can thank great acting and an interesting script for that . What it lacks , of course , is credibility ( and justice ) . . . . . but , hey , it's just a movie , right ? Jimmy Stewart and George C . Scott are terrific as competing attorneys . Liberal Hollywood always takes the side of the accused so you know Stewart's role is going to be the likable one , a la Perry Mason , Matlock , Atticus Finch , etc . Nonetheless , acting from everyone in here makes you riveted to the screen . The language also was quite shocking for a 1959 film , in addition to rape details . A few examples were hearing the words " bitch " and " sperm . " This story might have inspired all the " insanity pleas " that became popular afterward . If so , the film provided a negative service to this country . No one ever points out in the movie that - rage or not - you can't grab a gun and shoot somebody you're angry with and get away with it ! Sometimes , that seems to be the message here . . . . . that , somehow , that's okay . Well , as we know , it is permissible if your trial is in California . Ben Gazzara plays " Frederick Manion , " the accused and a very fortunate man . His flirtatious wife " Laura " ( Lee Remick ) claims she was raped . She isn't our normal idea of an innocent victim , and she's one that's hard to evoke sympathy from , but that's part of the dramatics . By the way , speaking of dramatics , Lana Turner was supposed to play that role but reportedly got into a big tiff with director Otto Preminger and left the project . ( The two wound up slapping each other , reportedly . ) Back to the story : " Manion " says he was in a " trance " when he killed the guy and I guess that's good enough to believe if you talking to a jury filled with morons or you have the wonderful and always witty Jimmy Stewart defending you . We also get the normal Hollywood exaggeration of the good-guy defense attorney doing all this work out of the goodness of his heart or for just a minimum fee . ( I've never heard of one real-life lawyer like that . They want the money - all of it ! ) And we get longtime alcoholic who can suddenly stop his habit and help the defense attorney . You can nitpick this film to death with all the legal proceedings that would never be allowed , but are in here for dramatic reasons , but you can do that for almost any movie . One other reason this film gets rated so highly by Left Wing critics is that the man who played the judge in the film was Joseph Welch , who was the actual judge who asked Sen . Joseph McCarthy if " he had no shame , " making him instantly a hero to all Hollywood Liberals and film critics forever , all of whom hate McCarthy and his anti-Communism stance . Believability and bias aside , it's still an entertaining film , especially for one so talky , and is recommended for people who love courtroom dramas and don't care how long it goes on , and appreciate acting at its best . |
526,573 | 4,445,210 | 737,799 | 8 | Lively Story Of Two Famous Gangsters | If anyone saw the movie " Billy Bathgate , " starring Dustin Hoffman and Nicole Kidman , you know a little bit about " Dutch Schultz " ( real name : Arthur Flegenheimer , " as pointed out in this episode . ) I probably saw this episode when it was aired 48 years ago but it was too long ago for me to remember it . However , from the movie I remember the story of Schultz having his trial moved from New York City to a small town in upstate New York , where Schultz tried to schmooze his way with the locals to get a sympathetic jury . This episode also was informative ( how true it was , I can't say ) regarding Dutch's rivalry with upstart gangster Charles " Lucky " Luciano , who took over from Schultz . Elliott Ness and the Untouchables wind up playing both crooks against each other , and trying to nab Schultz on the same charge they got Al Capone : tax evasion . Overall , this was a good episode because it had enough action , interesting characters and a very surprising ending . |
525,612 | 4,445,210 | 737,843 | 8 | They Transformed His Face , But Not His Heart | It's Aug 3 , 1933 outside the walls of Lewisburg ( Pa . ) Federal Prison , " Frank Halloway " breaks out of prison . He was serving a life sentence and had only been in jail for two years . Guest star Cliff Robertson plays the ruthless criminal who grabs the getaway car and runs over his partner , en route to going after a half-million dollars that had never been recovered in a theft . Robertson has a bunch of cotton or something stuffed in his mouth to make him look like some sort of Neanderthal man ! The story mainly involves " Mona , " whom we first see at one of those old , brutal marathon dance contests they used to have in the early ' 30s . She is supposed to accompany Halloway en route to his destination to get " the loot . " Mona is not a criminal ; she was just picked out by Halloway's crooked lawyer for the job of going along on this cross-country car trip to make Frank look more legit as a married man . She isn't thrilled at first with the offer but is desperate need for money and is thrilled when she finds out they'll give her a decent amount of cash . She doesn't know the new " husband " is a crook , and is a little freaked out when she sees this Lon Chaney-werewolf-looking guy ( who has a complex about his looks ) . Elliot Ness and his Untouchables of trying to track Halloway down . They know about the " underground railway " which was , according to narrator Walter Winchell , " a series of stations around the country where a criminal on the lam could eat , sleep and be comfortable . It was organized by smart lawyers and controlled by top gang leaders and protected by certain local politicians . A hunted man going in any direction could travel in safety and style , providing he had the right contacts and enough money . " That all sets up this episode , how the Untouchables go about finding and sending the thug back to jail . The job isn't made easier have Halloway has some teeth work done to change his appearance . Later , he gets more and more plastic surgery done until , at the end , nobody recognizes him . Overall , this was one of the more intense , better shows with good actors and good photography . Robertson was terrific as the nasty killer . |
525,185 | 4,445,210 | 737,847 | 8 | ' Mad Dog ' Puts Some Bite Into The Show | A totally out-of-control gangster ? That's apparently the case here , or at least it is shown as such in Clu Gulager's performance as Vincent " Mad Dog " Coll . " Mad Dog Coll's hatred for former boss " Dutch " Schultz will lead him to do anything to hurt the latter . When a kidnapping scheme with Schultz ' bookkeeper " Lefty Gallagher " goes wrong , Coll schemes to rob Schultz out of money he had bet on a horse running in the Kentucky Derby . Coll actually kidnaps the horse and later tries to shoot him at the Derby in Louisville , Kentucky . This is a wilder-than-normal episode . I'm not sure if Gulager overrated in his role or Coll was really that volatile , but at least he made this episode interesting . Elliott Ness ( Robert Stack ) and the boys spend most of this case in New York City where the two gangster antagonists were battling each other . Schultz was shown as low-key . The ending to this had a nice twist to it , but beforehand I was sorry to see the typically - stupid ( for movies and TV shows ) scene where the bad guy shoots from five feet away and misses the good guy . Come on ! Anyway , it still was a good show , better than average so far in this first season . It also had a quick scene where Stack actually smiled or laughed . You don't see that often on this program ! |
526,656 | 4,445,210 | 26,252 | 8 | Sweetness And Values A La Shirley Temple | This is another solid Shirley Temple film with some wonderful , sweet scenes and lines you certainly wouldn't hear in movies today . For instance : " It's Sunday . Would you like to go to Sunday School ? Ohh , I love Sunday School ! " In addition to the innocence , truly nice characters , decent humor and music , what I appreciated was the lack of screen time of the villain . Many movies have some nasty person giving Shirley a hard time . To me , that's uncomfortable , but in this film the villain gets little screen time . Thus , much of the film features nothing but good , likable people . That list is headed by pretty Rochelle Hudson as " Mary Blair " and charming singer / good guy John Boles as " Edward Morgan " and , finally , good old Arthur Treacher as the butler ( what else ? ! ) , " Reynolds . " . To be fair , I didn't think the songs were that super , except for Shirley's " Animal Crackers In My Soup , " which is a great song . If I recall , at least half the songs in this film were by the adults ( two by Boles and one by Rochelle ) and , frankly , I'd rather hear little Miss Temple . Boles ' numbers and voice are too outdated for today . He has that Rudy Vallee-type ' early 30s voice . Do not watch this on a colorized VHS version as I did . Shirley's teeth are green and it's distracting . Stick to the black-and-white , especially now that it is available with a good DVD transfer . Overall , a nice story with lots of nice people give you a warm feeling when viewing this . |
524,770 | 4,445,210 | 737,836 | 8 | Great To See Old Faces Like Brian & Helton | The best part of this " Untouchables " TV episode was seeing some old faces again . For instance , it was good to see actor David Brian . . . . someone I haven't seen on film in many decades . He plays " Dink " Conway , the main mob boss of the St . Louis underworld and owner of " The Jockey Club . " Brian was a legitimate tough-acting , tough-talking , tough-looking guy , meaning he was credible playing a hood . I used to see him a lot on TV . He played a lot of TV roles in the 1950s and 1960s with his career ending in the mid ' 70s . Also , it's always great to see and hear Percy Helton . That may not be a name you'll recognize but if you're near my age you'll certainly recognize his high , raspy voice and you'll recognize his face you when you see him . He's a little mousy , rotund guy with that very distinctive voice . Like Brian , he was in a ton of TV shows in the 1950s and 1960s . Unfortunately , Percy only had a small role here , as " Mr . Meyer " The story is about competing crooks in St . Louis and how Elliot Ness and his gang try to break them up . It's standard fare , story-wise , which is why I highlighted some of the actors instead . |
526,308 | 4,445,210 | 182,633 | 8 | A Different Locale , But Another Great TV Show Of The ' 50s | Here is another old television show that brings back fond memories . My dad used to get a special charge out of this show , yelling " Sergeant Preston of the Yukon " after the introduction . All of kids would excited . What I remember most , to be honest , is Preston's dog , " King " and our hero , played by Dick Simmons , who looked like an honest-to-goodness Mountie , telling the dog at the end of many episodes , " Well , King , this case is closed . " If I recall , there was nothing supernatural about this , no Superman or Batman stuff , just a straight action story that most times involved the great scenery of the North . That also made it different as most of the stuff we watched was the either the above or the many good westerns that were available in the ' 50s . This show offered a totally different atmosphere , although it was the same simple good guys-vs . - bad guys stuff , easy to follow and easy to like . |
527,074 | 4,445,210 | 893,382 | 8 | It's Always Asked : ' How Long Will You Guys Keep Going ? ' | Can you picture yourself doing this at the age of 60 ? " Yeah , sure . " I thought that was the neatest line in this concert-documentary when Mick Jagger gave an honest and prophetic answer to that question , some 30 or more years ago ( maybe closer to 40 ! ) . We see that short interview here on this concert DVD . Not only Mick but Keith Richard , Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood just keep going and going and going . None of that is any surprise to me as I own about a half dozen Stones concerts on DVD or VHS tape and this was entertaining , as are all of their concerts . This film is 95 percent concert and five percent talk , so those who think this is a documentary are going to be disappointed . The talk includes old interviews and an opening segment with the director trying to work with the group which , as we see , isn't easy . For those who want more documentary material , check out the 16-minute featurette which comes with the DVD . There is some great material on that , reflections by a few of the guys , some nice acoustic guitar work and a better chance to see what they guys are like in rehearsal . As far as this concert - held at the Beacon Theater in New York City - goes , it's about average for the Stones . The 2003 concerts at NYC's Madison Square Garden and the earlier ones in London , Berlin , Turin , and other places around the world seem more dynamic than this one , because of the bigger stage and audience . At the smaller venue of the Beacon , we couldn't enjoy the big props , neon scoreboards , the boys walking down the long aisle for a small set in the middle of the crowd , Mick prancing down long sides of the stage , etc . The prancing and all that is still here but it's in a confined area , almost claustrophobic at times . It was fun here and there to see old clips of the band being interviewed when they were only in their second and third years of touring . You get an idea of the inane questions reporters have probably asked the rock group a thousand times over . The Stones , especially drummer Charlie Watts , don't exactly sound like Rhodes scholars , either ! Watts seems out of place , too , but - being the family man he is - that's always been the case . Everyone loves Charlie , though , and respects him - maybe because he is different from the rest . The beginning , with film director Martin Scorcese , was kind of strange . All it basically showed was his frustration in trying to get cooperation from the band regarding cameras and a set list , and them basically doing what they want to do anyway . We also get a disgusting short scene with the band - I am not making this up - hugging and kissing the Mr . and Mrs . Clinton and the latter's mom . It just doesn't seem like part of the Stones ' persona , but I suppose they had little choice . I thought I would prefer to hear new material instead of the same old / same old , but as it turned out , this two-hour concert was best in the last 40 minutes when the band did the familiar upbeat songs . The concert seemed to come to life with " Sympathy For The Devil " and four or five other old-time favorites . Earlier , the electricity was missing on a bunch of the numbers that you don't usually hear . Maybe this would have had a much higher impact on me had I seen it in an IMAX theater , instead of a TV on a small screen . There were sparks flying , however , when the three guests sang and played with the group . Jack White , Buddy Guy and Christina Aguliera all brought life to the concert . Being a blues fan , I liked Guy's number best . Buddy who really looked like he was having fun . Jagger and Guy traded lyrics about how much they enjoy smoking " reefer " and Guy put a plug in to get it legalized . Just out of curiosity , I wonder how the Clintons reacted to that and some of the other lyrics in the song and the post-song introduction by Jagger of " Buddy motherf - - king Guy ! " Odd that the f-word was muted - in a Scorcese film ! ! Later on , it wasn't . By the way , on the featurette , we get an explanation of why Jagger called him that . One of the strangest moments - and maybe the most real - was the closeup shot of drummer Charlie Watts yawning after one number and looking very tired and bored . Hey , after all these years . . . . he's entitled but it gave us a quick reminder just how old these guys are ( mid ' 60s ) . I don't think director Martin Scorcese , whose slick cinematography in his films is fun to watch , did these guys a favor , in that regard . He makes them all look and sound as old as they really are and , hey , that's not the Stones . They jump around like 20-year-olds . They'll go on forever , right ? |
527,406 | 4,445,210 | 295,178 | 8 | Austin's Anatomy | While the first two Austin Powers films in this comedic series concentrated on spoofing the late ' 60s / early ' 70s , James Bond movies and concentrated on female anatomy in the process , this one was centered on penises . I did you not . ( Hence , the title , a play-on-words from " Goldfinger . " ) I watched this film twice , within two weeks of each as I showed a friend the second time . The first time I thought it wasn't as funny overall as the other two Powers films and was a bit too raunchy , especially for the PG-13 rating which is ridiculous . After the second viewing , I changed my mind about the comedy ( not the rating ) : it is just as funny if not more than the other two . A couple of the scenes were hilarious , although very crude in spots but some of the crudeness is what makes it funny . However , most of time I laughed more at the many subtle double entendres and all the double takes by Mike Myers , who plays at least four characters in here . . . all of them very well . It's goofy , stupid and nothing spectacular but definitely fast-moving and entertaining . If you've seen the other Austin Powers films , you know what this basically is going to be , humor-wise . Beyonce Knowles , who played the female lead , didn't have the beauty or body of Heather Graham or Elizabeth Hurley , stars of the other two films , but she isn't bad . There are numerous cameo appearances in here , starting right off the bat with Tom Cruise . Overall : sick ( again ) but funny ( again . ) |
525,515 | 4,445,210 | 43,955 | 8 | Nasty Robert Ryan Elevates This Film Noir | A deep cast of well-known actors highlights this film noir effort . Robert Mitchum , Robert Ryan , Lizabeth Scott , William Talman , Ray Collins , Don Porter and William Conrad are all familiar names , especially to film noir buffs . Ryan lifts this from an average classic-era crime film to above-average with a convincingly nasty character . He plays a no-compromise hood who lives by the code of violence . You have a problem ? Violence , not brains , is the answer , according to Ryan's character " Nick Scanlon . " The film is fast-moving despite not having a lot of action scenes . All the characters are good , not just Ryan's , and the dialog is excellent in spots . The photography is nothing special , at least not as dramatic as most noirs , but it's a solid crime film , thanks to this cast . I would rate this a bit higher but I didn't care for the ending . |
524,006 | 4,445,210 | 840,825 | 8 | People Will Bet On Anything ! | Some jewelry business hotshot is hosting a party for the young-and-beautiful when gun - toting thieves interrupt the fun with a robbery . The host says about $30 million of his stuff was being worn by the guests , who wind up killing two of the people , one of them a Paris Hilton-type socialite named " Dakota Hudson " who was in the swimming pool . A big twist is revealed early on as it's discovered that the bullet that killed her was fired from in the water , so there was a third shooter . Was that killing tied in with the robbery or was it separate ? The top two suspects are the ones who had Hudson on their " Death Pool " list , a list of about five people who they are betting on will die within a certain time or before others ( sick , eh ? ) . The " pool " is run on a boat three miles offshore which makes it untouchable to the local police . Once again , this is another stylishly-photographed episode . I've noticed the cameramen have turned up their visual tricks with some added photo gimmicks this season . That's fine with me ; it makes it all the more fun to watch and the colors have always been spectacular on this show . CSI : Miami has a lot of glitz but I think that's what makes it distinctive and fun to watch , among other things . Overall , it isn't a particularly-involving story but it is good enough and I always like to see the human side of David Caruso's character , who seems to have extra compassion for little kids who are victims of their morally-bankrupt parents . When Horatio promises to look after a child , he always delivers . |
522,948 | 4,445,210 | 910,612 | 8 | It's A Wonder This Crew Can Solve So Many Crimes | What a crew ! Wow , in this soap opera-like episode ( the first of that in this fifth season ) , Natalia is accused of murdering her ex-husband , then a fellow female CSI lab ( " Maxine " ) tech says she killed the guy , Eric Delko slugs the victim earlier in the day and then Ryan Wolfe compromises evidence trying to show off in front on this obnoxious cameraman . What professionals ! It's amazing Horatio can keep this group functioning . I had written earlier this season that I didn't think " Natalia Boa Vista " was a good choice to be promoted as a regular CSI field worker and - even though you know they aren't going to make her into a murderer - this woman does not add anything to the credibility to the prestigious CSI position . This episode , once again , points that out and she seems to be more trouble than she's worth . On the plus side , at least we don't have to see this obnoxious character " Nick " ( her ex ) anymore . The ending in this one was nice with David Caruso's " Horatio Caine " showing his compassionate side , once again . If this was real life , I'm sure the people who have him as their boss would just have the highest regard for him . |
526,880 | 4,445,210 | 910,615 | 8 | What A Way To Start The Day ! | This episode had a great beginning with extremely stylish camera-work and incredible colors . We see a Cuban refugee make it on shore from his little boat and then blown up on the beach when he steps on a mine . While investigating , " Frank Tripp " steps on a mine but everyone hears the click noise in time so Frank has to stand very still for awhile the bomb squad fixes things . " What a way to start the day , " he says , afterward , which draws a smile from Horatio . " Yeah , and it's not even 8 o'clock yet . " After a sweep of the place , three more mines are discovered and blown up . Ryan and Natalia are on the scene to see what they can discover from the fragments and the beach area , in general . They find something off a pair of binocularsAlex finds something interesting while examining how the refugee died . In the man's stomach was caviar , lobster and other goodies : hardly food for a guy on a little boat . And , his clothes are a little bit too nice and clean for a man who supposedly sailed from Cuba for days . What's the deal with this guy ? We wind up with baseball players , and a longtime criminal , a hit man from Cuba , a possible new hit man , Eric Delko being sued for $250 , 000 for assault after Eric stops him from beating his wife in a bar , then that dirtbag husband being killed . . . . . one thing after another : a wild episode . One thing that was really lame , and I've seen it on the CSI shows many times : people confessing to murder after the first accusation ! There is never a lawyer around but some CSI person - here it's Calleigh , accuses a guy and he freely admits it . Then minutes later , it happens again with another guy ! I'm sorry , but people don't put themselves in jail for the rest of their lives that easily ! The most interesting small story , among the many that are in this episode , is the one with Delko . Man , all I will say you will hate this woman that he defended in the first place ! |
526,100 | 4,445,210 | 105,187 | 8 | An Intriguing Noir Look At Photojournalism | I've never rated this movie that high but I've gone back to it three times since it came out about 15 years ago on tape , so maybe I am underrating this . There still is no DVD of it , at least in Region I , and that's frustrating . There's something intriguing about this story that drives me back to it . Perhaps that is so because it's about a photographer , something I did , too , while being in the newspaper business for years and an art form I've always enjoyed . The story also takes place in the 1940s and I love the style and atmosphere of that era which is beautifully shown here . Joe Pesci is Leon Bernzini or " The Great Bernzini , " a newspaper photographer and Barbara Hershey is a mysterious woman who Pesci has the hots for . There is a lot of mystery in here with Hershey's character . Pesci takes gruesome photos , doesn't get involved with anyone but he's willing to make an exception with " Kay Levitz " ( Hershey ) . . . . . but is she good or bad for him ? Sad to say , the filmmakers kind of make a hero out of basically a sleazy guy who has few , if any , morals . ( " Bernzy " was " paparazzi " before they invented the word ! ) . The movie also has an unsatisfying ending , particularly with Hershey's character . However , I keep getting drawn back into multiple viewings of this and I'd sure like to see what it looks like with a good DVD transfer . |
522,456 | 4,445,210 | 290,334 | 8 | More Of Same Eye-Popping FX | Since the first movie , " X-Men , " was famous for its great special effects , this sequel knew enough to deliver the same kind of eye-popping effects to please its fans . . . . and it did ! There are absolutely tons of stunning special effects , both visually and audibly . All of that means very few lulls in this 134-minute film . Having said that , I do think the film needed some lulls . At over two hours of pretty intense action , it needed more breaks . It's just too much . Either that , or shorten the story . Rebecca Romjin-Stamos , in her skin-tight outfit , is still a feast for us male eyes and Halle Berry and Famke Jannson aren't bad , either ! Other familiar names from the first film are still here , such as Patrick Stewart , Hugh Jackman , Anna Pacquin and Ian McKellan . It's a pretty interesting story and although they state evolution " as a fact " early on once again , they do have something unusual in today's films : a Christian character who was a good guy . All in all , if you liked the first film , you'll like this . |
524,011 | 4,445,210 | 466,909 | 8 | Recommended For Those Who Haven't Seen The Original | For those who never saw the original , this is a good movie . It's intense , nicely photographed with excellent surround sound , and capably acted . For those of us who watched the original in 1976 , the one that starred Gregory Peck and Lee Remick , we have to ask , " What is the point of watching this ? " For us - at least most of us - the original is superior , but not by a wide margin , to be fair . I have no problem with remakes if they are not cheaply presented and I was entertained by this presentation even though I knew the story . As an admirer of the ' 76 movie , my main objection to this was the casting , and mainly with two women : Julia Stiles as " Katherine Thorn " and Mia Farrow as " Mrs . Baylock . " Stiles is a competent actress but she has a face that could pass for 15 or 16 . At least Lee Remick looked the part : the wife of a mid-30s American diplomat . Farrow has the same problem in here : too soft ( and pretty ) a face and voice to be playing an evil nurse . Perhaps Mia has a fondness for films about the devil , dating back to " Rosemary's Baby in 1968 , but she was totally miscast . Billie Whitelaw , in the original version , oozed evil in her role , and was genuinely frightening , something Farrow didn't come close to being in here . Liev Schreiber , meanwhile , had the unenviable task of supplanting Gregory Peck . Schreiber can't be faulted for not having Peck's film presence , but his character in here is such a downer that he almost has an evil countenance himself . I don't remember Peck playing this character so unsympathetically . Stiles , too , has a character that wasn't as pleasing as Remick's . This film seems to emphasize the couple's lack of spiritualness more so than the previous film . I may be wrong , but I don't remember Peck going to these lengths to give his bias against religion , nor do I recall Remick wanting an abortion , nor do I remember the priest saying " I'll see you in hell , Mr . Thorn . " Perhaps they did , and I just don't recall . No priest , by the way , would act like that , except in the movies , nor would any cleric look and act as goofy as the ones in here . In both films , the theology is laughable - pure Hollywood , and the priests in here are , too , being clueless about what " grace " and " the cross " are all about . Filmmakers generally won't deal with those topics , but they do a good job in making a case for Satan , I'll give them that . You saw a similar instance of this in " The Exorcist . " As for the other characters , the young boy - who has no dialog - is similar to the boy in the original but a little less evil-looking and David Thewlis in this movie did an excellent job as the photographer , as did David Warner in the first movie . Overall , I thought the first film was creepier than this one , but since I was already familiar with the story prior to watching this , a comparison may be unfair . It was interesting to see this with the updated technology both off ( digital surround sound , etc . ) and on the screen ( laptop computers , cell phones , etc . ) but the story is still similar enough that owning both of these films is questionable . Given the choice , I would stick with the 1976 film , but - I repeat : if you've never seen " The Omen , " this movie is recommended . It's entertaining , that's for sure . |
522,726 | 4,445,210 | 43,924 | 8 | The Truth Has A Way Of Sneaking Up On You | This 1950s melodrama was an interesting , involving story . It's part film-noir , too , which I liked . I say that because the last third of the film featured an expectation of some dreaded act about to be committed , giving it a film noir feel . One thing for sure , whatever you label the movie : it's well-acted , well-directed and well-photographed . Regarding the latter , this really looks good on DVD . No surprise it's directed well since George Stevens was the director . His resume speaks for itself . Obviously Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor are the " big names " in this film , but I found Shelly Winters and the character she played to be the most intriguing . She wasn't really appealing yet one could certainly identify with her feelings of insecurity with Taylor as her competition . " Liz " was in in her prime , looks-wise , with an absolutely classic face . Anyway , watching the character studies of the antsy Winters and the troublesome Clift were interesting . Clift , as is the case with most of us , causes his own problems and things slowly unravel for him . The story is another example of what can happen when one tries to cover up the truth . It comes back to bite you , big-time ! I really found it refreshing , however , to see Clift's attitude at the end . It's the exact opposite of what you hear today . He actually takes responsibility for his actions . |
523,641 | 4,445,210 | 35,317 | 8 | Not A Lot Of Credibility But A Whole Lot Of Entertainment | Sherlock Holmes ( Basil Rathbone ) begins this story in disguise , helping to smuggle famous physicist " Dr . Franz Tobel " ( William Post ) out of Switzeralnad and under the watchful eye of the Nazis , who want his bomb sight plans . The Allies obviously want it , too , and Sherlock is there to help . Dr . Tobel has invented an instrument which greatly aids in the accuracy of aerial bombardment . Holmes and Dr . Tobel arrive safely back at Baker Street but the scientist would rather be alone , for some mysterious reason , although he had promised the English to help them , not the Germans . He stays true to that promise but there are some desperate moments for Holmes and the English along the way . It's an entertaining film and one in which our famous detective uses not one but three different disguises . He needs all the help he can get when he goes up against his arch-rival , " Professor Moriarity . " One complaint : if Moriarity was that evil , he would have dispensed with Holmes without batting an eyelash , instead of giving him openings to escape . It's pretty sad , too , when the usual dim-witted Dr . Watson ( Nigel Bruce ) has to rescue his boss from certain death a couple of times ! Yes , there are some credibility issues in this story but if you can put your brain on hold a few times , it's a fun film to watch . . . . and it looks beautiful , thanks to the great restoration job done on this DVD . It makes the old print come alive with some wonderful visuals , particularly the night-time shots . One other note : whoever did the English subtitles in here misspelled or misinterpreted at least a half dozen words . It's very sloppy work , and not the first time I've encountered this watching the entire series on the restored DVD set . |
525,873 | 4,445,210 | 854,558 | 8 | The History Of The USA's Most Famous Sculpture | This is a 45-minute look at the most famous granite sculpture in the United States and a famous one world-wide . I imagine television doesn't do it justice ; one has to see this in person to realize it's magnitude . I'd love to see it some day . Biographies are given of the two men most responsible for this amazing achievement : Doane Robinson and Gutzon Borglum . Robinson had the brainstorm for this great project . His desire was simply to attract tourists to his beloved South Dakota . But what would bring people out to middle of nowhere in the Badlands of South Dakota ? A great carving into the face of Mount Rushmore . Who could do it ? Well , probably nobody as much as Borglum . He already had experience , having worked on the Confederate Memorial Carving , better known as " Stone Mountain " in Georgia before he put a hat on Robert E . Lee's head and almost got tar-and-feathered out of the state ! In addition , Borglum had done several amazing sculptures of Lincoln . Most of the biographical material in this History Channel program was on Borglum and his son , Lincoln , who never got all the credit he should have received for his efforts . You can read all about this achievement , which was never completed and which may surprise a lot of people , in history books and encyclopedias . For instance , there was going to be a huge room dug out of the granite for a " Hall Of Records . " It never got finished . Suffice to say this program gives as much history as it can in the alloted time . What was new to me was seeing Mount Rushmore BEFORE these huge faces were put into the granite . I also was amazed to see how daring these workers were , braving the cold and primitive working elements to carve these incredible figures . . . . . with no casualties over the 16-year-period ! Even more amazing was that many of these workers were recruited solely because they played baseball , and the organizer wanted a good ball team for the area ! |
523,007 | 4,445,210 | 112,744 | 8 | A Haunting , Strange Tale Of Forgiveness | A strange movie . That's what I thought when I first saw this a decade ago . It was one of those films I thought about a couple of days later and couldn't get out of my head for a short while . When I saw it again a few years ago I almost had the same reaction . What's different about this film is the message : forgiveness . That's really what it's about and it's done in a touching way even though most of the characters in here are anything but nice , sentimental people . If you can enjoy a good character-development story and not get too dismayed by a depressing scene or two this movie will reward you with some intangibles that are hard to describe unless you've seen this . Jack Nicholson , David Morse , Angelica Huston and Robin Wright make for an interesting foursome , I'll say that . Nicholson , particularly , impressed me with an untypically-subdued role for him . ( Note : The profanity and nudity in here was totally unnecessary and the film would have been better without it . The story was powerful enough on its own . ) If you don't like this movie , I would understand that , too . It's not an easy film to like . It will either haunt you or put you to sleep . It haunted me . |
527,093 | 4,445,210 | 26,144 | 8 | Most Fun Of The Broadway Melodies | Here's a good cast and a very entertaining film with laughs , endearing characters , some good tap dancing and a couple of very catchy songs . Jack Benny is very good as the snooping obnoxious gossip reporter and Phil Silvers is humorous as Benny's dumb assistant " Snoop . " Una Merkel is her typically cute and likable self ; , and Eleanor Powell's tap dancing is great to watch , as always . Also interesting to watch perform is the brother-sister duo of Buddy and Velma Ebsen . This is a strictly lightweight comedy-musical that is long on the corn but also on everything that is entertaining . I always thought this was the best of the several " Broadway Melody " movies . It's certainly the most fun one to watch . |
524,982 | 4,445,210 | 910,795 | 8 | So Quiet It's Spooky | The one thing the viewer - at least me - gets most out of after watching this episode is the solitude of this rocky area , the overwhelming quiet of this part of the United States . . . . . so much so that it could literally drive one crazy , if you didn't have human company . " It's TOO quiet , " says our host and " survivor " Les Stroud . Our host winds up talking to a bird , after a few days of dead silence . The other thing that bugs Stroud the most , it appears , is the drastic changes in temperature from hot when the sun's out to bitter cold during the night . That , and , of course , a lack of water in the area . " Dehydration , " noted Stroud , " and the threat of it killing you is much worse than starvation . " In the end , he gets the heck out of there , even if it is a day earlier than planned . Lack of water and food will do that to you . Along the way , however , Stroud shows his survivor talents with some interesting tips on how to keep fires going . Who knew that those tasty little corn chips would be good kinder ? Or that cow patties are such a big help to keeping a campfire going for hours . . . . or that eating a little squirrel would be enjoyable ? |
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