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364,049 | 4,888,011 | 139,362 | 7 | a picture is worth 1 , 000 words | It seemed like Ally Sheedy hadn't done much since " The Breakfast Club " when she starred in " High Art " , and she does a pretty good job here as photographer Lucy Berliner , who becomes involved with neighbor Syd ( Radha Mitchell ) , and they both start reevaluating their lives . I'll admit that this isn't the ultimate masterpiece or anything , but it is worth seeing as a look into the art world . These sorts of movies just go to show why indie flicks are more interesting than anything that Hollywood can conceive . Lisa Cholodenko followed it up with the perplexing , but also worth seeing , " Laurel Canyon " . Also starring Patricia Clarkson and Tammy Grimes . |
363,279 | 4,888,011 | 44,421 | 7 | I probably would have done that if surrounded by French bathing suits ! | OK , maybe Tweety does get a little annoying sometimes - despite the fact that he started off as a near sadist in his debut - but I really liked the scene in " A Bird in a Guilty Cage " when Sylvester runs into the display of French bathing suits : given the sound that he made , we can probably at least guess how the bathing suits looked ! Especially for a lonely guy like him . Yeah , I know , it's pathetic to focus on a single scene and ignore the rest of the cartoon . Well , it seems like most of the Sylvester / Tweety pairings follow the same plot line , so even the slightest deviation catches my eye . Therefore , I wish to assert that this cartoon is worth seeing just for that one scene . |
364,384 | 4,888,011 | 120,890 | 7 | our introduction to Denise Richards | Obviously , the scene in " Wild Things " that really surprised everyone was a certain scene with Kevin Bacon . But as for the rest of the movie , it involves a rape lawsuit in a Florida high school , and the strange things that follow . I'm not sure how much I can tell you without giving it away . I never would have envisioned so many twists and turns in a movie . As it was , this was our introduction to Denise Richards ( although she had earlier appeared in the worth-seeing " Starship Troopers " ) . All in all , if you come away from this movie royally confused , don't say that I didn't warn you . But don't get me wrong : it's a pretty interesting movie . Also starring Matt Dillon , Neve Campbell , Theresa Russell , Robert Wagner , Bill Murray and Carrie Snodgress . |
364,460 | 4,888,011 | 120,889 | 7 | Does a great job dealing with death . | Some people have treated " What Dreams May Come " with scorn due to Chris Nielsen's ( Robin Williams ) affirmations that he can do anything , even if it violates the laws of nature . I beg to differ . The movie shows how he blames himself for his wife Annie's ( Annabella Sciorra ) suicide , and feels compelled to rectify this . Maybe some people thought that the movie was trying too hard to be like a painting but ended up a series of shots of Robin Williams trying to be emotional . Neither description would do the movie justice . This movie is not all about special effects . I think that it forces us to reconsider our own destinies , and what may become of everything after we die . All in all , a really impressive movie . Also starring Cuba Gooding Jr and Max Von Sydow . |
363,197 | 4,888,011 | 335,266 | 7 | Tokyo holiday | Obviously , when we go to a foreign country , we're likely to experience some unexpected things . I guess that there's nothing outlandish about the possibility of a burnout actor and a neglected wife growing attached to each other . In " Lost in Translation " , that's just what happens to Bob Harris ( Bill Murray ) and Charlotte ( Scarlett Johansson ) . Alone in the glitzy world of Tokyo , these two souls find in each other just what any isolated person seeks . Along with being a relationship story , " Lost in Translation " is also a look at Tokyo , much the way that " Roman Holiday " was a look at Italy's capital . My favorite scene was the commercial scene . Maybe this movie wasn't any masterpiece , but it certainly was an interesting look at how surroundings - and previous experiences - can affect peoples ' relationships , whether positively or negatively . |
363,588 | 4,888,011 | 59,729 | 7 | Anne Bancroft , RIP | I believe that this was Sydney Pollack's directorial debut . If so , then he certainly gave an interesting insight into his future work . Seattle college student Alan Newell ( Sidney Poitier ) is working at a crisis hotline center when he gets a call from housewife Inge Dyson ( Anne Bancroft ) , who is reaching the breaking point . Because they can't see each other , it gives the movie a real sense of tension , as implied by the title - even if it drags a little bit at times . A previous reviewer said that Poitier plays his usual role : a morally superior black man in a white-dominated society . That's partly true , but here , he has a job that anyone could have , and his race doesn't really matter ( although as the reviewer noted , they could have been subtly talking about race ) . As for Anne Bancroft , her death six months ago brings her filmography to mind . This may have not been her most famous role , but I would recommend it . |
364,630 | 4,888,011 | 59,746 | 7 | stoned . . . out of my mind | As the first Jan Svankmajer movie that I ever saw , " Hra s kameny " ( alternately called " Spiel mit Steinen " or " A Game with Stones " ) holds a special place . It shows stones dripping out of a faucet every quarter hour and doing a series of wacky dances , contortions , and whatnot . The kiss is especially impressive . As for the end , I guess that it's saying that all good things have to end eventually - although in this case , it sort of brought the end on itself . All in all , I've heard how Jan Svankmajer's work is often bizarre ( even subversive ) , but you truly have to see it to believe it . In conclusion , " rock " and roll ! |
365,677 | 4,888,011 | 59,749 | 7 | notion : the west is never the aggressor ( but we do get to be ignorant ) | It was 1965 . The Cold War was raging . Espionage was in its heyday . That year not only saw another James Bond movie ( " Thunderball " ) , but also the first Harry Palmer movie ( " The Ipcress File " ) , the first Derek Flynt movie ( I can never remember which came first ) , and the debut of " Get Smart " ( an add for that one even called Maxwell Smart " the spy who forgot to come in from the cold " ) . So it's no surprise that " The Spy Who Came in from the Cold " got released that year . I will say that this movie overall is a little confusing , with Richard Burton as a British agent taking on a dangerous mission in East Germany . But there were some things that I noticed in the movie that may back up everyone's stereotypes about the west . Someone tells Burton about the notion that the west is never the aggressor . The people in various colonized countries know that to be entirely untrue . Also , Burton says that it is our right to be ignorant ; we've unfortunately overused that right . But I digress . I liked the movie , even if it was often hard to follow . Far from the idealized , sex-centric world of James Bond , " TSWCIFTC " shows the ugly side of espionage . And it does a very intense job of it . Also starring Claire Bloom , Oskar Werner and Bernard Lee ( I believe that he's the same Bernard Lee who played M in the James Bond movies ) . |
364,399 | 4,888,011 | 79,679 | 7 | Yes , a slice-of-life story from the Soviet Union . | After " Osenniy marafon " ( called " Autumn Marathon " in English ) came out , director Georgi Daneliya couldn't get any work for about two years ; the movie didn't conform to socialist realism in quite the way that the authorities wanted . It portrays Leningrad teacher Andrei Buzykin ( Oleg Basilashvili ) , whose life seems to be going nowhere . His wife barely notices him , and the only thing really resembling joy is when his Danish friend asks him to go jogging every day . But things may be about to change . The title may refer not only to the jogs with his friend , but the possibility that Oleg's life may be about to completely change ( and how he may have to overcome certain obstacles ) . Maybe . And his friend sure had wild hair for a Danish person - I thought that Scandinavian people usually have very straight hair . Now for a little joke . There ought to be a movie called " Autumn Marathon Man " , in which a burnt out Russian teacher gets some unnecessary dental work . |
365,308 | 4,888,011 | 105,695 | 7 | My mom didn't like this movie , but I didn't mind it ( although I wouldn't have given it Best Picture ) . | After almost thirty years in movies , Clint Eastwood took home an Oscar for " Unforgiven " . In it , he plays ex-killer William Munny , who has given up his violent ways . Then , some unexpected events force him to have to decide whether to continue his non-violent life or return to violence . It seems to me that " Malcolm X " deserved Best Picture more than this one did , but Eastwood certainly turns in a captivating performance , as do Gene Hackman , Morgan Freeman , and Richard Harris . Some people may have trouble watching this due to some of the things that happen in it , but if you can stomach it , then you should check it out . As Munny notes : " It's a hell of a thing killing a man . Taking away everything he's got " . |
362,863 | 4,888,011 | 482,606 | 7 | they made something really creative here | I knew nothing about " The Strangers " when I started watching it . When it became clear that the movie was a horror flick , I figured that it was going to be a typical slasher . But there's more to it than that . A message at the beginning tells the audience that the depicted events are true ( or at least a possibility of what happened ) . We get introduced to James Hoyt ( Scott Speedman ) and Kristen McKay ( Liv Tyler ) , apparently having some problems . But then a young woman comes to their door and asks for a person who doesn't live in the house . She later returns , and noises start appearing around the house . That's when the real story sets in . The horror derives from never knowing who the killers are , or what their motives are . They are just masked figures with no aim except to torment James and Kristen . Because of the timing and editing in some scenes , I doubt that you'll be able to watch this movie without jumping in at least one scene . I should identify that this isn't a great movie . There are some clichés like heavy breathing and sobbing ( or might the true story have happened like that ? ) . But they do the right thing by keeping gore to a minimum and letting the story develop . Therefore , I recommend " The Strangers " . |
364,191 | 4,888,011 | 335,245 | 7 | If nothing else , it will increase your vocabulary . | Whenever they remake a movie , it's always iffy . But we can count on the Coen brothers . " The Ladykillers " of course has a group of thieves living in an old woman's house to carry out their heist , but she wises up to their scheme ; they try to kill her , but murder isn't as easy as it looks ! Tom Hanks plays the devilish , very cultured Southern gentleman Prof . Goldthwait Higginson Dorr III , whose speech gives one the impression that he spends all day searching the dictionary for obscure words . The Coen brothers did a really neat job updating Alec Guinness ' classic . Marlon Wayans ' character was kind of silly , but other than that , the movie had virtually no faults . Just one more thing : I notice that by now , Tom Hanks has acted in movies all around the US part of the Gulf of Mexico . " Forrest Gump " happened in Alabama , " Apollo 13 " happened in Texas and Florida , " The Green Mile " happened in Louisiana , and " The Ladykillers " happened in Mississippi . Well . . . |
364,992 | 4,888,011 | 17,128 | 7 | It's basically propaganda , but I'm sure that it's all true . | Released right after " Battleship Potemkin " , " Mother " shows a woman forced to choose between siding with her labor-organizing son or her corrupt husband . The movie makes double sure that we get to see the living conditions in Russia in 1905 , but it also uses ice as a metaphor . There are a few scenes where we see ice breaking up on the ocean ; it basically shows that the old order is slowly but surely coming apart . I have to admit that this is the only Vsevolod Pudovkin movie that I've ever seen , but it's certainly a good one , if only as a historical reference . A noticeable difference between Eisenstein and Pudovkin was that Eisenstein was into typage ( meaning that he liked to choose any random person who looked right for the role ) , while Pudovkin was very fixated on whom he wanted . |
365,386 | 4,888,011 | 184,090 | 7 | I always thought that Peter Jennings was the best of the " big three " | Of the " big three " anchors of the ' 80s and ' 90s , it always seemed like Peter Jennings was the most intellectual . Hard to believe that in his 22 years as anchor , he covered the collapse of the Soviet bloc and later September 11 . As I understand it , early criticism of him came because of his more circumspect approach to certain topics than other anchors ( or maybe it was just because he was Canadian ) . Still , from what I've heard , it would have been good to see " ABC Evening News " during the Vietnam War and hear John Chancellor's indictment of that war . I remember when Peter Jennings showed the 25th anniversary of the modern broadcast's first airing ( they reported on the trial of some Soviet Jews ) : John Chancellor correctly identified that the USSR was dooming itself to failure . But no matter . Had Peter Jennings survived a few more weeks , he could have covered Hurricane Katrina . I had never known that he smoked . But a radio station noted that he reported on anti-war protests when the US invaded Iraq , so you gotta give him credit for that . So , for all it's flaws , I recommend this news show . |
362,603 | 4,888,011 | 120,902 | 7 | Trust no one and everyone . | Now that " The X Files " has become part of our history , we can let the future judge the show and movie . Ah , but the movie's tag-line is " Fight the future " . As someone who always watched the show , I was naturally quite eager to see the movie . The plot is slightly confusing , but still well done . It portrays FBI agents Fox Mulder ( David Duchovny ) and Dana Scully ( Gillian Anderson ) investigating a cover-up which may prove the existence of extraterrestrials . Obviously , the show's premise centers on those sorts of things . But , as always , there's more here than meets the eye . For example , how does corn play into the plot ? And what does a strange doctor ( Martin Landau ) have to do with all this ? And of course , who all is involved ? Maybe the movie occasionally seems to be having a hard time , given that they usually only have to do hour-long segments , but it still holds the viewer's interest . Like any given episode , you may walk away wondering whom you can trust . Reprising their roles from the series are John Neville , William B . Davis , Mitch Pileggi , Tom Braidwood , Bruce Harwood and Dean Haglund . Also starring are Blythe Danner , Jeffrey DeMunn and Armin Mueller-Stahl . |
365,463 | 4,888,011 | 120,903 | 7 | X the known | I knew about the " X-Men " graphic novels but never read them . Although I did find the movie fairly interesting , mainly because it shows how Sen . Kelly ( Bruce Davison ) tries to create a McCarthy-style fear of mutants . I guess that for the most part , this movie is not much different from other superhero movies , but worth seeing as a cultural reference . It was surprising to see Ian McKellen go from " Gods and Monsters " to this . A particularly funny scene is when Cyclops ( James Marsden ) has to verify Wolverine's ( Hugh Jackman ) identity . This movie does make one grow to respect mutants . So why do you ask questions to which you already know the answer ? |
364,153 | 4,888,011 | 86,491 | 7 | one of the few good movies based on classic TV shows | Usually , it would seem like there's no incentive to make a movie based on " The Twilight Zone " . But " Twilight Zone : The Movie " is actually quite good . It all begins with Dan Aykroyd and Albert Brooks driving along a deserted road . At one point , Dan Aykroyd asks Albert Brooks if he would like to see something scary . Albert Brooks answers yes , and . . . well , let's just say that he shouldn't have . The first segment - directed by John Landis - is the most famous not for what it portrays , but what happened on the set : Vic Morrow was accidentally killed during filming . In this segment , he plays bigot Bill Connor , who gets to see what it's like on the receiving side of racism . The second segment - directed by Steven Spielberg - has Scatman Crothers as a man who lets some senior citizens become children one last time . Sort of a precursor to " Cocoon " , although the latter perfected it . The third segment - directed by Joe Dante - is . . . well , you know the phrase " . . . and a child shall lead them . . . " ? Well , Kathleen Quinlan plays Helen Foley , who visits a house where . . . well , you'd better believe that a child is leading them . Dante regulars Dick Miller and Kevin McCarthy appear . The fourth and last segment - directed by George Miller - was lifted from what is probably the most famous " Twilight Zone " episode of all time . John Valentine ( John Lithgow ) is on a plane and sees something on the wing - unfortunately , no one will believe him . All in all , they did a really good job with this movie . You may feel a little unnerved after viewing it . |
362,719 | 4,888,011 | 166,896 | 7 | straight from the heart | When " The Straight Story " came out , many critics called it a solid masterpiece . I don't know whether I would call it that , but it's definitely worth seeing . The true story of Midwest farmer Alvin Straight ( Richard Farnsworth , in his final role ) driving his tractor down a highway to visit his estranged brother , the movie makes us call into question our own lifestyles . Alvin may be about at the end of his rope , but he knows that he has to make amends sooner or later . All in all , this is a very interesting change of pace for director David Lynch . The man usually known for the likes of " Eraserhead " , " Blue Velvet " and " Mulholland Dr . " looks at the rustic life and how certain things in it may have to change . It's certainly a movie that I recommend to people . Equally as good as Farnsworth are Sissy Spacek as Alvin's speech-impaired daughter Rose , and Harry Dean Stanton as Alvin's brother Lyle . Also appearing ( as the tractor salesman ) is Everett McGill , whom you may recognize from " Silver Bullet " and " The People Under the Stairs " . A very unique movie indeed . |
364,947 | 4,888,011 | 105,629 | 7 | sort of toying around , sort of not | Around the same time that he starred in - and hilariously carried - " Aladdin " , Robin Williams starred in another movie clearly intended for kids : " Toys " . He plays toy company heir Leslie Zevo , trying to stop his uncle ( Michael Gambon ) from taking over the company and using it to make war toys . Yeah , it's a pretty simple plot - and maybe the movie's only really interesting once - but there's plenty of scenes that make it all worthwhile , namely the crossword scene and the scene where the spy camera has an unexpected experience . At times , the movie does seem like it's trying to tweak at your emotions , but it's mostly pretty good . Granted , I do prefer the previous movie in which Barry Levinson directed Robin Williams ( by which I mean " Good Morning , Vietnam " ) . Also starring Joan Cusack , Robin Wright , LL Cool J , Donald O'Connor , Arthur Malet , Jack Warden , and Jamie Foxx ( as a joke , I'll say what that translates to : the " In & Out " bride , Forrest Gump's sweetheart , a rapper , one of the people who didn't sing in the rain , Mr . Dawes Jr from " Mary Poppins " , Warren Beatty's frequent co-star , and Ray Charles ) . |
364,962 | 4,888,011 | 389,860 | 7 | the perfect universe to control | On one level , " Click " is the typical Adam Sandler movie , with him as a nervous every-man who explodes when it befits the situation . However , there is more here . Some reviews have said that this is basically the same sort of thing as " Bruce Almighty " , how he gets an unusual power but discovers that it isn't exactly what he expected . I guess that it's true - right down to his relationships with everyone - but if it was just 98 minutes of complete silliness , wouldn't that just be a total repeat of most such movies ? As for what specifically happens in the movie , the way that Michael Newman ( Sandler ) gets to control his surroundings is done sort of like a DVD , what with start , stop , rewind , forward , commentary ( by James Earl Jones ) and even different languages . Christopher Walken is especially neat as the guy who gives him the remote control , but when does Christopher Walken not bring an interesting presence to a movie ? And overall , the movie is a good lesson about the importance of family over career . . . even if they use some goofy things to show it ( e . g . , the part about Michael Jackson ) . So , overall , director Frank Coraci - who previously directed Adam Sandler in " The Wedding Singer " and " The Waterboy " - created a really perceptive look at life in general . I recommend it . Also starring Kate Beckinsale , Henry Winkler , Julie Kavner and David Hasselhoff . |
362,553 | 4,888,011 | 36,674 | 7 | How was Winston Churchill as a baby ? | This time , Porky Pig has to baby-sit a bad-ass infant named Butch , while the baby's mother goes to work in the factory , a la Rosie the Riveter . Obviously , the wartime stuff is probably going to make us cringe a little nowadays , particularly since the mother uses a derogatory word for the Japanese . But otherwise , it's really funny to see how the baby tortures Porky , and even goes so far as to imitate Winston Churchill in one scene . So even if it's not the greatest cartoon ever , " Brother Brat " is still pretty funny . Worth seeing . And yes , use a book . In fact , stop reading this review and read a book . |
365,419 | 4,888,011 | 403,487 | 7 | I'd never even heard of " That Girl " before this . | Oh , another awards show ? ! Well , in this case , we get to see individuals whom we rarely get to see . I had only started watching TV Land less than a year before this , and really gotten into some of the shows . It was probably the last time that we would get to see the " Gilligan's Island " cast together before Bob Denver died . One thing that I learned about from " The Second Annual TV Land Awards : A Celebration of Classic TV " was the existence of " That Girl " ; I'd literally never heard of it before then . I was also surprised that John Ritter had hosted the ceremony the previous year a few months before passing away . Oh well . Life goes on . Dick Van Dyke and Andy Griffith look good letting themselves age , while Mary Tyler Moore shouldn't have gotten that face-lift . I guess that I agree with the choices . Oh , and if I may say so , Tina Louise and Barbara Eden are still really hot after all these years ! |
363,283 | 4,888,011 | 44,339 | 7 | Is this Sylvester's eternal doom ? ! | While most of the Sylvester / Tweety pairings would feature just one bulldog ( I seem to recall that his name is Hector ) to counter Sylvester's actions , " Ain't She Tweet " features a whole garden of dogs . When Granny brings Tweety home from the pet store - where Sylvester had already tried to go after him but had to abort his plan - Sylvester can't seem to get past the canine ocean . Why must he always suffer so ? ! Obviously , his mishaps form part of the cartoon's plot line , sort of like what befalls Wile E . Coyote when he tries to trap Road Runner . But no matter how you look at it , this is still a funny cartoon . Little more than a way to pass time , but worth your while . I noticed that the shop next to the pet store said I . Wyner . No doubt that was an in-joke referring to background artist Irv Wyner . |
364,251 | 4,888,011 | 36,660 | 7 | kids with last names as first names | One of Warner's many pre-1948 cartoons stripped of its opening credits and carrying the Blue Ribbon logo in their place , Frank Tashlin's " Booby Hatched " really seems to have come out of left field . Probably the neatest scene is when the mother duck rattles off the ducklings ' names : Franklin , Eleanor and Winston , before she realizes that Robespierre is missing . Of course , the thought of her son having that name brings to my mind the fact that so many children nowadays have last names as first names . Above all , it's a good thing that I first watched this cartoon nowadays when I'm old enough to understand what it portrays . Had I watched it when I was about six , I wouldn't have understood the ducklings ' names . Anyway , the wolf and bear don't stick in my mind as much as the idea of a duck named Robespierre . But it is a pretty neat cartoon . Worth seeing . What about Joseph ? Then again , she probably wouldn't want to name any of her children after Stalin . |
364,691 | 4,888,011 | 343,818 | 7 | not robotic at all | Obviously , " I , Robot " is the sort of movie that could very easily end up being completely ridiculous : an action star in a futuristic movie about humans battling robots . That certainly sounds like it could degenerate into an even lamer version of " Independence Day " - and I'm not just saying that because it stars Will Smith . However , the movie does manage to do something good . For starters , it's not just an excuse for a bunch of action ( although there is a lot ) . To me at least , the movie seems to be looking at the possible dangers of people relying too much on technology , like what " 2001 : A Space Odyssey " looked at . As cop Del Spooner , investigating a murder in 2035 Chicago that may or may not have been committed by a robot , Will Smith is sardonic , but never formulaic . Also starring James Cromwell . On one level , maybe the movie is sort of eye candy . But like I said , there is a plot here . And let's face it : this is a much better robot-themed movie than " Bicentennial Man " apparently was . |
363,611 | 4,888,011 | 86,397 | 7 | someone's gotta survive . . . I think | The Survivors is characteristic of Robin Williams's movies before " Good Morning , Vietnam " : innocuously silly . In this case , he and Walter Matthau join up after surviving a robbery , and Williams becomes a survivalist . The whole thing is pretty goofy - maybe even pointless - but some of the gags make up for that . I will say that it's not the funniest movie for either star by a long shot ; both have done far better than this . But , it's the sort of movie that you sit around in your underwear and watch ; it does a respectable job showing both stars ' talents . Good for a few laughs . Shooting a man's gun . Ha ! |
364,022 | 4,888,011 | 114,287 | 7 | How about that ! It came out right before " Braveheart " ! | I had never heard of Robert Roy MacGregor before " Rob Roy " came out , but the movie is definitely worth seeing . Playing the title character , Liam Neeson brings the same spirit to the role that he brought to Oskar Schindler , and Jessica Lange also does a really good job as his wife Mary . Archibald Cunningham ( Tim Roth ) is one person very likely to make your skin crawl . All in all , this comes out as good as " Braveheart " ( maybe even better ) . I laugh when I think of how Hollywood released two movies almost back-to-back taking a swipe at England . Very good . Also starring John Hurt , Eric Stoltz , Brian Cox and Jason Flemyng . |
364,972 | 4,888,011 | 52,182 | 7 | Lots on the table here . | David Niven won Best Actor for his perceptive role as the shady Maj . Angus Pollock , one of many characters at an English countryside estate . Maybe " Separate Tables " isn't the ultimate masterpiece , but the range of characters makes it worthwhile . It's one of those all-star cast vehicles , looking at various aspects of life . Also starring are Deborah Kerr , Rita Hayworth , Wendy Hiller , and Burt Lancaster . I have to admit that this is the only Delbert Mann movie that I've ever seen ( he also directed the Oscar-winning " Marty " ) , but if this is any indication , his other movies should be interesting . Worth seeing , even if you only see it once . |
364,709 | 4,888,011 | 105,488 | 7 | physical communication | Many Australian movies use the theme of communication issues ( think " Walkabout " , " Picnic at Hanging Rock " , " Crocodile Dundee " ) . Some people might question whether or not " Strictly Ballroom " belongs in that group , but I would say that it does . You see , dancing is a form of physical communication , and so the characters here get to know each other that way . But even ignoring that , it's a pretty fascinating movie . Baz Luhrmann was certainly showing the sorts of things that he would later bring to " Romeo + Juliet " and " Moulin Rouge ! " . Starring Paul Mercurio , Tara Morice , Bill Hunter , Barry Otto and Gia Carides . |
365,593 | 4,888,011 | 59,831 | 7 | always a guilty pleasure with Ursula Andress on screen | Back in the ' 60s , everyone loved a cool spy flick . James Bond , Derek Flint , Harry Palmer ( and even Maxwell Smart ) were the famous secret agents , but probably not as many people remember " Les tribulations d'un chinois en Chine " . It has French everyman Arthur Lempereur ( Jean-Paul Belmondo ) getting involved in espionage in Hong Kong . A really fun scene is the whole chase scene . However , in my opinion , the intrigue and stuff gets overshadowed by Ursula Andress's presence . There's one scene in particular that will very likely remind you of her role in " Dr . No " . So , there always had to be spy stories involving hot babes . A flick similar to this one is " Die Holle von Macao " ( also called " The Corrupt Ones " ) which starred Elke Sommer . You'll probably like both movies . |
363,614 | 4,888,011 | 114,303 | 7 | magical realism , even outside of Latin America | Usually , it might seem out of place to make 1950s LA the setting for something involving magical realism , but they pull it off here , with Bridget Fonda as an amateur magician going to Mexico to further her studies with a Mayan shaman . While the story mostly focuses on her trip down there , and how a detective ( Russell Crowe ) follows her , my favorite parts were the scenes with the Mexican guy , and what he does towards the end . When people in Latin America first started telling stories centering on magical realism , they probably never envisioned that ! Anyway , " Rough Magic " isn't a great movie , but a good look at a part of Latin American culture that many people in the US unfortunately don't know about . Worth seeing . PS : This movie will probably give you a new view of rabbits . |
365,321 | 4,888,011 | 825,232 | 7 | around the world in 80 or so minutes | Prior to watching " The Bucket List " , I had doubts as to whether or not I would like it : Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman are both really good actors , while Rob Reiner has directed good and not so good movies . Well , I liked it . True , there's a predictable plot with the occasional treacly moment , but I liked how it portrayed these two men living their final months to the fullest by traveling around the world . Jack Nicholson always knows how to project just the right amount of sarcasm to make his role a cool one . OK , so maybe it is becoming a cliché to have Morgan Freeman narrate movies , but this one does a good job showing how both his character and Nicholson's use the trip to eventually make peace with their families . Among other things , I could relate to the scenes where Freeman watches " Jeopardy ! " ; I also like to shout out the answers as I watch it . Overall , I would say that this is not a great movie - far from the best film of Nicholson , Freeman or Reiner - but that it goes to show that all three still have what it takes to create a worthwhile piece of cinema . I recommend it . And I now have a hankering to go to some of those places . . . although I'm not so sure about skydiving . |
364,768 | 4,888,011 | 200,720 | 7 | Dana Scully and Elwood Blues in the Victorian Era . . . can you dig it ? | No doubt the thought of Gillian " Agent Scully " Anderson and Dan " Blues Brothers " Aykroyd in a movie set during the Victorian Era would probably sound like a joke ; think of it as Leslie Nielsen meets Merchant and Ivory . It turns out that " The House of Mirth " is worth seeing . Anderson plays a woman who risks losing her lover . True , how many Victorian-era stories can there be , but everyone brings a certain charm to this one . Watching the movie , one gets the feeling of how unpleasant life was for women back then , and there's lots of tension amongst everyone to add to the story . Also starring Eleanor Bron ( of " Help ! " fame ) , Terry Kinney , Anthony LaPaglia , Laura Linney , Jodhi May ( of " A World Apart " fame ) , Elizabeth McGovern and Eric Stoltz . I would actually like to see a Victorian-era movie starring Leslie Nielsen . |
364,348 | 4,888,011 | 94,939 | 7 | Abracadabra and hocus pocus ! | Another cartoon compilation ? ! Yes , and this one's pretty clever . It features Daffy Duck opening a business to battle supernatural forces , a la " Ghostbusters " . Probably the funniest part was the cartoon where Bugs Bunny stays in Count Dracula's castle and upsets the count's ( after ) lifestyle , but it was also really something when the sick millionaire threw all the pies at Daffy , and when Daffy scared Porky . Still , I never quite understood the whole part about the money disappearing . So , " Daffy Duck's Quackbusters " isn't quite the same as the classic cartoons , but it's still worth seeing . Don't be surprised if , after watching this , you go around saying " abracadabra " and " hocus pocus " . If I may add something , the two segments with Sylvester were also neat . |
364,646 | 4,888,011 | 86,200 | 7 | Here's what was risky . | Everyone remembers the scene of Joel Goodsen ( Tom Cruise ) dancing around to " Old Time Rock ' N ' Roll " , but some people may have forgotten some of the movie's other aspects . The plot of course has Goodsen hooking up with prostitute Lana ( Rebecca DeMornay ) , but the movie also shows the takeover by greed in the ' 80s : Joel's classmates are obsessed with money , and he even asks if people can think about anything else . Oh well . I really liked the scene where people are arriving in the house while " Mannish Boy " is playing ( the movie was actually released the year that Muddy Waters died ) . And it's also surprising now that I know who some of the cast members were : Joe Pantoliano - of " The Goonies " , " The Matrix " and " Memento " fame - plays Guido the pimp , and Curtis Armstrong - aka Booger in " Revenge of the Nerds " - plays Miles . Whoa . |
363,039 | 4,888,011 | 421,239 | 7 | more than ( air ) plain | Knowing that " Red Eye " comes from the man who gave us " The Hills Have Eyes " , " A Nightmare on Elm Street " and " Scream " , we would probably expect a slasher movie . It turns out that this is nothing of the sort . What we have here is a slick thriller in the vein of another airplane-set movie from last year , " Flightplan " . And a very clever one at that . It all begins when hotel clerk Lisa Reisert ( Rachel McAdams ) is headed for the Dallas airport to catch a plane back to Miami . Upon learning that her flight has been delayed , Lisa waits in line , where she gets to know one Jack Rippner ( Cillian Murphy ) , an extremely likable everyman . Lo and behold , she's sitting next to him on the plane . But right after the plane takes off is when she learns what he really wants : he wants her to change a government agent's room reservation in her Miami hotel , or her father will get killed . I wish to assert that the airplane setting really heightens the tension . Even creepier is how Jack gets everyone to like him , so Lisa probably can't blow his cover . If the movie has any problem , it's the actual assassins : why do they have to be Russians ? Aren't we done portraying Russians as killers / Mafiosos / oligarchs ? But overall , I really liked this movie . Wes Craven brings the same sensibility that he brought to the rest of his movies . So check it out . You're sure to like it . . . and it just might save your life . |
363,306 | 4,888,011 | 870,904 | 7 | Starting with Volume 2 , the featurettes on the Looney Tunes DVDs were the locksmiths of love , no ? | In a way , Pepe Le Pew - more than any of the other Looney Tunes - represents that deep down desire that so many men have . The mini-documentary " Behind the Tunes : The Charm of Stink - On the Scent of Pepe le Pew " explains his hilarious delusion of being the world's greatest lover while actually repelling the women . People like Leonard Maltin and Joe Dante put in their two ( s ) cents . I think that I may have heard that Pepe was based on French actor Charles Boyer , but this featurette clarifies the whole thing . I guess that it's another example of knowing the parody before knowing the original ( heck , without even knowing that the parody is a parody ) . Kind of like how the first time that I saw " What's Opera , Doc ? " when I was really young , I had never heard of Richard Wagner , or that I learn about many pop songs by hearing " Weird Al " Yankovic's spoofs . But anyway , this short does a good job looking at Pepe Le Pew . I agree with another reviewer that the mini-documentaries on the Looney Tunes DVDs improved with Volume 2 . |
363,835 | 4,888,011 | 473,753 | 7 | Jimi Hendrix's song comes to the screen | Ever since Luc Besson directed " The Fifth Element " , it was probably hard to imagine him directing a movie like the mystifying " Angel-A " . But he did , and the movie impressed me . One might interpret it as the same idea as Jimi Hendrix's song in which an angel - whether real or metaphorical - saves a person's existence . Certainly how Angela helps Andre fix up his life in a world that seemingly rejected him , that's a matter of interpretation . But I also detect an allusion to France's treatment of the North Africans ( but that's just conjecture , so don't quote me ) . But overall , I think that Luc Besson is offering hope amidst the turmoil that has engulfed the world . It's a little bit like " Pan's Labyrinth " in that sense . So I recommend it . |
365,038 | 4,888,011 | 70,735 | 7 | Good , but in the year that produced " American Graffiti " , " The Exorcist " , " The Last Detail " , " Serpico " , and " Enter the Dragon " , did this deserve Best Picture ? | As " The Sting " is probably the most famous con artist-themed movie ever , you probably know that it's about aging con artist Henry Gondorff ( Paul Newman ) and up-and-comer Johnny Hooker ( Robert Redford ) teaming up to get revenge on crime boss Doyle Lonnegan ( Robert Shaw ) in Depression-era Chicago . This movie may be most famous as 1973's Best Picture winner , but I wouldn't have given it Best Picture . Granted , it was an interesting look at the underworld of the 1930s and the corruption prevalent throughout that period , but a number of movies that year were more deserving . Oh well . It's still worth seeing . Whenever George Roy Hill directed Newman and Redford together , he always came up with something good . As it was , this was one of two movies in 1973 about Depression-era conning ; the other was of course " Paper Moon " . And " The Sting II " ? I don't think that anyone's actually seen that movie ( I sure haven't ) . Once on " The Simpsons " , Grampa even made a comment about it's lack of fame . |
364,599 | 4,888,011 | 114,594 | 7 | Kevin Spacey as Lester Burnham's flip side | To me , it seems like 1995 was really the year that brought Kevin Spacey into the national spotlight . He played a creepy boss in " Swimming with Sharks " , a strange interviewee in " The Usual Suspects " and a serial killer in " Se7en " . The first one lets him go all out as a total jerk - and he's a movie producer , so that makes him as bad as can be - making life a living hell for Frank Whaley's newcomer . So it's no surprise that Whaley does what he does . Is Spacey the actor who most defined the direction that indie films started to take in the ' 90s ? Hard to say , as there were many such actors . But I would say that it's neat how Spacey's characters usually perpetrate misery on other people ( like here ) or rebel against it ( like in " American Beauty " ) . Overall , this is certainly one that I recommend . Because a paper cut on the tongue can't be anything pleasant . Also featuring Benicio Del Toro in an early role . |
364,583 | 4,888,011 | 70,723 | 7 | the wearing of the green . . . | In the ' 70s , Charlton Heston starred in sci-fi flicks of varying quality . " Soylent Green " is one of the better ones . He plays Robert Thorn , a detective in 2022 New York . In this future , most food is so expensive that everyone needs a product called Soylent Green . But when Thorn finds out the unsavory truth about this product , he finds himself on the run . I guess that it's only natural that this movie should seem dated to us nowadays . But even so , it still brings up interesting questions about what will become of our agriculture . Also starring Leigh Taylor-Young , Chuck Connors , Brock Peters , Joseph Cotten and Edward G . Robinson ( in his final role ) . |
364,062 | 4,888,011 | 36,542 | 7 | Cook the goose , and then imitate Barbarella | Once again , a dimwit unsuccessfully tries to do away with Daffy Duck . In this case , soft-spoken Mr . Meek has to cook a duck for dinner or his wife will cook his goose ( heh , heh ) . Some of the gags here have appeared in so many cartoons that I easily predicted them ( namely the one about lumps ) . But the highlight here is Daffy's striptease ; it reminded me of what Jane Fonda did at the beginning of " Barbarella " . If we in the 21st century find that scene wacky , just imagine how it must have looked to moviegoers in 1943 ! Anyway , this is a true display of Daffy's talent back when his first name actually described his personality ( it was after WWII when he became a sociopath under Chuck Jones's direction ) . OK , so we could also be cynical and say that Bob Clampett gave Daffy a too vulnerable rival , and so Daffy didn't have to do all that he could . Well , I still say that " The Wise Quacking Duck " is a really funny cartoon . And I don't think that any live-action actor would have dared do that striptease . |
364,202 | 4,888,011 | 396,171 | 7 | Who scent you ? | For years , many people have associated the French with certain smells , whether the stereotype of the people not bathing , or Pepe Le Pew . But now there comes something different . Something that I could have never imagined . " Perfume : The Story of a Murderer " tells the story of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille ( Ben Whishaw ) . He was born to a meat cutter in the putrid environs of a market in 18th century Paris . When his mother tried to abandon him , she was executed and he was sent to work in a tannery . During his employment there , he developed a unique sense of smell . So , he went to work for has-been perfumer Giuseppe Baldini ( Dustin Hoffman , whom I at first didn't recognize due to his makeup ) . But in the process , he found that the only way to capture the perfect scent was through . . . murder . So , he began killing women and rubbing animal fat on them to capture their scent . And in the city of Grasse , things were doomed to get really ugly . . . This was certainly an interesting movie , if not the best . Director Tom Tykwer ( " Run Lola Run " ) makes us understand that Jean-Baptiste is turning very weird , but still allows us to admire him somewhat . As it is , some of the other characters aren't much better . When Jean-Baptiste starts murdering women in Grasse but nobody knows the culprit , the town's head honcho ( Alan Rickman ) proposes a curfew and people start blaming the gypsies . But anyway , the movie's worth seeing . You may never think about perfume the same again after seeing it . |
364,001 | 4,888,011 | 86,250 | 7 | Say hello to our little film . . . | I've never seen the original " Scarface " , but the remake is not something that you'll forget easily . Al Pacino plays Antonio Montana , one of the Cuban exiles known as " Marielitos " . After arriving in Miami , he soon becomes a drug kingpin , distributing cocaine everywhere , not to mention getting all coked up himself . As one might expect with such a person , he gets into all sorts of bloody situations ; in one scene , he and his friends commit what can only be described as the " Florida Chainsaw Massacre " . Pretty much the whole movie shows Tony's violent escapades . I should warn you that this movie is not for the squeamish in any way , shape or form . But don't worry : the violence is not gratuitous . Overall , the movie was an interesting counterbalance to the 1980s ' obsession with optimism . In " Scarface " , all optimism is eliminated early on . Maybe it's not a masterpiece , but it is something that everyone should see just to understand Miami's mafia . |
363,706 | 4,888,011 | 149,380 | 7 | many aspects | I had never heard of Walter Winchell before Paul Mazursky's movie came out . I was pretty impressed by his movie . We see Winchell's beginnings and rise to mild gossip ( where he started ratting on philandering politicians ) until he became a major part of the political discourse . But there came a major split . While Winchell befriended Franklin Roosevelt and tried to make the Nazis ' actions known to Americans - and went so far as to oppose the bombing of Hiroshima because Harry Truman " didn't do it right " - after WWII he sided with Joe McCarthy and started red-baiting people . When a former girlfriend got blacklisted , he didn't come to her aid . I'm not surprised that few people attended his funeral . Stanley Tucci does a really neat job bringing Winchell to life . You gotta love how he reports on the issues of the day , even if it was sort of a forerunner to infotainment . Christopher Plummer looks almost exactly like FDR , and Paul Giamatti makes Winchell's promoter Herman Klurfeld really something . Also starring is Glenne Headly as the former girlfriend . Overall , I recommend " Winchell " . It shows that Paul Mazursky is in fact a capable director , even if a few of his movies haven't been masterpieces . |
365,141 | 4,888,011 | 94,910 | 7 | cute | The Couch Trip is one of those silly comedies that they cranked out in the ' 80s . In this case , Dan Aykroyd plays a mental patient who poses as a psychiatrist , and he goes to Beverly Hills to sub for Charles Grodin . Most of the movie's humor springs from their satirical look at Beverly Hills and people's empty lives there ( a woman has a power struggle with her maid ) . It's the sort of movie that you just watch to have a good time . Don't expect any kind of religious experience . But you'll most likely laugh a lot at how the Beverly Hills people flaunt their wealth . Also starring Walter Matthau , Donna Dixon , Arye Gross and Victoria Jackson ( of " UHF " ) . |
365,090 | 4,888,011 | 70,903 | 7 | Anyone remember in " Gilda Live " , when Gilda Radner played the theme song ? | OK . So Barbra Streisand has a weird reputation ( although I agree with her political views ) , and Robert Redford is . . . well , I don't know how to finish the sentence ( although it seems that his politics are about the same as Streisand's ) . But " The Way We Were " does what it can to look at politics from the Depression to the postwar era . Streisand is the left-wing political activist , Redford the apolitical athlete , and they become lovers , but get forced apart by the red-baiters . Apparently , when this came out , director Sydney Pollack wanted people to interpret it mostly as a love story , but also to pay attention to the politics . I still don't know whether the political aspect or the lovey-dovey aspect is supposed to dominate . As a political message , this is certainly a good movie , but do we need the love story ? By the way , has anyone ever seen Gilda Radner's concert movie " Gilda Live " ? In one scene , she appear as Lisa Loopner , describes this movie's plot , and plays " The Way We Were " on the piano . The things that we see in life . |
364,293 | 4,888,011 | 70,909 | 7 | Where nothing can possibly go wrong . . . | If people had a chance to experience different eras , they would probably take it . They would probably want to reconsider after watching " Westworld " . It portrays an adult theme park set up to look like the Old West , accompanied by Medieval World and Roman World . Robots play the people in these theme parks . So , Peter Martin ( Richard Benjamin ) and John Blane ( James Brolin ) go to Western World and meet a robot gunslinger ( Yul Brynner ) , killing him multiple times . But then , the robots start going crazy and the humans can't kill them anymore . With " Westworld " , Michael Crichton reminds us what he reminded us with " Jurassic Park " : we shouldn't let science make us too confident . Whether or not we heed that is our decision . |
364,411 | 4,888,011 | 51,878 | 7 | Was the ending changed ? | Frenchman's Bend , Mississippi , is a town that's never seen much change . Will Varner ( Orson Welles ) owns everything in town and doesn't allow any competition . But that's all about to change now that Ben Quick ( Paul Newman ) has arrived in town and has his eye on Will's daughter Clara ( Joanne Woodward ) . From William Faulkner's novel , " The Long , Hot Summer " has several things to look at . The title implies more than air temperature ; there's the tension between the various characters . As for the theme of everything suddenly changing , that makes sense ; in 1958 , America - and the whole world - was going through some major changes . There's just one thing : I read that the studio changed the ending for this movie . Does anyone know anything about that ? Because I've never actually read the novel . Oh well . The overall point is that Martin Ritt's first major movie is quite impressive . The three main stars turn in top-notch performances , as do Anthony Franciosa , Lee Remick , and Angela Lansbury . As for the question of whether or not this movie glorifies the South . . . well , they didn't glorify it the way that " Gone with the Wind " did . You'll probably like it . |
362,866 | 4,888,011 | 44,046 | 7 | mission im-possum-ble | One of Robert McKimson's miscellaneous cartoons features a pair of hick possums trying to get their lazy son to do chores , to the point where the father dresses as a dog to scare the tyke . . . but the little guy turns out to be the Road Runner of possums ! Two of McKimson's one-shot cartoons that come to my mind feature animals not usually seen in Warner Bros . cartoons . Aside from " Sleepy Time Possum " there was " Swallow the Leader " ( starring swallows ) . I wonder what was up with that . Whatever it was , this is still worth seeing . Watching McKimson's cartoons , I notice that his characters have really prominent mouths , as opposed to the prominent eyes in cartoons by other directors ( compare the Bugs Bunny in Chuck Jones's and Friz Freleng's cartoons with that in McKimson's cartoons ) . All in all , the possum-bilities are limitless . |
363,974 | 4,888,011 | 343,660 | 7 | If I could do this . . . | Okay , so " 50 First Dates " is mostly silly , but they do a good job with it . Honolulu veterinarian Henry Roth ( Adam Sandler ) falls for Lucy Whitmore ( Drew Barrymore ) , only to find out that , due to an accident , her memory only lasts one day , so she won't remember him the next day ! How will Henry cope with this ? The movie gravitates between goofy and sensitive , but never gets mind-numbing ; Adam Sandler always has something up his sleeve , and he and Barrymore have a great time with the material . As is often the case in Adam Sandler's movies , one of the characters is an embarrassment to everyone else ( in this case , it's Rob Schneider as Henry's whacked-out friend Ula ) . Great fun . Oh , and one more thing : don't watch " 50 First Dates " if you haven't seen " The Sixth Sense " first . |
363,249 | 4,888,011 | 149,367 | 7 | Paul Newman , RIP | Two days ago , one of the greatest actors of all time left this life . Paul Leonard Newman was best known for films like " Hud " , " Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid " and " The Verdict " . But he also starred in small , less noticed movies over the years . One example is " Where the Money Is " . Newman plays an aged crook who moves into a nursing home where it becomes clear to the woman ( Linda Fiorentino ) running the place that he's not as disabled as he claims to be and might in fact be looking for help in pulling off another heist . OK , so an elderly criminal going in for one last scheme is sort of a hackneyed plot . But in this role , Newman doesn't even need to talk much ; it seemed to me as if his eyes functioned as actors . Not to mention that there's some great chemistry between him and Fiorentino . This might not be the most noticeable movie , but it's worth seeing , if only once . There will never be another Paul Newman . Also starring Dermot Mulroney . |
363,736 | 4,888,011 | 94,841 | 7 | grow old gracefully | One of Marco Ferreri's movies from later in his career focuses on a woman in a retirement home and her new relationship . Protagonist Adelina ( Ingrid Thulin ) hooks up with a man whose wife is undergoing treatment . Many of Adelina's acquaintances don't approve of her relationship , to the point that someone steals her dentures . This sets in motion a whole new series of events . What I found to be a really interesting part of " La casa del sorriso " ( " The House of Smiles " in English ) was the African music . The African immigrants brought a most unexpected dimension to a movie with a seemingly routine story . But anyway , I've liked every one of Marco Ferreri's movies that I've seen , and I recommend this one . |
362,629 | 4,888,011 | 79,522 | 7 | Woody Allen was beginning to show his lecherous side . | Following his Oscar win for " Annie Hall " , Woody Allen took another look at relationships . Except that this time , his character Isaac Davis is in love with 17-year-old Tracy ( Mariel Hemingway ) . Maybe nowadays that looks like a premonition , but one shouldn't let it overshadow " Manhattan " ' s high quality of film-making . The movie's title identifies where it happens , and the plot centers around Davis ' relationships with Tracy , as well as Mary Wilkie ( Diane Keaton ) and Jill ( Meryl Streep ) . An incredible look at New York in its own right , this is one movie that shouldn't disappoint you . Also , look for Bella Abzug as the guest of honor , and Wallace Shawn in a supporting role . A really good movie . |
363,282 | 4,888,011 | 44,153 | 7 | We now know where the Acme factory is located . | While accompanying his owners to a certain national park , Sylvester finds a nest and decides to wait for the egg to hatch . Guess who comes out ! While most of " Tweet Tweet Tweety " has the usual sorts of gags - albeit in a forest setting - there was one thing that I saw that should be of particular interest to Looney Tunes fans : the Acme factory . That fictional corporation from which Wile E . Coyote receives every catch-the-Road-Runner gadget ever conceived of turns out to be located in this national park ( we find this out when Sylvester goes there and . . . well , I'll let you see what happens ! ) . But even ignoring that entirely , this is a really funny cartoon . True , we know what sorts of things are going to happen , but it's just a pleasure to watch them happen , and to see Tweety turn into a bad-ass ( he actually did have kind of a mean streak when you think about it ) . Worth seeing . |
365,303 | 4,888,011 | 114,558 | 7 | strange days have found us | Released a few years before the millennium , " Strange Days " portrays Los Angeles at the turn of the millennium . And it's become a total hellhole : a police state to the core , and there's crime everywhere . The actual plot centers on street hustler Lenny Nero ( Ralph Fiennes ) uncovering a police conspiracy . Maybe for me at least , the crime and totalitarian factors pretty much outweighed Lenny's story . But either way , this is definitely a movie that I recommend . Fiennes commands a great performance as always , while Angela Bassett , Juliette Lewis , and Tom Sizemore are also great . Another aspect is the fact that , to quote a line from a Doors song : " Stra-a-a-a-ange . . . da-a-a-ays . . . have found us . " Bush used September 11 as an excuse to militarize everything , and terrorist attacks continue increasing around the world . And this movie predicted everything . |
364,765 | 4,888,011 | 59,557 | 7 | Espionage . . . what a business ! | OK , in retrospective , we should all know that 1960s espionage was all about cool dudes battling evil , and attracting hot babes in the process ( though the latter often overshadowed the former , as Austin Powers showed ) . " Our Man Flint " is no exception . I will say that Derek Flint ( James Coburn ) isn't exactly James Bond , but he has his merits . The movie mostly seems like an excuse to experience that ultra-cool feeling that always emanated from the spy movies of the ' 60s , and they achieve that . So , even if it isn't James Bond , it's still very enjoyable . Also starring Lee J . Cobb . . . and a bunch of half-dressed women . So during that era , the four most important spies were James Bond , Derek Flint , Harry Palmer and Maxwell Smart . |
364,774 | 4,888,011 | 94,761 | 7 | an acceptable remake | Usually , when they attempt a remake of a classic sci-fi / horror flick , they bungle it beyond redemption . " The Blob " is actually a pretty good remake , elaborating the original's story . In this case , the protagonist - aside from the title character - is punk Brian Flagg ( Kevin Dillon ) . The movie's strength comes from the intrigue that it portrays . Needless to say , now that the censorship laws had eased , they were able to add in some more things . I'll never forget the sink scene ( as I call it ) . And , as I understand it , Donovan starred in this movie ( or was it someone else with the name Donovan Leitch ? ) . Oh well , the point is that they eked out a good movie with this remake . |
364,802 | 4,888,011 | 139,654 | 7 | The post-September 11 world . | Some people say that the country became more violent after Kennedy got assassinated ; following that argument , one might say that we got even more violent still after September 11 . Certainly , Kennedy's assassination destroyed the image of a squeaky-clean , wholesome America , and September 11 changed the way that we felt that we could do everything . Whether or not we became more violent after , " Training Day " offers some insight into that . Released right after September 11 ( it's release even got delayed because of the latter ) , the movie stars Denzel Washington as corrupt cop Alonzo Harris , teaming up with rookie Jake Hoyt ( Ethan Hawke ) . As this is a movie about the gritty world of crime , I shouldn't have to identify that it's pretty violent . By the time that the movie had gotten released , movies had been showing violence for over thirty years . But if in fact we did become more violent , then the movie might have been a look at the future . Movies about corrupt cops are nothing new , but they did an OK job with this one . As for other aspects , Denzel Washington won an Oscar for his role , making him the first African-American to win Best Actor ( Sidney Poitier is actually Bahamian ) . Some may ask whether or not it he would have won had not happened , but not me . I say that he deserved the Oscar . |
364,172 | 4,888,011 | 89,941 | 7 | better than you would expect for such a movie | It doesn't quite suffice to call " Runaway Train " an action movie . True , it's got a prison escape and an out-of-control train , but there is actually a plot . After safe cracker Oscar Manheim ( Jon Voight ) and tag-along Buck ( Eric Roberts ) escape from an Alaska prison , they jump onto a train whose engineer suddenly dies of a heart attack . More than simply making every scene a " will they ? ! won't they ? ! " situation , the movie has character development and never moralizes . Nor does it heroify or vilify anyone . The audience is left to develop their own opinions about each of the characters . I won't tell you what happens , but I will let you know that this is one of the only non-mind-numbing action movies that I know . |
363,919 | 4,888,011 | 28,212 | 7 | birds | What one notices while watching " Sabotage " is the role of avians . There's the birds in the cage ( like the lovebirds in " The Birds " , maybe ? ) , and after Sylvia Verloc ( Sylvia Sidney ) watches the cartoon " Who Killed Cock Robin ? " , she gets an idea . You see , her husband Karl ( Oscar Homolka ) is involved with some anarchists who have some unpleasant plans . Alfred Hitchcock was showing his skills with this movie . As chaos is often a motif in his movies , you see it here , and this also has the theme of the guilty woman ( or is she guilty ? ) . It's hard to believe that the young woman in this movie is the " Mars Attacks ! " grandmother , but it's true . |
364,552 | 4,888,011 | 59,319 | 7 | How to describe it ? | I should identify that " The Ipcress File " is not the easiest movie to describe ; the truth is , it's a little hard to follow . In the role that turned him into a star , Michael Caine plays cockney agent Harry Palmer , hired to investigate the brainwashing of some scientists . I think that's what happened , but the movie confused me a little . I would say that this movie functions best if you look at it in a historical context . Aside from dealing with the Cold War , we get to see mid-'60s London . Specifically , Palmer lives in a dreary flat but is called to investigate things involving geopolitics . Some people note that this was around the same time as the James Bond movies but " The Ipcress File " was more intellectual . I guess that in a way it was ; James Bond mostly bedded hot babes . But overall , I would recommend watching this movie as a historical reference more than anything . |
363,576 | 4,888,011 | 480,249 | 7 | but not an urban legend , says I | Many's the day that we've heard of cures , medicines , drugs , etc . , having unintended consequences . So there had to be a movie like " I Am Legend " . It portrays a future in which a miracle cure wipes out cancer but turns the cured people rabid . New York City is now empty except for Robert Neville ( Will Smith ) . He and his dog Sam spend the days driving throughout the city looking for things to shoot . But every night , the mutated people come out of hiding . . . and you don't want to get bitten by them . This is a remake of the Charlton Heston movie " The Omega Man " , which was itself a remake of the Vincent Price movie " The Last Man on Earth " ( what do you call a remake of a remake ? ) . As I haven't seen the other two , I can only focus on this one . Much of the movie was certainly intense enough , and the issue of a miracle cure having a disastrous outcome is a relevant one . But truth be told , the movie mostly seems a little sensationalistic . While I mostly think that Will Smith has so far been a good actor , it seems as if the movie is just trying to show him off . But I do recommend the movie . It really does create a sense of intensity like I rarely see in movies , and it does seem as if the overall plot could really happen . Worth seeing . |
365,723 | 4,888,011 | 59,311 | 7 | I would like to learn Esperanto . | Obviously , the two things that " Incubus " really has going for it are that it's spoken entirely in the artificial language of Esperanto ( listening to that language , it sounds like a bastardization of Italian ) , and that it stars William Shatner right before he became Capt . Kirk . He plays a man who gets involved with a devil woman . I know , it doesn't sound like much , but it's neat hearing Esperanto spoken . As it is , this movie seems sort of like a premonition of Shatner's movie " The Devil's Rain " ( in which he also battles the Prince of Darkness ) . So anyway , this is a neat time capsule . And Esperanto sounds like a neat language . I'd like to learn it . |
362,773 | 4,888,011 | 80,360 | 7 | Here we " state " our point . | William Hurt made a mind-shattering debut in this somewhat disturbing - if improbable - movie about a Harvard scientist who does tests with hallucinatory drugs and an isolation chamber . . . but what kinds of effects will this combination have on him ? After watching " Altered States " , you may be reluctant to try any kind of experiment . Mind you , it's not any kind of great movie . More than anything , it seems to be a look at the possibilities of what could happen if some tests go too far . Ken Russell brings to this flick the same kind of intensity that he brought to " The Devils " , although this one is far less gruesome . All in all , this movie is certainly worth seeing , although I don't recommend it for the fainthearted . The visual effects aren't quite what we're used to , but that doesn't diminish the movie's quality at all ; if anything , that makes the movie feel grittier . Also starring Blair Brown , Bob Balaban , and Drew Barrymore in her film debut . |
364,099 | 4,888,011 | 33,081 | 7 | I don't know whether or not cats is duh cwaziest people , but Bob Clampett was sure one of duh cwaziest directors ! | Since cartoon characters usually take their dogs hunting , it was at the very least interesting to see Porky Pig take his cat hunting . But not even that idea could have prepared me for what was in store here . After Porky tells the loopy feline that they're having fish for dinner , the cat sort of flips out to the point where the bird decides that he's seen everything ( in case you don't know that gag , you'll find out ) . But it's once they go fishing that the cartoon takes off . This fish acts as if he's on acid or something . It seems that the Termite Terrace crowd took Daffy from " Porky's Duck Hunt " and applied the characteristics to an aquatic vertebrate . All in all , " The Sour Puss " is definitely a funny one . You're sure to like it . The last line is a parody of Lew Lehr , who appeared in Movietone newsreels in the 1930s and said things like " Chickens is duh cwaziest people ! " The Termite Terrace crowd also parodied him in " She Was an Acrobat's Daughter " and " Scaredy Cat " . |
364,704 | 4,888,011 | 97,567 | 7 | you might want to see it | Immediate Family is a look at the vicissitudes of adoption . Glenn Close and James Woods play Linda and Michael Spector , a middle-aged couple who have never been able to have children . They meet with a younger , economically strapped couple to discuss adopting from them , but further complications ensue . I will admit that this isn't the ultimate masterpiece , but it's the sort of movie that people should see before they adopt , just to understand the issues . Equally as good as Close and Woods are Mary Stuart Masterson and Kevin Dillon , as the young couple having the baby but having doubts about giving it up . A pretty interesting movie . |
364,478 | 4,888,011 | 1,059,786 | 7 | HAL's next step | I suspect that the total control of society depicted in " Eagle Eye " is nothing compared to real life . The movie actually comes out a little better than I expected it to be . It focuses on two people who start getting telephone calls from an unidentified source telling them what to do or face drastic consequences , and helping them along every step of the way . As one might predict , the movie's weaknesses are the excessive - and totally improbable - action sequences . But the movie does a good job looking at the risks that our society has created with its reliance on technology . Granted , it's not in the same league as " 2001 : A Space Odyssey " . Probably worth seeing once . It appears that D . J . Caruso likes casting Shia LeBoeuf in quasi-remakes of masterpieces ( he previously cast LeBoeuf in " Disturbia " , which had a plot similar to the one in " Rear Window " ) . Also starring Michelle Monaghan , Billy Bob Thornton and the voice of Julianne Moore . |
362,920 | 4,888,011 | 102,951 | 7 | And that's the way it is , folks . | A tongue-in-cheek look at soap operas , " Soapdish " portrays a series of events involving several people in the TV world . Specifically , some of these people don't even know about each other , but they're all about to crash head-on into each other . Sally Field , as star Celeste Talbert / Maggie , almost seems to be channeling her " Flying Nun " persona , but she does a great job with it . Kevin Kline , as stage actor Jeffrey Anderson / Dr . Rod Randall , is his normal self : an average Joe who has some unusual comments . Cathy Moriarty , as unctuous Montana Moorehead / Nurse Nan , is a REAL bitch . Whoopi Goldberg , Elisabeth Shue , and Robert Downey Jr . also provide some great roles . A very interesting movie . |
362,997 | 4,888,011 | 110,632 | 7 | interesting idea , killing us softly | Watching " Natural Born Killers " , I can certainly see why it caused so much controversy . Portraying husband and wife mass murderers Mickey ( Woody Harrelson ) and Mallory Knox ( Juliette Lewis ) , the movie doesn't leave you with a soft feeling in your stomach . But I think that simply writing the movie off as a violent screed misses the point . It was also showing how the TV interviewer ( Robert Downey Jr ) glorifies them ; isn't it protocol in our society for the media to heroify killers ? So maybe the two murderers here are the protagonists . When you think about it , Oliver Stone is showing the degenerate state of our society . We could try to do something about the conditions that drive people to become killers , but we lock them up and let the media lionize them . In short , we have become the Law and Order-obsessed Sensationalistic States of America . Anyway , I do actually recommend this movie . I do not blame it for school shootings ; I blame society . Are Mickey and Mallory a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde ? That's debatable . Also starring Tom Sizemore , Rodney Dangerfield , Jared Harris , Edie McClurg , Russell Means and Tommy Lee Jones . |
362,938 | 4,888,011 | 367,251 | 7 | Let them tell you about some friends they know . . . | What I mainly find interesting about these " making of " mini-documentaries is seeing the cast members all these years later . But even beyond that , " The Yearbook : An ' Animal House ' Reunion " is still quite entertaining , as most of the cast and crew put in their two cents about the production . One of the most impressive parts was footage shot by a Eugene , Oregon , TV station during production . Absent from this are the late John Belushi , Doug Kenny and Cesare Danova - and John Vernon has since passed on - while the still alive Donald Sutherland , James Daughton , Tom Hulce and Martha Smith also don't appear . But the rest of the cast and crew do a pretty good job explaining what all happened on the set ; it all sounded really fun ! So , it's a must-see for any " Animal House " fan . I recommend it . I wonder if Babs and Mandy are still as hot as they were in the movie . . . especially if we see them doing some of what they did in the movie ! |
365,425 | 4,888,011 | 41,760 | 7 | The squirrels of Central Park | Arthur Davis , who directed " Porky Chops " , was most famous as an animator ; maybe he just didn't have exactly what it takes to be a director . This cartoon is pretty funny - hell , it looks like " Citizen Kane " compared to some of the cartoons coming out today - but it mostly seems to be a one-joke premise , as Porky Pig tries to chop down a tree but the wise-guy squirrel using it as his vacation home keeps interfering . So , it's not a great cartoon , but still good for a few laughs . . . particularly with what happens after the dynamite gag ( the Termite Terrace crowd sure had a way with dynamite , didn't they ? ) . PS : The name " The squirrels of Central Park " originally came from Gary Larson's cartoon " The Far Side " . The squirrel here reminded me of that . |
363,484 | 4,888,011 | 808,279 | 7 | Who wants to see violence ? | Previously , I had seen Michael Haneke's movie " Cache " with Juliette Binoche and Daniel Auteuil , and so I only knew of Haneke from that movie . It surprised me more than a little when , after watching " Funny Games U . S . " , I learned that it's a nearly shot-for-shot remake of an earlier movie by Haneke . When an affluent family arrives home after a vacation , two men come to the neighborhood . These guys look as if they just walked out of the typical exclusive sports club , and talk like straight-laced politicians . But when these two kindly take the family hostage and get them to follow every order , that's when the movie really takes off . Specifically , the movie plays with the audience . Showing brutality but carefully tempting us to want to see more , this is not the sort of thing that you usually see . . . if you truly desire to see it . As I've never seen the original version , I can't compare the two ( although I do wonder what's up with remakes of foreign movies , even if it is from the same director ) . But I do recommend the film . It disturbingly forces us to think carefully about our society's obsession with violence , while never preaching or moralizing ; hell , it actually takes a rather humorous approach . Starring Naomi Watts and Tim Roth . |
364,328 | 4,888,011 | 28,245 | 7 | mutiny on the Porky | The early , morbidly obese Porky Pig had only existed for a little over a year ( and Mel Blanc was not yet providing his voice ) when he appeared in " Shanghaied Shipmates " . The cartoon portrays a sadistic captain kidnapping Porky and several other sailors to use as his crew . The whole voyage is practically a torture chamber . Sure enough , they eventually rebel . Knowing that this came out the year after " Mutiny on the Bounty " got released , I wonder whether or not the latter gave them the idea to make it . Since they were still getting started , we should understand not to expect any of the completely wacky stuff that became their cornerstone during the ' 40s and ' 50s . Anyway , it's an OK cartoon . Warner Bros . returned to this topic with the Bugs Bunny-Yosemite Sam vehicle " Mutiny on the Bunny " . Worth seeing , if only once . Available on YouTube . |
364,059 | 4,888,011 | 41,740 | 7 | What is corn silk anyway ? | Some of the coolest Warner Bros . cartoons were their riffs on children's stories . One example is Robert McKimson's " Paying the Piper " , in which pied piper Porky Pig rids Hamelin of the rats . While the citizens rejoice , it disturbs the cats that they won't have any food . So , their New Jersey-accented " Supreem Cat " dresses as a rat , hoping to make it look as though Porky hasn't fulfilled his duty and therefore won't get his reward . Are cartoon cats just the biggest tricksters of all ? ! While the cartoon may sound like a one-joke premise , they have some great gags to move it along , such as Supreem's insults to Porky . I'd never even heard of corn silk before watching this cartoon . Is there even such a thing as corn silk , does anyone know ? But also , I liked how Porky and Supreem trick each other throughout the cartoon . Maybe not the greatest short to come from the Termite Terrace crowd , but entertaining enough for the few minutes that it runs . Just became available on the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 5 Disc 2 . I might have expected Bugs Bunny in that scene ; after all , it's the sort of thing that he would do . |
365,392 | 4,888,011 | 72,684 | 7 | Kubrick's mild letdown sandwiched in between two greats | Following a troika of masterpieces ( " Dr . Stranglove " , " 2001 " and " A Clockwork Orange " ) , Stanley Kubrick decided to make a period piece . In " Barry Lyndon " , the title character ( Ryan O'Neal ) abandons all morals with the goal of becoming rich and titled in 18th century England . Of course , he's only doing himself in . It's debatable whether or not Kubrick was the ideal person for a costume drama , although he did a pretty good job here . Unfortunately , Ryan O'Neal isn't quite right to play Lyndon . Still , one can look for similarities to Kubrick's other movies . For example , the first Mr . Lyndon is in a wheelchair ( just like Dr . Strangelove and the one character in " A Clockwork Orange " ) . There's a bathroom scene , like in " The Shining " and " Full Metal Jacket " . Throughout most of the movie , Barry and Lady Lyndon ( Marisa Berenson ) are wearing red , but not at their wedding ( that's a filmic element meaning that they aren't marrying for love ) . But overall , this isn't the Kubrick movie that I would recommend above all others . |
365,549 | 4,888,011 | 332,605 | 7 | Would you believe that I see a connection to a Porky Pig cartoon ? | Set in a mental institution near Chechnya , Andrei Konchalovsky's " Dom durakov " - " House of Fools " in English - indirectly poses the question of whether the real insanity lies inside or outside the mental institution . It does have a plot fairly similar to " King of Hearts " ( the staff flees and leaves the patients , who then have to deal with the surrounding war ) . By the time that this came out , I don't know how long it had been since Konchalovsky had directed a movie in his native Russia - in the United States , he had directed " Runaway Train " and " Shy People " - but this was an OK return for him ( though far from the best Russian movie that I've ever seen ) . And the Porky Pig cartoon ? It was 1947's " Little Orphan Airedale " , the first appearance of Charlie Dog ( the pushy canine who always tries to get Porky to adopt him as a pet ) . At the end of the cartoon , Charlie's other friend decides that life is screwy on the outside , and so the final scene shows him trying to get back into the dog pound ! Maybe that's a little more like " King of Hearts " , but they all question where the real insanity lies ( I guess that " One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest " also does ) . Does anybody know whether or not Yulia Vysotskaya is related to Vladimir Vysotsky ? |
363,868 | 4,888,011 | 120,484 | 7 | it may be hard to believe , but I derived some character development | If I remember right , when " The Waterboy " got released , critics called it things like " a deflated football comedy " and " utterly dehydrated " ( and some considered it ironic that Oscar-winner Kathy Bates stars ) . Well , when I saw it a little while later , I did something that probably few if any people did : I derived some character development . It seems that Adam Sandler's character is one of these guys afraid to challenge his domineering mother to the point where he reacts if people challenge what she says , and so football is the only way for him to assert himself . Then again , I might be reading too far into the movie ; it was most likely intended as silly entertainment ( and it mostly is quite goofy , especially with Henry Winkler's Roy Orbison tattoo ) . See what you think . Also starring Fairuza Balk and Rob Schneider . |
363,387 | 4,888,011 | 103,064 | 7 | Here's why it outdoes the original : | You see , the first " Terminator " had someone protecting Sarah Connor ( Linda Hamilton ) , and she depended on him . In " Terminator 2 : Judgment Day " , Sarah goes all bad-ass to protect her son John ( Edward Furlong , in an impressive debut ) . Oh , and of course there's the Terminator ( Arnold Schwarzenegger ) battling the villainous T-1000 ( Robert Patrick ) , sent back in time to kill John . Okay , so " T2 " goes a little overboard on special effects , but it does manage to have a plot . The threat of a nuclear holocaust is always unnerving . Obviously , sending someone back in time to change history violates the paradox of time travel ( meaning that if you change the past , then the future will be completely different , so there would be no incentive to change the past to begin with ) , but this is a pretty good movie , as action flicks go . Among other things , it shows that when Ah-nuld tries , he can act . |
365,759 | 4,888,011 | 120,399 | 7 | life as a film noir | After so many politically-themed movies , Oliver Stone decided to try something very different with " U Turn " . Sean Penn plays Bobby Cooper , whose car breaks down in Superior , Arizona . Over the next few days in this small town , Cooper gets to know the various people there . . . but is he learning everything about them that there is to be learned ? Penn gives his usual intense performance . Nick Nolte , as the might-as-well-be-mayor Jake McKenna , creates one perplexing character . Also starring are Jennifer Lopez ( actually doing a good role ! ) , Jon Voight , Billy Bob Thornton , Joaquin Phoenix , Claire Danes , Powers Boothe , and Julie Hagerty . This is definitely not a movie for everyone , but it's fairly neat . A sort of modern-day film noir . |
364,886 | 4,888,011 | 41,938 | 7 | almost San Juan Bautista | In basically any cartoon where a cat attempts to eat birds , it's pretty much a guarantee that the birds will give the cat hell . And Robert McKimson's " Swallow the Leader " gives the feline star ( he looks like a slightly fatter version of Sylvester ) some real hell ! Awaiting the return of swallows to San Juan Capistrano , the head swallow makes mincemeat of him . . . so guess what the whole gang does ! What I think would have been neat would have been if they'd set this cartoon in San Juan Bautista . You may recognize the latter as the place in Alfred Hitchcock's " Vertigo " . I try to imagine the cat doing what Kim Novak's character does ( though for the record , there isn't actually a bell tower in San Juan Bautista ) . But that's beside the point . Contrary to McKimson's detractors , he had some good ideas for cartoons . Like Friz Freleng , he just used material that he considered funny ( Chuck Jones went for the intellectual stuff ) . Worth seeing . |
363,851 | 4,888,011 | 19,702 | 7 | Hitchcock's guilty woman | A common motif in Alfred Hitchcock's movies is the guilty woman : " Blackmail " , " Psycho " and " The Birds " are all prime examples . In " Blackmail " , Alice White ( Anny Ondra ) goes home with an artist one night and he tries to rape her . She murders him , and from then on everything reminds her of it . The jester painting appears to be looking at her ( or she at it ? ) , a billboard looks like a knife , and a woman keeps uttering the word knife . But in the end , everything blows up in Alice's face . Hitch was certainly showing his chops here . The camera angles , scenery , and other such things all combined to make what we would expect in a Hitchcock movie . I try to imagine being a moviegoer in 1929 watching " Blackmail " for the first time , wondering what Hitchcock's subsequent work would be like . |
362,585 | 4,888,011 | 90,098 | 7 | John Candy and Carl Reiner : what could be a better combo ? | For most of his career , John Candy played a bunch of rather silly roles that - while they were completely goofy - were great nevertheless . " Summer Rental " is one such role . Candy plays overworked air traffic controller Jack Chester , who takes his family on vacation in Florida . Naturally , it ends up being not as much of a vacation as they hoped . Finally , Jack and his family decide to take one last chance to restore their dignity . I will admit that " Summer Rental " is pretty much a big excuse to be silly , but you gotta love it . This is John Candy doing what he does best . It's really too bad that he died ; he really had a good track record . |
365,617 | 4,888,011 | 110,771 | 7 | stop / start the presses | The Paper does seem slightly more serious and less sentimental than most of Ron Howard's movies . Focusing on an overworked reporter ( Michael Keaton ) getting torn between a big story and his wife ( Marisa Tomei ) , it's worth seeing . I wonder how many movies there can be about someone getting between his family and his job , but combining that with something about the media - specifically a newspaper - makes it a little bit more interesting . In my opinion , the most interesting character was Glenn Close's incarnation of the bitchy executive ( there always has to be one of those , doesn't there ? ) preferring to stick with policy rather than investigate the story seriously ; you're not sure whether she makes your skin crawl or whether she's kinda likable . So , this isn't the greatest movie ever - certainly not the best movie focusing on the media - but worth seeing as a look into situations slowly but surely spinning out of control . Also starring Robert Duvall , Randy Quaid , Jason Alexander and Clint Howard . |
364,712 | 4,888,011 | 258,068 | 7 | they told us so | I read that there was a version of " The Quiet American " made in the 1950s . Since the Vietnam War had not yet happened - at least not its really famous stages - that version could have been seen as a warning . Since this one came out long after the Vietnam War ( in fact , shortly before the invasion of Iraq ) , it's both a warning and saying " I told you so " . The obvious point is that this movie is not a war movie , but it's still a good look at what led up to the Vietnam War , as the young American agent ( Brendan Fraser ) comes in pretending to help the people but is actually coming to stir up trouble that the US can use as an excuse to invade . This may be the best role that he has ever done , to the extent that the movie would work equally well without the presence of a great actor like Michael Caine ( no offense to Mr . Caine ) . So , it's certainly one that I recommend , as a warning about the dangers of militarism , even in its most minimal form . Also starring Rade Serbedzija and Tzi Ma . |
364,383 | 4,888,011 | 110,763 | 7 | Get away from the computer and read a book , gosh darn it ! | The Pagemaster may have been the only really good movie that Macaulay Culkin ever did . Playing accident-obsessed youngster Richard Tyler , who goes to the library and gets transferred into a world of horror , fantasy and adventure , he makes the most of the role . Patrick Stewart ( a pirate-like book named Adventure ) , Whoopi Goldberg ( a fairy-like book named Fantasy ) and Frank Welker ( a maladroit book named Horror ) show themselves to be as adept in these kinds of movies as they are in their normal roles , as does Christopher Lloyd ( the librarian and the Pagemaster ) . All in all , this movie really shows you how much there is to read . I think that my favorite scene was the whole Jekyll and Hyde sequence - although the dripping painting was also pretty impressive . A very well done movie . Also starring Ed Begley Jr . , Mel Harris , and the voices of Leonard Nimoy , Dorian Harewood and Phil Hartman . |
362,799 | 4,888,011 | 59,243 | 7 | Oh , to participate in this race ! | Sometimes , it's good to think that certain movies have no purpose except to be funny . " The Great Race " is one such movie . You know how in " Dr . Strangelove " , the characters ' names describe who they are ? Well , in this movie , it's even more exaggerated . Set in 1908 , Tony Curtis plays eternally kind stuntman Leslie Gallant III , Jack Lemmon plays the dastardly Professor Fate , Natalie Wood plays photographer Maggie DuBois , Peter Falk plays Fate's assistant Max Meen , and Keenan Wynn plays Gallant's assistant Hezekiah Sturdy . Think that all sounds crazy ? Well , that's just the tip of the iceberg . After Fate and Gallant try to best each other in some stunts ( with the latter always doing better , of course ) , Gallant proposes a New-York-to-Paris race , and so Fate and Maggie enlist . Throughout the race , a series of wacky things happen : a brawl in an old western town , an unwanted trip across the Bering Sea , and a pie fight . When I first saw " The Great Race " when I was eight , the only cast member whom I recognized was Dorothy Provine , as a singer in the old western town - I had previously seen her in " It's a Mad , Mad , Mad , Mad World " ; in the process of watching the movie , I learned the names Tony Curtis , Jack Lemmon , Natalie Wood and Peter Falk ( Falk also starred in " IAMMMMW " , but he didn't appear until very late in the movie , so I hadn't picked up on it ) . Now , when I look at " The Great Race " cast , it's almost hard for me to believe that it also stars Ethel Mertz , Artemus Gordon , Gen . Batguano , Col . Agarn ( from " F Troop " ) and Otis ( from " The Andy Griffith Show ) . Whoa . . . It's pure hilarity from start ( one of Fate's dirty tricks ) to finish ( the French are probably glad that this isn't a true story ) . |
362,850 | 4,888,011 | 158,371 | 7 | sweet Woody-back's good-ass song | When " Sweet and Lowdown " came out , I was somehow led to believe that Emmet Ray was a real person . Although it turns out that he wasn't , this is still a very well done movie . Sean Penn makes the most of the role , with the same sort of intensity that he always brings to his roles . He shows Ray as a rather impolite weirdo whom you can't help but admire - he is a great guitarist . Samantha Morton is equally interesting as Ray's mute love interest Hattie . It just goes to show that Woody Allen can do good work when he doesn't focus on neurotic rich New Yorkers . Also starring Uma Thurman , Anthony LaPaglia , Gretchen Mol , John Waters , Brad Garrett , and Allen as himself . |
364,840 | 4,888,011 | 97,322 | 7 | On the piano , folks ! | Maybe " The Fabulous Baker Boys " was mostly one of those " small " movies , but it was certainly well-done . Jack ( Jeff Bridges ) and Frank Baker ( Beau Bridges ) are professional musicians whose lives consist of playing in clubs . Figuring that they need a back-up singer , they hire Susie Diamond ( Michelle Pfeiffer ) . But her presence reveals the flaws in Jack's and Frank's lives , and specifically , their relationships with each other . I don't know much about professional music to really comment further , but this was certainly an interesting flick . The Bridges brothers played the pianos on their own , and one can clearly see it . Definitely worth seeing . |
364,772 | 4,888,011 | 120,773 | 7 | vintage Lemmon and Matthau | Okay , so the sequel was pretty absurd , but it was Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau doing what they do best ( it was also their final teaming ) . In this case , Felix Ungar ( Lemmon ) and Oscar Madison ( Matthau ) are driving to their son's and daughter's wedding in San something , California , experiencing various unpleasant situations along the way . Most of the movie's strength lies in its one-liners , most of which show just how much both men are seething . I think that my favorite scene is when they stop out in the middle of the desert , and . . . well , you have to see it . Somewhere up in that great retirement home in the sky , Oscar and Felix must still be getting on each other's nerves . They were truly great . |
364,380 | 4,888,011 | 250,797 | 7 | Destined to happen ? | Obviously , there have been many movies about people having affairs . In fact , Adrian Lyne - who directed " Unfaithful " - directed " Fatal Attraction " . But good performances keep this one afloat . They create an interesting blend of drama and suspense here , with wife Diane Lane having the affair , and husband Richard Gere wondering how long he can put up with it . I don't know whether this is really any masterpiece . It mostly seems pretty routine . It's just that it creates a feeling of impending doom . Also starring Olivier Martinez and Erik Per Sullivan ( aka Dewey on " Malcolm in the Middle " ) . |
363,211 | 4,888,011 | 120,768 | 7 | OK , if nothing else . And it did affirm Paul Giamatti's presence on the silver screen . | For the most part , " The Negotiator " is kind of a cliché : a Chicago hostage negotiator ( Samuel L . Jackson ) gets framed for something and has to take hostages to prove his point , so another negotiator ( Kevin Spacey ) is brought in to talk everything over with him . But in this case , there's the interesting balance of both men trying to outdo the other . And among other things , this was one of four movies in summer , 1998 , that affirmed Paul Giamatti's burgeoning presence in movies ( the others were " The Truman Show " , " Dr . Dolittle " and " Saving Private Ryan " ) . Anyway , this movie is worth seeing . You just might learn some good things about hostage situations here . Also starring David Morse and J . T . Walsh . |
365,555 | 4,888,011 | 110,971 | 7 | Shakespeare in the army | Halt thyself , thou knave . I shall tell thee of a film in which a great thespian of our time plays a man who teacheth a group of milit'ry people about one of the greatest playwrights of all time . Never have these men and wenches known such masterful work , but eager they are to learn . OK , I'll cut the Shakespearean talk . But the point is that " Renaissance Man " is a really cool movie , with Danny DeVito as a literature teacher who joins the army and teaches some of the recruits about Shakespeare . This was certainly one of the under-appreciated comedies of the 1990s ( specifically , one showing that you don't need scatological humor to make a good comedy ) . At the very least , it should be interesting to see Mark Wahlberg in his film debut . But even beyond that , I would say that there's lots to admire here . I definitely recommend it . Also starring Kadeem Hardison and Cliff Robertson . |
364,000 | 4,888,011 | 375,210 | 7 | Maybe the ending was a little unclear , but it was overall a good movie . | Communication with the dead is a fairly common theme in movies , but Electronic Voice Phenomenon ( EVP ) is not . " White Noise " deals with it . Michael Keaton plays architect Jonathan Rivers , whose wife disappears and is then found dead . Then , a strange man shows Jonathan a recording that appears to be his wife trying to reach him . Jonathan at first keeps trying to listen , but then some disturbing messages begin to come through , some of which may spell bad news . This is a pretty interesting movie . The truth is , I had never even heard of EVP prior to this movie . Maybe the very end was just a little unclear , but I felt that overall , I understood it . Deborah Kara Unger plays Sarah Tate , a woman who joins up with Jonathan in his searches . With this role , she continues with her somewhat quirky roles , much like the ones that she played in " The Game " and " The Hurricane " . True , it's not any kind of masterpiece , but I wasn't expecting one . " White Noise " is , moreover , a new kind of movie . |
363,439 | 4,888,011 | 120,787 | 7 | a plot as perfect as the murder planned | Steven ( Michael Douglas ) and Emily Taylor ( Gwyneth Paltrow ) look like the typical rich New Yorkers : he's twice her age , they live in a high-rise , and both have prestigious jobs . But she doesn't know that he's planning to have her killed to pay off his debts . And he doesn't know that she's cleverer than he thinks . " A Perfect Murder " does a very good job updating " Dial M for Murder " . They keep the suspense going every step of the way . And they really pull some surprises . Equally as good as the aforementioned stars is Viggo Mortensen ; he gives sort of an air of Aragorn's bad side . But either way , this is certainly a movie that I recommend . Also starring Sarita Choudhury . |
363,770 | 4,888,011 | 120,815 | 7 | still , it does seem that they could have looked at more | I would have given " Saving Private Ryan " a higher score had it looked at more issues abundant during WWII ( they could have focused on the various roles that each country specifically played in the war ) . But don't get me wrong : watching the movie , you can literally feel the bullets hitting you . Tom Hanks commands as strong a performance as we can expect him to , and the rest of the cast also does quite well . I guess that if the movie has any problems , it's in the characters themselves . Aside from the fact that the movie pretty much makes all Americans out to be good and all Germans out to be bad , the Americans are basically clichés . They're all wholesome , hard-working guys out to make something of themselves . Moreover , there's the wise-guy New Yorker and the cowpoke Southerner , and Pvt . Ryan comes from Iowa ( read : America's heartland ) . But otherwise , it's a very good movie , and it goes to show what an incredible director Steven Spielberg is ( although I still wouldn't have given the movie Best Picture ; I would have given that to " Life is Beautiful " ) . Also starring Tom Sizemore , Edward Burns , Barry Pepper , Adam Goldberg , Vin Diesel , Giovanni Ribisi , Jeremy Davies , Matt Damon , Ted Danson , Paul Giamatti and Dennis Farina . |
363,728 | 4,888,011 | 50,409 | 7 | Fox molded | Fox-Terror has something that I never expected to see : Foghorn Leghorn and Barnyard Dog as friends . In this case , a fox is doing everything possible to keep BD out of the way while he attempts to snatch the chickens , so he gets FL to inadvertently harm BD . Meanwhile , a tiny rooster sounds an alarm but BD never sees the fox and ends up thinking that the little guy is just playing pranks . Until someone takes everything a little too far . Overwhelming ? Well , with some of the gags that they pull - namely the suit-changing - you'll never find it bad . OK , so this cartoon was probably a place-holder between the really great cartoons ( 1957 also saw the release of " What's Opera , Doc ? " and " Birds Anonymous " ) . But it's always a pleasure to see Foggy do his folksy stuff . Worth seeing . |
365,032 | 4,888,011 | 97,289 | 7 | One can definitely see this as a Monty Python movie . | In a movie that could have only come from Monty Python , Erik ( Tim Robbins ) and his crew set out on a voyage to find Valhalla , encountering many zany situations along the way . " Erik the Viking " not only makes fun of Viking life , but also of Christianity ( well duh ; Monty Python did that in " The Holy Grail " ) . And they gave the characters some hilarious names ! I never would have imagined Mickey Rooney in a movie like this , but he's here as Erik's grandfather . In a way , the whole movie is an excuse for craziness in the same way that " Monty Python and the Holy Grail " was , but it never gets stale . On the contrary , they keep surprising you with one thing after another . Also starring Eartha Kitt and John Cleese . |
365,507 | 4,888,011 | 120,801 | 7 | Wait ' til you hear what Rosebud was . . . | OK , so we all know that " Citizen Kane " was probably the all-time # 1 masterpiece . Not as many people know that William Randolph Hearst tried to have the movie destroyed . " RKO 281 " does a really good job telling that story . I will admit that Liev Schreiber seems to be overacting a little bit as Orson Welles , but he still does a good job in the role . Hearst ( James Cromwell ) is actually the most intriguing character in the movie : we see how this hypocrite did business with Hitler , sought to discredit FDR ( believing the 33rd president to be a Bolshevik ) , and had a half-his-age mistress in Marion Davies ( Melanie Griffith ) . In my opinion , Hearst had no good qualities . All in all , the movie's quite interesting , and I don't just mean as a part of cinematic history . What it portrays is part of Americana . Also starring John Malkovich , Brenda Blethyn and Roy Scheider . |
365,606 | 4,888,011 | 790,741 | 7 | keeping up with the Dickens | Somewhat confusing story about a Londoner ( Vinnie Jones ) who gets involved in a web of intrigue centering on newly discovered Charles Dickens manuals . I spent much of the movie wondering how much of the stuff about Dickens himself was true ; I would like to know more about Charles Dickens as a person . Other than that , the acting kept the movie afloat . Aside from Jones , Derek Jacobi , Julie Cox , Vanessa Redgrave and Jason Flemyng turn in very good performances . It's just that I felt that the movie didn't tell as much about Charles Dickens as I would have wanted to hear . Pretty good otherwise . |
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