Reviews

Ok, granted - it was not the greatest film ever made, but I have to say it was for me one of the most enjoyable. I would watch this again over Out of Africa any day, Linda Fiorentino's Bridget Gregory is fascinating. You really want to hate her. You know that she's this awful person out for nothing more than money. She is aware of her incredible power over men and she leads them by their - well, you know - to get what she wants with the full intention of destroying them in the end. In spite of all that, I really couldn't help but root for her. The plot has its holes, but it's so twisted that you ignore them in favor of just enjoying the movie. Bill Pullman also has a great turn as Bridget Gregory's husband. My sister and I still quote him whenever someone infuriates us, "WENDY!" You'll get it if you see the movie.

I watched this movie twice. I had to. I couldn't believe it. I mean, I've seen bad movies, but this one defied the limits of my comprehension capabilities. I could not for the life of me understand what in heaven's holy name Meryl Streep was doing in this movie!! My mind kept flashing to Postcards from the Edge, Sophie's Choice, Kramer vs. Kramer, and The Deer Hunter. I had to watch it a second time just to make sure it was her. I hope, no I pray that they paid her a fortune and that she had the time of her life making it. I still adore her, and believe it or not her performance in this was still great. I just can't figure it out.

Gone in Sixty Seconds is essentially a 2 hour car chase with some dialogue scenes mixed in... and it's a blast. The plot is barely there but actors like Giovanni Ribisi, Angelina Jolie, Robert Duvall, and Nicholas Cage can almost make you completely forget that fact. It's just so damned entertaining. It has its funny moments. It even has its witty moments... The really cool car chases in even cooler cars go without saying. It is blind and completely mindless fun. It's the epitome of a summer action flick, only you can't predict every freakin' scene the way you could with Mission Impossible 2. Don't look for meaning or an underlying philosophy of life through stealing cars here. This isn't Citizen Kane, but it doesn't try to be either. It tries to be an entertaining action flick with Nick Cage and the "IT" kids Angelina Jolie and Giovanni Ribisi, and towards that goal it succeeded masterfully. It's also great for fans of golden oldies... remake of cult classic(who'd a thought?) "Gone in Sixty Seconds."

This movie could have been so funny... really. It had a good premise, a couple trying to get pregnant, half of that couple is Greg Kinnear... how could it go wrong?? Well, for starters it was two hours long. The story-line was barely strong enough to sustain an hour and a half but no they had to torture us with an extra half hour most of which was owned by an endless musical montage right in the middle of the movie. Secondly, the casting. Greg Kinnear was strong and appealing despite the thin plot. Jay Mohr was alright as Jay Mohr goes. Joan Cusak was delightful, as she always is. Jill Hennessy was stunningly beautiful and just about the only actor to put any depth into her character at all. The glaring problem was Lauren Holly. She was just awful, and contrasted with the performance of Jill Hennessy, who, despite her shameless pursuit of a married man you actually begin to root for, Holly pales in comparison I found myself wondering why they hadn't cast Hennessy in Holly's role and vice versa. The movie would have been so much more easy to bear.

This was one of the most boring, vapid, plotless, and predictable movies I have ever seen. David E. Kelly is far too overextended. Attempting to write movies like this are causing his solid series like Ally McBeal and The Practice to suffer. I will say there was some witty dialogue in Lake Placid, but mostly I was laughing at the ludicrous plot and Bridget Fonda's unprecedentedly terrible performance. The thirty foot crocodile failed to frighten me in the slightest, and this is someone who didn't sleep for a week after seeing Scream, which wasn't very scary either, talking. The plot was just so thin it was laughable. How did the crocodiles get there? How did they survive the winter? Why in God's name did they call a paleontologist to examine a tooth that clearly was not fossilized? How does a mythology professor get rich and as such why focus on crocodiles and not snakes? Why does Bill Pullman play the same guy in every movie? How exactly did they get Oliver Platt and Betty White to do this movie? Incidently, Mr. Platt and Ms. White are the only reasons to see this film... unless of course you are a complete masochist. Mariska Hargitay also had an amusing 2 minutes on screen, but in the end her part isn't worth even a rent. I give it a 3, and I'm being extremely generous.

Lily Taylor was astonishingly good as Valerie in I Shot Andy Warhol. She's a versatile and entertaining actress who certainly does not get enough credit. Stephen Dorf as a transvestite... who knew? But he was also incredibly good. The entire cast does a fantastic job. It's a thoroughly enjoyable fictionalized chronicle of the emergence of the SCUM Manifesto and the events leading up to the shooting of Andy Warhol, by Taylor's character a paranoid schizophrenic, man-hating, lesbian. What could be more entertaining than that?

This movie was probably the most improbable and incredible romance I have ever had the misfortune to sit through. However, that is only in retrospect, I actually really enjoyed watching it. This is not a credit to either of the lead characters, Ben Affleck and Sandra Bullock, both of whom I usually love, came off trite and type-cast... and despite their vain attempts to be tough they presented as so sugar sweet I couldn't eat chocolate for a week following. No, I enjoyed this movie for one reason, the supporting cast. Blythe Danner as mother of the bride is elegant, graceful, real, and lovely as always. We see where her daughter gets her talent. Steven Zahn is hilarious. I never cease to be entertained by his sharp-wit and perfect timing. But most of the credit for saving this film belongs to Maura Tierney. Her scenes provide much welcome respites from the ridiculous antics of Affleck and Bullock. Tierney is wry and funny, not to mention terribly appealing. The audience finds itself rooting for her happiness and cursing Affleck's boneheaded attempt at a tryst. Tierney's performance adds a much needed earth to a film that spends most of its time on the fringes of the clouds. She grounds it gracefully, creating the center of mass around which all other insanities and adulteries and abnormalities can revolve, because she is sure of two things... herself and her love for her fiance. Maura Tierney makes it worth the rent, Blythe Danner and Steven Zahn help it breathe... now all you have to do is ignore the stars of the film.

I've only recently become a huge fan of this show. I fell to watching it because The West Wing is its lead in show (as a political science minor I am almost congenitally incapable of not loving that show). I quickly discovered that this show is without question the best show on television.

The show itself is unfailingly intriguing, well-written and sensitively acted. The issues it deals with are poignant, current and relevant unlike other cop shows (NYPD Blue) or law shows.

Law and Order is great television. What a concept? And it's been great television for a decade now unbelievable. And ironically I think it's the frequent cast changes that has enabled this longevity. New blood revitalizes the show, adds new characters, and lets the old though beloved characters move on with their careers without killing the show. This show trusts its audience to come back even if a character or two depart because it isn't about the characters it's about the cases they try. Law and Order can continue an infinitum if they maintain the present format. The audience can always warm to new faces (i.e. Angie Harmon and Jesse L. Martin) if the cases remain interesting and the story-line engaging.

Trite, predictable, and yet ludicrous. Wow what an awful movie! Duchovny proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that an Ivy League education doesn't mean a damned thing when it comes to acting. He's been upstaged by the intelligent and understated performance of Gillian Anderson for years and that was with good scripts. In this movie he utters vapid dialogue and then subjects us to an interior monologue so contrived it's laughable. However, despite the horror that is this script and the tragedy that is david duchovny's performance the movie avoids being a total loss. Tim Hutton is funny and engaging. He has a great line in the chase scene that makes the whole movie worth while. Angelina Jolie takes a part that's not worth the paper it's written on and makes it into a role upon which to step into the national spotlight. She takes nothing and makes it something... a benchmark of her career remember Hackers, how about Foxfire... of course you don't because they were bad movies made bearable by her superior performance. The combination of Jolie and Hutton makes this movie. If you like action, you might as well see it.

I must admit, I went to see this movie expecting the Casablanca of the 1990's. Almost needless to say, I didn't get that. What I did get was a rather contrived plot whose ending was obvious from second one, a few interesting twists and the strangest and most random emphasis on God I've ever seen. And yet, despite the trite plot line, I liked it. It was intricately directed by Neil Jordan. He reveals his characters to you as if removing endless veils of gauze from their motives. From there the actors were required to deliver where the director could not. Stephen Rea does a nice job in his role, but he is rather unremarkable. Ralph Fiennes is to WWII melodrama what his brother Joseph is to Elizabethan tights. He does a good job, but it's still the same character. And so the rest of the film's merit falls onto the shoulders of Julianne Moore and she carries it masterfully. It seems no matter what this woman does she not only succeeds, she excels. Her performance is artful and understated, simply beautiful. She almost makes up for the plot... but not quite.

This movie is in most aspects unremarkable. I enjoyed it thoroughly; however, it was a pale reflection of the superb film adaptation of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. The script was not true enough to Kaysen's novel. Why, then you might ask, should you part with $7.50 to see this film? I can afford you only one reason, but it's a damn good one. Her name is Angelina Jolie, and her performance crackles with the energy of Jack Nicholson in The Shining. You cannot help but be taken in by her. She sets the screen ablaze with her brash honesty, quick wit, and total and complete lack of conscience. She is what you have always wanted to be but were to afraid to admit it, or so you think. Until you realize along with the main character that she lacks any moral consideration of others there is only her in her world and what she needs because to her others do not matter. She fears nothing, and so she cares about nothing which gives her license to do whatever she pleases, no consequences. She's the very definition of dangerous. This is never explained in the movie, but Jolie gets it across. She's incredible. Give her the golden globe and the oscar.

Unfortunately, the real tragedy of this film is Winona Ryder. She does a beautiful and poignant job of illustrating the conflicts within her character, but for all of her beauty, talent, and poise she cannot stand up to Jolie who dominates every scene in which she appears... and when she exits the scene for some time toward the end of the film she leaves the audience asking the same question as Susanna over and over, "Where's Lisa?"

I thought this would be the most pointless movie ever made. It was. But in a really good way. It was hilarious. Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub, and Enrico Colantani prove to be comic geniuses. I laughed so hard I worried I would not have a chance to catch my breath. This wins my vote for best farce of the 90's and should take its place along side Spaceballs in the annals of great sci-fi comedy

This was a truly great commentary on politics in the modern world. John Travolta pulls off one of the best Bill Clinton impressions I've been priveleged enough to witness. Emma Thompson is witty, and real, a true testament to her skill and brilliance in her craft. But my favorite performances were delivered by the supporting characters in the film. To begin, the oft ignored Maura Tierney. She's charming, versatile, talented, and downright adorable. Daisy is horribly underwritten for an actress of her talent, but nevertheless a great and appealing character. Billy Bob Thornton's Richard Jemmons is hilarious and brilliant. He represents the truest example of the hardened believer. Finally came the eloquent and insane Libby Holden given breath in this mortal coil by the infallible Kathy Bates. I couldn't even begin to describe the beauty of this character's idealism. I would love to see more of it in our government. Good movie. Lots of fun, and lots of heart.

I've been watching this show since season three and I've alway loved it. The characters are interesting and well-acted. The stories are well-written and always intriguing. It's simply one of the best shows on TV. However, last season, I was really starting to worry. The episodes were going down hill... they even fell into the realm of trite a couple times last year, somewhere I can honestly say the show has almost never been (discounting the killer kitty episode of course). I'm happy to notice the X-Files is back and in fighting trim this season. The writing is of the caliber one would expect from an Emmy contender and on par with seasons prior to the sixth. I'm just sorry it's Duchovny's last year. The show will die without him.

There's a lot of potential in this show. I watched it regularly in the beginning of the season and am seriously considering ditching Ally McBeal (which has gone the way of the absurd) for this show. It could use a little more polish, a lot more Det. Munch and some ORDER. They've brought Carmichael (Angie Harmon) around a couple times, but never as the other half of the show. She's always in a supporting role. This isn't really a fault or even a point where the show is failing, it's just not what the title claims it to be. As for Mariska Hargitay, who seems to be taking quite a tongue lashing in the other comments, is concerned, she's green definitely, but she's improving. The talent is there. She was placed in a show with actors who are considerably more experienced than she and so her weak points are far more noticeable. Look for Benson to lighten up in the future. It's tough to be the new kid and a woman in a seasoned and male dominated cast, but once she hits a comfortable level she'll start to improve, hopefully. A similar situation happened with Gillian Anderson of the X-Files, an emmy and two Golden Globes later I think she's doing ok.

I really enjoyed it. It certainly wasn't one of Kevin Smith's best though. Clerks still wins out for me. The only criticism I really have is that if you aren't Catholic, you won't get it. Half of the jokes are Catholic bashing (which I'm all for having been raised in the horrifying tradition myself). However, I saw it with a friend of mine who is Buddhist and the poor girl had no idea what was going on. I suppose anyone in the judeo-christian tradition would understand it for the most part, but you really need to be familiar with Catholic dogma to get all the jokes. On the whole it was hilarious though. And it gave us much more of Jay and Silent Bob, which is what Smith's audience has been begging for.

I have never seen anything like this before. It was funny, tragic, frightening and true. I have never been so amused and yet so terrified. Kevin Spacey is superb. Annette Bening gives the performance of her career. And Thora Birch has certainly grown into an impressive actress. American Beauty is the movie of 1999. If you see nothing else, see this.

I have already commented on the general excellence of this movie in my opinion. I am posting again to comment solely on the performance of Bebe Neuwirth whom I honestly didn't recognize the first time I saw it. I really loved her character, Gloria. It's a small but pivotal supporting role, but Neuwirth makes it fly. I could not believe that this was the same woman I first saw (and laughed hysterically at) as Lilith Sternin-Crane on Cheers and then on Frasier in the same dour role. Neuwirth is one of the last of what I believe to be a dying breed, the character actress, and she does it so well. Everybody wants to be Julia Roberts. Anyway, when I was watching Summer of Sam for the second time I leaned to my friend amazed and said, "That's Lilith from Frasier!" when I recognized Neuwirth. She creates amazing characters, all different and purposeful and most importantly funny. See this movie (and Celebrity where she has another great supporting role) if only for her.

Ok, this movie had everything going for it. It had a great cast with people like Ben Affleck, Christina Ricci, Courtney Love, and Janeane Garofalo. It had a concept with a lot of potential in which everyone in this movie is en route to a New Year's Eve party. Then, it wasted all of it. That's right, every ounce of talent and vision went right out the window. Why? Because it spent too much time trying to tell too many stories, and didn't even satisfy the audience with the great party scene they are hoping for at the end. All anybody does for this whole film is talk about going to this party, and we don't even get to see it. The photos they show of the party at the end of the movie are the funniest part of it. The best story by far was that of Paul Rudd, Courtney Love, and Janeane Garofalo. They were emotional and funny and almost real. Love turned in an exceptional performance for the mediocrity of this film in my opinion. Janeane Garofalo was disappointingly underwritten. She worked the role for all it was worth but in the end it wasn't enough. Paul Rudd played the gay straight man he seems to play in every movie. The rest of the movie isn't worth mentioning though. It just could have been so much better. Therefore the ok movie it turns out to be is incredibly disappointing to the person expecting a great film.

This has to be one of the most incredible movies I have ever seen. It was superbly written and acted. Kevin Spacey definitely deserved an Oscar for this one. If you haven't seen it see it now. A+... and that's only because I can't rate it any higher.

Dr. Strangelove is one of my favorite pictures ever made. It taught me to love Stanley Kubrick, which is why I rented A Clockwork Orange. It is one of the most disturbing, frightening, intelligent, and incredible movies I have ever seen. It was absolutely chilling. I give it an A. It's one of Kubrick's best.

I've seen a few addict movies. At the top of the list of the really good ones are Trainspotting and Basketball Diaries. Permanent Midnight really tries to be as good as these, but it only ends up with about half the effect and resonance that Trainspotting and Basketball Diaries had. Ben Stiller isn't bad at all. In fact, it's the best work I have ever seen him do. He's a believable addict and an obviously intelligent actor but he doesn't inspire or even shock you the way Leonardo DiCaprio and Ewan McGregor did. Why? Because the story is tired. I realize that it sounds callous to say a drug-addict's story is overdone, but it is no matter how true the tale being told. Along with that this story is far too one sided. The only character we ever get to know is Stiller, everyone else appears to be an accessory to his lifestyle. Therefore, actresses like Maria Bello and Elizabeth Hurley go to complete waste despite they're good performances. I would guess that most of their roles ended up on the cutting room floor. One actress does manage to put a little life into a nothing role though. Janeane Garofalo's character is barely mentionable as far as the plot of the story goes, but her performance found depth in ten lines. She doesn't save the movie from mediocrity, but she could have. Basically this is a C+ film. Rent it. It's worth two hours, but don't expect anything profound. I understand that the book is much better.

The only word that comes to mind when I think of this film is "lovely." That's what it was. I smiled from beginning to end. I really enjoyed it. The cast in descending order of age are all interconnected by family most notably and acquaintance with that family. They are dealing with the trials and tribulations of love. Heading the family is Gena Rowlands pulling it off again, upstaging one of the greatest actors of our time repeatedly. She really is fabulous. She sparkles on screen especially as she berates her husband for even thinking of being unfaithful to her. Her film husband Sean Connery is as dashing and handsome as he was playing James bond, and the impeccable speech along with that voice that could melt an iceberg still bring women young and old to their knees. Madeline Stowe handles two men in this film, one her "unimaginative" husband and the other her lover. Hers is the most far-fetched story, but I was so happy to see Stowe in a film again and acting to her former caliber that I didn't mind at all. Dennis Quaid, her unimaginative mate, is surprisingly sensational. Anthony Edwards is playing the same guy he plays in every film. Gillian Anderson is charming beyond all expectation. It was a nice change to see her in a romantic role. There is without doubt life beyond Special Agent Dr. Dana K. Scully, and good for Anderson. She is proving a solid, capable, nuanced and entertaining actress. Jon Stewart is adorable. You'll want to take him home with you. Angelina Jolie proved herself worthy in Gia, and here she solidifies her status as an actress and not simply a pretty face. Her performance was intelligent and well thought out. However, her boyfriend in the film played by Ryan Phillippe is the stand out performance in this couple. He is handsome, charming and always mysterious. I fell in love with him. Rent this movie now.

This could have been an hilarious film with its original idea and impressive supporting cast, but it missed on the lead actor which in turn destroyed the whole picture. Jason Priestley bored me, as he usually does... but this wasn't the trite 90210 boredom. It was something entirely different; it was the "This guy is trying way too hard" bored. He was just going for far too much depth in a film that is so obviously farcical. He ended up looking like an idiot. The idea itself was pretty funny though. The scene of Cosmo's first hit is truly hilarious, but one good scene does not a good movie make. Janeane Garofalo and Michael J. Fox trip on through this movie, though I'm darned if I know why, and anyway neither of them have a prayer of saving it from Priestley. This could have been a really good movie, if the lead actor was not so terrible. Priestley ruined this film. But if you're up for some great supporting performances and a novel idea with a lot of potential, maybe you can overlook how horrible he was.

it wasn't all that great. I've seen better Allen films beginning with Annie Hall and Mighty Aphrodite. I think I even had more fun with Manhatten Murder Mystery. This one is different for one reason. No Allen on screen. Kenneth Branagh plays Allen's usual role of the neurotic writer who ends up with incredibly beautiful woman and no one can understand why. Despite the tired character present in every Allen film, who honestly is no longer that funny to me anymore, the film made some good points about our society and who it chooses to celebrate and ridicule, as well as the incredible force luck plays in our lives. Bebe Neuwirth appears with a bit part that I rewound and watched again because I laughed so hard, and Judy Davis is wonderful. Kenneth Branagh doesn't do a bad job playing Woody, but he's just not Woody. It's worth a rent, but nothing more.