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Gary ES
Reviews
Bowfinger (1999)
More Jiff
Jiff Ramsey is not only the funniest character Eddie Murphy has played, but one of the funniest on screen characters of all time. The only problem is the promoters realized this and made the movie appear to be centered around the nerdy Jiff. In reality, Jiff is simply a secondary character. What a shame! Still worth seeing though.
A Murder of Crows (1998)
Idiotic Characters
How did this guy make it through law school? The main character in this movie makes so many stupid moves he deserves to be locked up. And the detective? He's so sure he has everything figured out when in fact he doesn't know jack.
The plot had potential, the acting wasn't bad, but normal people just aren't this clueless.
Hurlyburly (1998)
Boring
I'm no filmmaker, so I'm not sure what makes dialogue interesting . What I do know is that this movie was extremely boring. I had no interest at all in what was being said probably because I had no interest in the characters. I didn't hate them pity them like them, it was as if they were mindless robots in a bad video game. In fact, bad video game characters are more thought provoking than the coke snorting nobody's in HurlyBurly. Why Kevin? Why?
Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
Intense
Very intense, very disturbing, and very enjoyable. Stanley Kubrick capitalized on an inherent weakness of humanity; fantasy. I would venture to say that everyone has had some sort of fantasy and felt guilt afterwards. This movie explores this guilt, how people deal with it, and how it effects the ones you love.
Fantastic acting by everyone involved, and incredible screenplay. Spoken and unspoken words were real and intense, which prevented any dull moments from occurring during the 2 1/2 hours. Kubrick should win an Oscar for best screenplay.
8/10
Frantic (1988)
Half Incredible, Half Terrible
The first half of this movie was fantastic. My eyes were glued to the screen, as the story unfolds in such an enticing manner.
Then, right before my eyes the movie turns into in a Grade B action flick. The acting becomes bad, the story goes in a direction that isn't good for anybody, and the ending is extremely disappointing.
First Half: 5/5 Second Half: 1/5 (the 1 is for Harrison Ford)
Psycho (1998)
A worthwhile experiment
If it were not for Gus Van Sant's efforts to recreate Psycho, I probably would have not bothered to watch the original. Unfortunately, people from my generation tend to shy away from the classic films of the past and instead rent modern day action or romance flicks, only to be disappointed. Perhaps Van Sant was aware of this. In essence, what he has done is brought one of the all time greats to a new generation.
Of course, if you've seen the original before this one, it will not be as enjoyable. But for someone like me who hadn't, this movie was very entertaining. I particularly enjoyed the unexpected timing of events, and the way the roles of protagonist and antagonist changed throughout the film.
After watching the 1998 version I immediately went and rented the original, and I have to say I enjoyed it more. The major difference was Perkins. Vince Vaughn made a valiant effort but can hold a flame to Mr. Perkins. Nevertheless, if you tend to avoid black and white oldies, the 1998 version is a good place to start. Then you can decide if you want to see the original. 7/10
Stepmom (1998)
Too sad
I go to movies expecting to have fun and be entertained. Two hours of sadness brought on by broken marriages, angry children, and cancer is not what I would call fun entertainment. This movie's about as enjoyable as visiting a hospital. 3/10
Fargo (1996)
One heck of a darn good movie eh!
In a time where big Hollywood productions with incredibly banal characters and plots are dominating movie media, it is refreshing to watch a masterpiece such as Fargo. Everything about this movie is amazing, but what intrigued me the most was the dialog. I'm from a province in Canada that is located directly above North Dakota and am therefore familiar, and sometimes find myself using, the dialog style or accent that was used superbly in this film. Not only is the dialog amazing, but the performances of Bill Macey and Frances McDormand are two of the best I have ever seen. To truly appreciate the accuracy of the screenplay and performances in Fargo you should visit North Dakota or Western Canada someday. I'm sure you'll laugh if you happen to overhear the smalltalk (it's pretty darn cold eh). Besides the incredible originality and accuracy of the settings and characters, the Coen brothers create this plot that seems so out of place in this small quiet community of farmers and shop owners. And yet what makes it so intriguing is the fact that such evil and deceit could occur in such a harmless environment. I recommend that everybody see this movie and appreciate it for the many things (little and big) that it does so well.
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
A must see visual extravaganza that sets the stage for episodes 2 &3.
The Phantom Menace is a movie that everybody should see. The world that Lucas creates is so visually stunning that you might find yourself staring at the screen in awe and not paying attention to the dialog. It won't really matter anyway because the plot is not too difficult to grasp. Besides this simplicity and the fact that it is confined to setting the stage for the sequels, The Phantom Menace is pure fun that makes you feel like kid again. You won't see a better sci-fi movie until Episode II is released; I can't wait.
The Horse Whisperer (1998)
Worst Movie I've Ever Seen
This was one bad movie. It was 2.5 hours of watching Robert Redford shake a rope at some dumb horse and break up a perfectly good marriage. The only good thing about this movie is the beautiful scenery, but if its scenery you want, go to see an IMAX movie and don't waste your time on this one.