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mgatton
Reviews
Hanna (2011)
Plot less but you don't know it til the end.
This is one of those movies where the just had an idea then tried to make the movie around the idea but didn't bother to work out a plot first. The whole premise of the movie being a spy chase thriller could have been obviated in the first ten minutes. Why send out a homing signal to the people who want to kill you? Why not hunt them down and kill them yourself in quiet assassin-like secrecy? If you have been underground for 12 years why blow your cover just for the sake of proving how great your training has been? Great music. Cool visuals. Fairly decent fight scenes. It was a half good movie. You won't realize it wasn't all good until the last few minutes when they wrap it up in a clichéd ending that mirrors the beginning complete with matching dialog and imagery.
Natural Born Killers (1994)
Terrible
To this date Natrual Born Killers is the only movie I have walked out of and demanded my money back. I must say out right that I can not stand Woody Harrelson in anything but Cheers and his subsequent work has tainted even that for me. Oliver Stone still just keeps pumping out this trash and calls it art. Everything he does feels agenda driven; sort of a glitzier version of Michael Moore's low rent Socialist Propaganda films.
To the extent that I did watch this film I will say that I did find that Rodney Dangerfield played his part well. This was not his standard character.
Monster's Ball (2001)
Overrated--spoilers mentioned
Like the Green Mile this movie is so overrated. There was no merit to Halle Berry winning an Oscar. Her acting was embarrassing. Completely over the top. She no more deserved an Academy Award than did Denzel Washington for his part in Training Day. I forget. Who were they up against? Mr. Ed? Shadow puppets?
The scene with Berry writhing on top of the grey elephant skinned Billy Bob Thornton orgasmically groaning, "Make me feel goooood!!! I wana feeeel goooood!!!" is laughable and hard to watch.
To be fair, the little fat kid was a very convincing...little fat kid. His labored breathing and compulsive eating binges were very believable.
Truly, the best characters in this movie were played by Heath Leger and Peter Boyle. Up to the point where Leger's character blows his brains out I was really thinking this movie had potential. That scene was fantastic. The scenes that led up to that moment where well done. Peter Boyle's cold reaction to this event is some of the best acting in the movie. Sadly, the best parts of this movie are over in the first quarter or third.
A 3 out of 10.
The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)
Torture, cruel and evil torture.
I believe I heard George Lucas quoted, "If I had the time and a hammer...I would destroy every copy." This movie is a psychedelic trip back to the early 80's complete with "Solid Gold" dancers, a Jefferson Starship showcase and appearances from the cast of the Carol Burnett show and Maude (Bea Arthur). It is full of tree huggin' hippie crap. Chewbacca must get home (a tree house) for Life Day so he can dance around more trees with his wife, annoying kid and crusty old dad "Itchy." I bought this movie on e-bay thinking I remembered something back from my youth that I liked. The cartoon introducing Bobba Fett was about the only good thing I remembered. The video I had purchased came complete with period commercials. They where actually more nostalgic to watch. Anyway, watch this at your own peril knowing it is the root-canal of holiday specials. This is perhaps the one time you would prefer watching Jar Jar Binks.
Priest (1994)
double entendre heap of crap
On one hand you could say this movie is a stinging indictment on the "medieval" practices of the Catholic church or on the other hand you could say that this a super-secular movie industry nose-thumbing to all things religious.
What is this so-called priests problem. He picks and chooses the vows he is going to uphold. It is incredible to believe he has a crisis of conscience about the confessions of the young girl he has heard but finds his vow of celibacy to be a mere inconvenience.
Why wasn't the character a teacher or doctor, someone else who might hear the confessions of children but without the vow of celibacy. Why did he have to be a gay priest breaking his vows.
Why couldn't he just have sex with a female. The fact that this character is a priest shows pure contempt for religion.
This is the kind of priest that gives Catholicism and organized religion in general a bad wrap. He is the kind of priest that eventually corrupts altar boys because he himself is corrupted.
Great! So what do we have. Our hero, the Priest, is basically evil.
He breaks his vow of celibacy numerous time, he has homo-sexual relations (I don't care what you think on this, a priest is supposed to believe it is wrong) and causes the girl more harm than good by being indecisive.
This movie is divisive not creative. It uses strong emotional images to make its point. It gets more praise than it deserves.
Don't be blinded by it apparent politically correct veneer.
Watch Boondock Saints instead.
The Joy Luck Club (1993)
Under-Appreciated
One of the best "coming to America" stories ever, thought that was not the main plot of this film. The friendships this movie portrays in these women is beautiful and real. The movie positively portrays the Asian-American community. These four women are part of this country but have not forgotten who they are and culture they come from. I wish there where more movies like it.