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Reviews
De-Lovely (2004)
I found it "De-Lightful"!
Biopics are not my favorite kind of movie, but occasionally someone really does get it right. De-Lovely catches the spirit and whimsy of Cole Porter without bashing you over the head with it. If Kevin Klein is not nominated for this performance, it will be a serious miscarriage of justice. The performers in the lead roles were excellent, as were the excerpts of the songs seen in performance. The period look was gorgeous and even the tired old cliche of the Angel of Death was made palatable by Jonathan Pryce. Ashley Judd surprised me with her elegance as Linda, the woman Cole cherished but did not know how to love. I highly recommend this for any fan of the master's music.
Peacemakers (2003)
A Breath of Fresh Colorado Air
When I was a small child it was the Age of Westerns. I remember many of the classics: Gunsmoke, Rawhide, Bonanza, Have Gun Will Travel, to name a few. In these days it is not exactly "cool" to admit you like the old shoot-em-ups, but I do.
Peacemakers satisfies that craving as well as my enjoyment of crime drama. The characters are interesting, the history is fascinating, and the atmosphere of the entire show invigorates and restores. It has been a long time since I found a series I never miss. There's been only one other in the last ten years.
The violence is not explicit (no blood packs exploding with gore everywhere), the situations realistically portrayed, the attitudes and prejudices of the times accurately shown, whether they are sympathetic to modern audiences or not. I recommend the show to everyone I know. It really is a fresh idea in a season where dullness abounds. Would I give it a ten? I wish the scale would go up to eleven!
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)
Stays true to the game
One of the diciest parts about going to see a movie based on a game is the translation of the feel of the game to the screen. Tomb Raider does an excellent job of this, giving those of us die-hard game players a "right-at-home" kind of feeling. Don't go looking for deep plot or complex subtext. This movie is all about action. And, the center of it all is Angelina Jolie, who really makes us believe that she is Lara Croft.
The supporting cast does not always live up to her, but some of them truly shine, such as the urbane butler Henry and the roguish "love" interest Alex. But the main focus is always on Lara and that's the way it should be.
The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne (2000)
A Fantastic World of Wonder
If you have given up on series television (I know I had), The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne has the power to draw you back to the small screen. It builds a Victorian Era universe that is a delight to the eye and populates it with characters that interact with each other and the world on many interesting levels. You must be prepared to suspend your disbelief upon entry as some of the gadgetry and plot devices will put a strain on it, but it is so much fun inside that you won't miss that silly old reality anyway.
The series is currently broadcast on the SciFi channel at the very peculiar time of 1:00 AM Eastern on Sunday mornings, but come this fall, it can be seen on the WB100+ group of stations, as well as many other syndicated stations. Watch for it. Watch it with your kids. Watch it with your friends. Drag strangers in off the street to show it to them. They will thank you for it.