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BigTimeMovieDude
Reviews
Caddyshack (1980)
over-rated and definitely doesn't age well...
I remember really liking this as a kid (then again, I also really liked the Dukes of Hazzard as a kid, too) but after watching it again recently, I discovered it really doesn't hold up.
It falls in the classic Hollywood genre of "dumb comedy" which I don't mean as a slam -- there's plenty of great dumb comedies that have been made over the years, and many of them are from this day and age (Dodgeball, Anchorman, Wedding Crashers, etc). But unlike today's dumb comedies, Caddyshack unfortunately has absolutely NO story and it's basically just a series of thrown-together vignettes that, by 1980 standards, were probably pretty funny, but if you compare the movie to today's dumb comedies, they don't measure up.
Yes, there are some funny moments, but there's just nothing that holds your interest for very long and there's definitely no storyline that runs from beginning to end. It just feels like they turned on the camera and let Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield and the others do what they wanted to. Feels very slapdash.
Shelter Dogs (2003)
had me in tears...
I almost NEVER cry at movies but this one was just too much. It wasn't so much the sad moments as it was the sweet ones that leave you so emotional, such as when a dog that would normally be considered "unplaceable" is rescued by some good-hearted soul who sees the beauty in them, even though they may not be perfect or a "puppy" that everyone seems to want. The older dogs like Agnes who get shunned simply because they're older are the ones that break your heart.
On one hand, this is a very tough film to watch -- I've never seen a dog put down before and to see it as it happens (and how fast the injection kills them) is heart-wrenching. On the other hand, it is a very necessary film -- as someone who has worked with rescue groups and has a rescue of his own, I feel for the people and dogs involved in these tough situations.
The lesson to be learned is that if you are thinking of adopting an animal, remember that it is a COMMITMENT FOR LIFE -- the life of the animal, that is. In the grand scheme of things, it's not that much work to care for a dog but if you absolutely must give yours up, do not delude yourself into thinking that it will find another home, because the truth is most of them do not. The sad reality is that there is no one out there looking for your dog and they will most likely meet the same heartbreaking fate as most of the dogs in this movie.
5 million per year are homeless... and most stay that way.
The SharkTank Redemption (2000)
Allow me a rebuttal. . .
Hi. I'm Doug Van Doren, the writer and producer of this movie and I just checked in with some of the user comments and votes for the first time in a while. Always good to see those who like and don't like your work. However, after reading the comments of Hunterdu below, I'd like to offer my own two cents -- not because I think he's wrong per se, but because I think he's unnecessarily nasty and unfair with his comments. Here goes:
"Parodies are only funny if they can stand on their own somewhat."
True, but I think this one does, and not merely "somewhat". I've received hundreds of e-mails from people who have worked both in Hollywood and in other jobs, all of them able to relate to the oppressive conditions and the abusive bosses who think they can get away with murder simply because they make a lot of money. One does not need to see the original to get that, although it certainly helps with this one, especially since Alfonso Freeman (Morgan's son) is so darned dead on with his impersonation of his father.
"It does not take a good writer to simply take dialog almost word for word from one of the best movies of all time and put it into an office situation."
That's EXACTLY why I think this concept is so good, because it is so simple: working in a bad office job is like being in prison. You want to break free, but you can't because you need the money/security. How many people in this work are working in jobs they can't stand? How many have never had the courage to follow their real dreams and thus "settle" for what they've got? I'll bet anyone a shiny new dime HunterDu is probably doing exactly that in his life. This movie is about finding the courage (or "hope") to break free despite being in a dark place, which is the EXACT same message in the original "Shawshank Redemption".
"And three year old can do this. But most don't because they know better."
I think he meant to say "any". Perhaps HunterDu should proof his own work before criticizing the work of others. Plus, I didn't take the movie word for word. "Shawshank" is nearly two and a half hours. Ours is 21 minutes. It takes a lot of effort and skill to boil down a movie as great as Shawshank and pull out all of it's thematically meaningful and emotional scenes and then transcribe them as a comedy that's 121 minutes shorter. I'm not saying I'm the best writer in the world, but comparing me to a three year old is juvenile in itself and obviously said just to be inflammatory.
"The funniest thing about this is that it was released as an Oscar engagement. As if this movie was going to get any Oscar recognition."
No, we didn't get an Oscar nom, but neither did the other couple of hundred very good films that were eligible. That said, we just landed another film because of it (the entire purpose of making it in the first place) and HBO, the biggest cable movie network on the planet, liked it enough to fork over a good chunk of money to buy it, not bad considering they only buy a handful of shorts every year.
"But I guess it would make any sense to release it for a Razzie engagement."
I don't know what a "Razzie" is, but this smacks of yet another childish insult. I think the best way to close is to quote a personal e-mail I received from Frank Darabont (the director of "The Shawshank Redemption") after he saw it:
"Message to Natalie and Doug: Just saw SHARKTANK and loved it. Very clever and loving send-up, but with a core identity of its own which prevents it from being mere spoof. Good stuff. Congratulations to all. Odd (though wonderful) sensation, I must admit, to be the one being riffed. Honestly, I love it. Makes me feel like I finally arrived. Again, what a treat. Thanks. -- Frank"
And thanks to IMDB for letting me have my rebuttal. I feel much better now! ;-)
Bottom line: like all movies, everyone should just see it and judge for themselves. I think I know where the large majority will fall.