longislandlloyd's Reviews

Norbit (2007)

4/10

1 September 2007

I've read nearly all the reviews here on Norbit. Each one is more negative than the next. And each one insults anyone who found the movie humorous or entertaining. But these elitist reviewers have not taken into account that many people are tired of all the senseless violence, bloodshed, car chases, political statements, drug use, homosexuality and complete negativity that Hollywood movies all seem to promote these days. While Norbit is a very flawed film and one that has juvenile fat jokes, racial stereotypes, cock-eyed characters, and scenes that we've all seen too many times before in Murphy movies..it is harmless and it is funny. And for once, I didn't get sick from all the bloodshed or angry with our political leaders or our capitalistic society. Not all movies have to make a statement or put you on the edge of your seat. There are times when you just want to have a few laughs..even if that means laughing at Blacks, Chinese, fat people, pimps, or anybody else that YOU would say it's NOT correct to laugh at.

SO I applaud Eddie Murphy and his attempt at low based slapstick entertainment. He's a well needed break from the current crop of Hollywood "geniuses" like Mel Gibson and Michael Moore.

0 out of 3 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Forces of Nature (1999)

6/10

Hollywood Morality

26 March 2007

Warning: Spoilers

I think the song "Love the One You're With", which played prominently in "Forces of Nature", told the entire tale. Few Hollywood celebs take relationships and marriages seriously, and they seem to last only until the next casting comes along. I never saw a movie with so many negative remarks about marriage, and with Ben Affleck's romance record, he could have written the script all by himself. While the movie had its funny and "oh, not again" moments, there just seemed to be that underlying feeling that Ben's marriage may never happen and he has discovered that his buddies are right.."Why tie yourself down to one woman when there are so many others out there interested in you". Even when Ben decided that he'd better do the right thing and marry his fiancée, he just didn't seem to make the decision with all his convictions. It's definitely "art imitating life" when it comes to love commitments in Hollywood. As far as all the symbolism many people have written about here, it's just hard to take any of it seriously in this love farce of a movie. The only symbolism that I took to heart was Stephen Stills' song of free love. "So if you're down and confused (and just waiting for something to do") on commitment and marriage, and you think that Sandra Bullock is hot enough to break up a romance, then "Forces of nature" is the perfect movie for you.

10 out of 15 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

North Country (2005)

7/10

Sort of like "dejavu all over again".

25 March 2007

I enjoyed this movie and I didn't fall asleep after 20 minutes, due to the fact that I couldn't stop wondering where I've seen it all before. "North Country" gives ya the feeling of "been there, done that". But the very credible and talented acting saved it from being victimized by me exclaiming, "The other movie was better". Also the fact that the movie is supposedly a semi-fictional/semi-factual, semi-biographical, semi-Hollywood-taking-creative-license-with-the-truth kinda story, leaves ya wondering, did it or did it not really happen? And while I was doing all this wondering, I kept waiting for Erin Brockovich or the Molly Maguires to pop up somewhere in the story. Nevertheless, I highly recommend this movie to all who want to see justice done in the end, a mother patch up things with her estranged kids, and a divorcée possibly getting more from her lawyer after the trial than a handshake and the bill.

1 out of 2 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Stranger Than Fiction (2006)

1/10

Did I miss somethin'?

19 March 2007

It's gotta be me. I read many of the comments/reviews here and all of them placed this movie on an Academy Award level. You all loved it..from the story to the acting. To put it mildly..I beg to disagree. Stranger than Fivction may have been the most boring movie of all time. There was absolutely nothing in it to keep my girlfriend and I awake for more than half of it. No humor, no suspense, no cursing, no use of the "n" word, no frontal nudity, not even rear end nudity, no sex at all, no car chases, no drive-by shootings, no screaming or yelling..just NOTHING to keep a person awake for 2 hours. I don't care how perfect Will Farrell and Dustin Hoffman were for their roles, they were totally monotone and robotic and seemed to sleepwalk through their scenes. They were better than Ambian for putting the two of us right into dreamland. So if you want a movie that's a perfect cure for insomniacs, Stranger than Fiction is your medicine.

8 out of 25 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

True Romance (1993)

8/10

Star-studded

11 March 2007

Here's a movie that seems to contain something for everybody..sex, romance, violence, tension, humor, great directing and some of your all-time favorite actors. I wouldn't quite go as far as some of the reviewers here who wrote that it's the greatest movie of all time and it's so unpredictable. On both counts, it's not. I found it very predictable, but with the acting so good and the movie so fast paced...it didn't matter. I particularly loved Patricia Arquette. She was terrific and very hot and sexy. All I want to know is..where has she been hiding all these years? It seems that her resume is short and unimpressive. She deserves better. And just to watch James (Tony Soprano) Gandolfini do his violent thing, was worth the price of admission in itself. True Romance is miles ahead of Pulp Fiction. The characters here are so believable and sympathetic. I would compare it more to Bonnie & Clyde. So I recommend it highly for its acting, directing, and story line. But don't eat your dinner just before you watch the movie.

1 out of 2 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

1/10

Extremely disappointed

1 March 2007

I've posted dozens of comments here on IMDb. Most have been fairly favorable. I've found something positive about even the worst movies over the years. But this one? I cannot find one thing good to write about it. My gal and I eagerly waited for its arrival through the mail. Our family and friends recommended the movie highly. So even though we are not into high fashion and are in our 50's, we were expecting to be entertained. What we got instead was a quick trip into dreamland. It is perhaps the most boring movie we ever watched. No redeeming value. No laughs. No suspense. No eroticism. No reason to fight off the temptation to shut it off and go to sleep. I don't care if Meryl Streep has won 50 Oscars. Even she couldn't save this snoozer. She's not funny, not sexy, and probably as obnoxious in real life as she portrayed on the screen. The rest of the cast, except for Ann Hathaway, went through the motions and collected their checks. Ann was at least cute and looked like she was having a good time. But it was not enough to keep anybody who's not in the fashion scene and over 25 years old awake and enjoying The Devil Wears Us Out.

7 out of 17 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

The Lost City (2005)

6/10

Excellente!

5 February 2007

I would have given this movie a higher rating but it was WAY TOO LONG. I really got into it, but it had too much music and dance for me. I enjoyed the politics, historical references, and the tension more so than the culture. Andy Garcia is an excellent actor and played his role perfectly. I would have liked to hear him speak more Spanish for greater realism, even if that mean subtitles. We Americans do know how to read and many of us even understand enough Spanish to get the drift of what the actors are saying. Also, I found Dustin Hoffman's "cameo" role to be a waste. He reminded me more of "Rainman" than Meyer Lansky. Hoffman couldn't touch Lee Strassberg's version of Meyer Lansky/Hyman Roth in The Godfather II. And Bill Murray was an embarrassment. I have no idea what he was doing there and I was hoping his character quickly became a victim of the violent revolt. So I do recommend the movie if you have a lot of patience to get through it. It IS worth the effort.

0 out of 2 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

The Holiday (2006)

1/10

The Holiday from Hell

6 January 2007

I can't think of one redeeming feature in this piece of schlock. Except, maybe, that it gave me a chance to get about 30 minutes sleep in a near deserted theater on New Year's Eve day. Apparently we must have missed the word that The Holiday is a total waste. But we had absolutely nothing else to do that afternoon..so we "snuck" into the theater under the senior rate. Just a couple of questions I'd like to pose...

Does it really snow that much in suburban London? Did I miss a sex scene while I was napping? Does Cameron Diaz have a shape? Do all women wear bras during sex? Would any less than desperate woman, take back Jack Black after getting dumped in a restaurant for another woman? Is the over-acting, comic wannabe, Jack Black, miscast in this disaster movie? Would any sensible person let a total stranger stay alone in their multi-million dollar mansion without even meeting them first? Would you lend your home to someone, travel 6000 miles away and expect to find it in perfect shape when you return? AND..who can I write to to get my money back? So, as you can figure out, I would not recommend this movie to anybody.

18 out of 37 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story (2003)

2/10

The Sopranos is better

1 December 2006

First of all..I've seen better acting and more realistic makeup in porno flicks. How bad was "Chris Moltisante" as Stewie Ungar? On The Sopranos, Chris is not taken too seriously and can be considered comic relief. And then throw in "Bobby Baccala" as one of his Vegas cronies. It's just too much to take in a dramatic movie. Neither actor can handle a serious role and is better suited as a second banana for Tony,Paulie, or Uncle Junior. And I want to know who did the makeup for this disaster? I want that person to be MY make-up person over the next 25 years so I'll never age a day either. So that's all I'll write on this movie since it's not worth wasting too much more of my time.

Yes I DO know that Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirippa are their REAL names.

0 out of 7 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

A History of Violence (2005)

7/10

You call these guy Mobsters?

22 November 2006

The movie was very good and riveting until the so-called "mobsters" showed up. As a big fan of The Godfather, Goodfellas, and The Sopranos I was totally disappointed and even insulted how the director tried to pass those 3 guys off as "mobsters". They resembled more Moe, Larry & Curly. The "Cusack" brothers were also totally unconvincing in their violent roles. I especially couldn't take William Hurt as a "Mob Boss". I guess he was trying to be funny. I didn't find it that way. Did he ever watch DeNiro, Pacino, Pesce, or Gandolfini act? It's obvious that the director never did or he wouldn't have picked those 2 clowns to play those roles. The movie is more enjoyable if you don't take the acting very seriously. Just sit back and enjoy the small town feel to the tale and think of ways it could have been made just a little better.

0 out of 0 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

The Ringer (2005)

10/10

It's even better the 2nd time around

23 October 2006

I may be one of the most critical movie critics on the internet. I can find fault with almost any movie. Between going to the movies, watching them on the Dish, and getting deluged with movies from Netflix, I was fast getting tired of the same violent, mindless, terrorist plots, Las Vegas robberies, meet the parents nonsense, boring boy meets boring girl fluff, and kissing cowboys movies. So when I saw the trailer for The Ringer, I thought, "This one looks different and original". And BOY was I correct. The Ringer may be one of the best and funniest movies nobody ever heard of. It's a shame that some people and advertisers probably shied away from it because it sounded too controversial and politically incorrect, but it wasn't at all. Not only was the movie funny, but the acting was terrific. Some of the lines were very clever and knocked me off my feet.

I had never heard of Johnny Knoxville. I thought he was some kind of country western singer. Never saw Jackasss and have no desire to. But Johnny was superb as "Jeffy. So much so that I no longer do "Rainman" impersonations. Now I go around doing a "Jeffy" routine. Kathrine Heigl was excellent as Jeffy's love interest. She was perky and sexy and I was rooting for her and Jeffy to fall in love. Brian Cox as Jeffy's uncle was very realistic as a con man/loser who manipulated his nephew "Steve", into trying to fix the Special Olympics. What a novel idea, and the director and cast pulled it off perfectly. Nobody can get offended by this movie since the Special kids were so lovable and showed how much they CAN do instead of what they CAN'T do. So go see this heartwarming little film at least once. It will be a Special treat for you.

3 out of 5 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Sometimes in April (2005 TV Movie)

10/10

Can't blame this one on Pres. Bush

25 February 2006

Normally, I would write how a movie was so weak and boring that I turned off the set or spent most of the time sorting my clothes. But this time I turned off the TV because the movie was SO GOOD. How is that possible? I was sickened by the brutal, sadistic, genocidal torture and murders committed by the Hutus against their fellow Rwandans. The movie played like a documentary and was so vivid and heart-wrenching that most civilized people could hardly bear to see how uncivilized people can act. I highly recommend this movie, but not to the faint of heart.

I wish I could have stayed to the end, but I got the message loud and clear. The American government and the rest of the civilized world did nothing to prevent or stop this holocaust. And the U.N., as usual, was inept and overwhelmed. Perhaps America could have stopped the genocide. The Rwandan army was mostly just a rag-tag group of cut-throats armed with machetes. They would have been no match for the U.S. military. But our president stood idly by and let the murders wage on. It was not in his political or economic interest to save these innocent people from annihilation.

And who was that U.S. president who turned his back on a half million innocent African people?? You'll have to see the movie to find out.'

Hint: It was NOT the media's favorite whipping boy, George W. Bush.

0 out of 3 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

The Josephine Baker Story (1991 TV Movie)

7/10

Way too long

6 February 2006

Some outstanding performances here by Whitfield, Blades, Gossett, and others in this overly long biography of an important, outspoken, and controversial African American woman, who was years ahead of her time. It was quite a revelation to see how African Americans were treated in St. Louis and in New York in the decades before the civil rights advances of the 50's and 60's. We all know about the history of the South, but in many places up North, things were nearly as difficult for minorities in the 1930's and 40's.

The story of Josephine Baker had to be told since so many of us are not familiar with her achievements. And HBO and the cast did an outstanding job doing so. The movie was entertaining and sexual, eye-opening and thought provoking. It covered American society as well as French and even gave us some insights into Josephine's heroics and patriotism during WWII and her push for equality of the races in the U.S. military. I would have preferred to see the movie end while Josephine was at the top and still young, rather than drag on with her numerous adoptions and comeback attempts. That's why it was not a major motion picture.....too long and drawn out for theater audiences.

A good movie to watch at home while putting away the laundry or brushing the dog.

7 out of 17 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Walk the Line (2005)

6/10

It ain't no "Ray"

19 December 2005

I know this won't be popular, but "Walk the Line" has to be compared to "Ray". And, sorry to say, it finishes a distant second. There are so many similarities to "Ray", that there's not enough room here to list them all. From the accidental death of his brother, to his Southern/religious/country roots, to his drug addiction, and then to his marital betrayals, Johnny Cash's life absolutely paralleled Ray Charles'. But Ray had something Johnny didn't. Ray rose to the top of the music industry after overcoming physical disabilities and racial discrimination. What was Johnny's big problem? Many people mistakenly sympathized with Johnny for returning to prison to perform and entertain the inmates. The only problem is, Johnny wasn't returning. He was never a convict. He got away with using drugs, while Ray was arrested and embarrassed by the negative publicity. We can sympathize with Ray's problems and misbehavior a lot more than Johnny Cash's. And Jamie Foxx was much more convincing in his portrayal than Joaquin Phoenix. Reese Witherspoon did do an outstanding job as June Carter and saved the movie with her lively personality and excellent singing voice.

0 out of 5 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Two for the Money (2005)

5/10

Hedge your bet

13 October 2005

This movie is strictly for Pacino fans. There are few redeeming features other than that, unless you enjoy watching low-lifes squeezing obscene amounts of money out of other low-lifes. I disagree with some of the others here. I found the first half of the movie more exciting than the last. Watching the young Brandon Lang/John Anthony rise up to the top of his sleazy field, was more exciting than watching him fall back down to reality. Some of the scenes were as unbelievable as the story line. I would like to see where in lower Manhattan can you drive 90 MPH during the day and not hit a bus, cab, kill someone, or have the cops chase you. Also I don't believe a sports gambling show would ever be aired on a commercial TV station - WPIX in N.Y. Also, I don't know of too many bosses who would throw so much money and perks at a young guy with a very short track record. And as far as Rene Russo is concerned, she's not nearly as sexy as the movie tried to portray her. The lightly covered love story, with the twist at the end, had as much drama and sensitivity as last month's newspaper.

Al Pacino is one of my favorite actors and one of America's greatest over the past 30 years, but he has done this role so many times in movies like "Scent of a Woman", "Donnie Brasco", and "The Devil's Advocate", that it's getting boring and clichéd. How many times can I see him as the older and wiser guy taking in a young, inexperienced protégée and trying to mold him into a younger version of himself? Enough already! Next time Al, try comedy, like DiNiro.

5 out of 10 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Proof (2005)

1/10

Kept getting up to go to the bathroom

13 October 2005

"Proof": had to be one of the worst movies ever to come out of Hollywood or wherever. Unless you are excited by the chance of seeing psychotic mathematicians fighting with each other, then save your $7.50 and go get a root canal instead. That would be more enjoyable than sitting through this mess. Even a fine performance by a "dead" Anthony Hopkins couldn't save this movie from causing you to squirm in your seat and get up to stretch your legs every 10 minutes or so. "Proof" seemed to rob some ideas from "A Beautiful Mind" but it had none of the drama or character interest of that movie. I found myself muttering "Who cares", every time something happened to one of it's characters. I even had the misfortune of missing the "great sex scene" my girlfriend told me about when I returned from one of my bathroom excursions. So if you insist on seeing "Proof", take a bottle of 80 Proof into the theatre, finish it off, and take a long snooze. You'll thank me for the advice.

13 out of 25 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Must Love Dogs (2005)

8/10

Whatever happened to an old fashioned phone call?

1 August 2005

"Must Love Dogs" is a must-see for all internet daters and telephobiacs. I've never seen so many adults that were afraid to use the phone. They think it's just perfectly fine to go knocking on other people's doors at all hours, only to be disappointed and embarrassed when their love interest is busy with another lover. Whatever happened to calling first to see if the other party is busy before popping over? The movie at least dealt with the most important activity today among single, over 30, adults - internet dating. And it presented it in a positive, humorous manner. Of course, the whole time, I was expecting to see Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks checking out their e-mail and got instead Cusack and Lane. They were a likable, sympathetic couple, but without the chemistry of Ryan and Hanks.

Lots of funny lines delivered by the main characters and the rest of the cast was first rate. OK, the plot was very predictable, but it still was satisfying and entertaining. Lots of stuff that singles can identify with - from meddlesome friends and family to embarrassing and frustrating "muffin dates".

All in all...a nice little movie and it's not necessary to must love dogs.

1 out of 3 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Mesmerized (1985)

2/10

Where's the Beef?

4 July 2005

I bought this film at a 99 Cents store and basically got my money's worth. But I was very disappointed. Where was all the cruelty and bizarre sexual behavior? It really left a lot to your imagination, and a lot to be desired. No frontal nudity, whips, chains, trapeezes, or kinky three-somes. Not even a Clinton-Monica performance. The only gruesome part was the poor old guy getting his teeth pulled - WITHOUT anesthesia. That did nothing to satisfy my sexual curiosity. So if you want to see 19th century New Zealand with period costumes and American accents, go buy Mesmerized. It won't leave you that way, but it won't leave you broke either.

12 out of 21 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

The Death Collector (1976)

8/10

Goodfellas meet The Sopranos

31 May 2005

So ya think you've seen every Mafia movie ever made! Here's one that nobody every heard of. It's a low-budget, quickie B-movie - shot in the swamps of Jersey. For us mob-movie fans, it had a little bit of everything - sex, violence, cursing, and wise guys acting like "gafones". While violence dominated the movie, I found myself laughing at some familiar scenes I've since seen on The Sopranos and Goodfellas. Look for a 1977 version of the "Badabing Girls" in the beginning of the movie.

All our favorite mobster stereotypes were featured here. And, as for realism, "fugettaboutit"! Joe Pesci was superb, portraying the classic wise-guy character like we seen him do so many times over the years. This was probably his first shot, and it was a gem. Pesci fans should run to the video store to check out this flick. You have to look carefully for it since it goes by different names. My copy called it "The Family Enforcer". Here it is known as "The Death Collector". But whatever name it goes under, it's should be called - A Winner.

23 out of 25 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

School of Rock (2003)

7/10

Too cute to cut up

28 May 2005

"School of Rock" is one of those movies that could get cut to ribbons if taken too seriously. And it doesn't deserve that. It featured loud, rockin' music - new tunes as well as old, and humorous references to real rock performers both past and present. Jack Black did a fine job as the whacky, wanabee, elementary school teacher. A lovable loser. He took a class of up-tight rich kids and transformed them into the rock band of his dreams. He got them to listen to and respect him as a leader when his peers no longer had any use for him. Ya gotta give the movie a little time to grow on ya. It was painful at first to get into it. Jack Black can be annoying and rub you the wrong way. I kept thinking that Jim Carrey would be much funnier and believable in the same role. But, after getting over the initial boredom and impatience with the lame dialogue, you find yourself in love the 10 year old kids who are so cute and lovable. And the music will get you up on your feet to play a little air guitar along with Jack. "Hey, I can do that too", you'll shout, since everybody at one time wanted to be a rock star.

And if that fat kid in the class looks familiar. He is. That's "Bobby Baccala's" son. And if you don't know who "Bobby Baccala" is......you're from another planet and will definitely love "School of Rock".

So let the kids and the music put you into a rockin' mood and don't take it all too seriously. You'll have a rockin' 'n rollin' good time.

0 out of 0 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Passionada (2002)

7/10

Another familiar ethnic story

22 May 2005

"Passionada" is a very light and enjoyable film. But the story has been done a million times over by Hollywood and on TV. It's the typical tale of a worldly, WASPy guy who meets and romances an ethnic, family-devoted girl. You just knew that there would be a clash of cultures and an eventual break-up. She would undoubtedly tempt her guy with ethnic food, dance and song, and even sensual sex. And he would tempt her with excitement, luxuries, and new adventures that only a man from outside her world could promise her. Sound familiar? Some people here complained about the lack of authenticity due to the director using non-Portuguese actors and Brazilian music. I don't think it made any difference. The acting and music and shots of the locale were very authentic and first-rate. The only thing that I couldn't figure out was all the casino scenes, since there are no casinos in New Bedford, Mass. The nearest ones are Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods in Conn., over an hour away. And Vicky, the young daughter, drove her scooter all the way over there and back on school nights? And if Charlie was such a professional card counter at Blackjack, banned from every casino, why was he broke? I must've missed something during a bathroom break. Other than that, "Passionada" is a fun film and a good insight into Portuguese-American culture, if that's your thing.

7 out of 9 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

One Night at McCool's (2001)

One very enjoyable night

21 May 2005

"One Night At McCools" is the kind of movie that you start watching and don't expect very much. It helps to first check your brains at the door or at the side of the couch. But, much to your surprise, the movie is a winner. It's a delightful film about four whacky characters that are so driven by their out-of-control basic instincts that you have to follow their trail and laugh along at them. And most of their instincts revolve around sex. Liv Tyler, playing the irresistible Jewell, delivers with little left to your imagination. In one of the sexiest performances I've seen on film in years, Liv keeps all men hot and aroused, both on and off the screen. Paul Reiser and John Goodman had some hysterical moments as two guys who are willing to give up everything for the woman of their dreams. And Matt Dillon did a fine job as the loser who had nothing going for him, but got sucked into the sex and violent world of the only woman who would give him the time of day. There was an unusual, for him, performance by Michael Douglas, as the con man and recipient of the long narrative tale told by Matt Dillon. It seemed that Michael was there to oversee the film, allowing the rest of the fine cast to do their thing and get the accolades. He played it very low key, which was perfect for a guy who's not known as a comedic actor. So get yourselves ready for a very funny, light, and fast-paced sex romp. It'll be one enjoyable night.

17 out of 21 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Autumn in New York (2000)

1/10

Warning!! To All Men out There!

15 May 2005

Warning: Spoilers

Don't say that I didn't warn you....but if you have anything better to do like go for a root canal or a vasectomy, then do that! But don't go anywhere near the video store today. Even if your wife or girlfriend promises you that "Special Treat" if you bring home "Autumn in New York", don't do it. It's one of those rare films that every man in this world fears he has to watch to show his girl that he has some sensitivity. I am not against those typical "chick flicks". There have been many enjoyable ones over the years - most starring Meg Ryan, Tom Hanks, Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler, or Dustin Hoffman. But this piece of garbage is totally unwatchable. How tired are us guys watching aged, over-the hill rich guys making it with cutesy pubescent "teens"? This story has been done and redone so many times on the screen, it's not original, funny, identifiable, sympathetic, or emotional. There is no surprise or even happy ending. And as for the chemistry between Richard Gere and Wynona Ryder....a big fat ZERO. The dialogue between the two was so lame as to be embarrassing. It appeared that both characters were reading from the teleprompter and couldn't wait to get the thing over with and collect their paycheck. I was at least hoping that the character, Charlotte, would get arrested for shop-lifting at Bloomingdale's just to add some spice to the movie. And speaking of spice...the "love" scenes were as bland and cold as re-frozen ice cream. And the scene with Will cheating on his babe Charlotte made no sense at all and was just a useless distraction. Somebody here wrote that the movie at least had some great scenes of N.Y. From what I can tell, it appeared that the movie was filmed in Hollywood and used phony N.Y. backdrop shots behind the actors. I just got no feel for the City or it's people. And one last criticism, is there helicopter service between Cleveland and New York? This whole story seemed like a big fraud to me. At least it's out of the theaters and not cheating any of us guys out of $18.00 for 2 tickets.

30 out of 55 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

25th Hour (2002)

10/10

Saved at the 11th Hour

8 May 2005

Just as I was about to burn my DVD player and go back to stamp collecting, and after enduring so many mediocre, juvenile, girlie, shallow, and forgettable 21st century films, I finally found a movie worth raving about. "The 25th Hour" had everything you'd expect in a 1st class film. Edward Norton and Barry Pepper did an outstanding job running their emotions from one extreme to another. Despite being 2 reprehensible characters, they were able to elicit our sympathies and find some goodness in them. We found ourselves warming up to Monty for his love for his girlfriend, his father, and his dog. And we applauded Frank for his convictions towards his life-long friend, Monty. Rosario Dawson played a very sexy and convincing girlfriend who stood by her convicted lover. The scenes of New York and the references to the World Trade Center destruction were provided by the experienced eyes and mind of Spike Lee. They added realism and intensity to the story. He told a tale of a desperate New Yorker who had just 24 hours to clean up the mess he created and reconcile the grim future that lie ahead. A fine movie on all fronts. One that can be watched and appreciated again and again.

9 out of 14 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Laws of Attraction (2004)

2/10

Hardly worth my time

5 May 2005

With a summary like the above, I will spare you of too much ranting and raving and just keep my comments short. The movie was a real snooze. The leading actors were just there to do a fashion show. Two beautiful people in beautiful clothes, acting like polished prep school graduates. And forget about realism. The legal battles and court room scenes must have been written by 12 year olds. And what's with Pierce Brosnan's English accent? He sounded like a fish out of water in Manhattan. He wouldn't know the Hudson River from the Thames. The movie was much too light, cutsie, girlie, and predictable for me. Maybe some hot sex or frontal nudity would have spiced it up.

1 out of 6 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

longislandlloyd

Reviews

Tell Your Friends

Recently Viewed