Reviews

Refreshing. What precisely do I mean by that? No, the movie didn't have that crisp, minty flavor. I mean that after treating myself to the Good (X -Files), the Bad (Godzilla), and the Ugly (Saving Private Ryan--although ugly still very, very unforgettable) this summer at the movies, it was nice to get a movie that got the adrenaline flowing smoothly while somehow managing to keep me guessing right up to the final scene of the flick AND providing me with intelligent dialogue!

"The Negotiator" is the kind of film I've been waiting for Kevin Spacey to do. It had the right amount of action without crossing the "Die Hard 2" threshold of absurdity. That combined with brillantly written scenes between Jedi-to-be Samuel L. Jackson and Spacey bring you a decidedly original cinema experience during a season notorious for pulling out the flashy fireworks and Oding us on CGI.

The film masterfully wraps you up in the story in record time, while letting you know right up front who the villains *could* be. Everything that makes a good thriller comes rushing out of the flood gates, and soon Jackson has everyone in the film (and watching it) in the palm of his hand. My only complaint is the time it took for Spacey's Chris Sabian to show up. Although his first scene with his daughter and slightly upset wife almost makes up for his tardiness. Other than that, superb and unexpected summer entertainment. And can we get a special round O' applause to Paul "Pig Vomit" Giamatti, whose brief but hilarious scenes are almost worth the price of admission.

It just goes to show you that the box office doesn't always fall under the control of Devlin and Emmerich just because it happens to be June.

A lesson was buried in the cinematic slop known as Devlin and Emmerich's "Godzilla". It's a lesson for anyone in the Movie Industry.

All you industry types....listen up. "Godzilla" has taught us that just because you can get your hands on some supersonic PC's and the latest version of Lightwave doesn't mean that you're going to make the best thing since sliced bread.

We, the audience, are wising up to you. (and it's about time!)

Now I understand that this movie was meant to be, for the most part, a roller-coaster ride. We weren't looking for writing and performances sharing the caliber of "The Shawshank Redemption" or "A Midnight Clear".

But what we WERE hoping for (and what the trailers clearly led us to expect) was the pure rocket-fuel of "Aliens" and the suspense of "Jurassic Park". Some have tried to explain this movie away as the kind where you turn off the ol' noggin and just enjoy. Well, if you're sitting there with your noodle trying to soak in the atmosphere of the flick and it isn't working.....then the word "bomb" comes to mind.

Yes, the effects were great. I enjoy a good dose of eye-candy just as much as the next red-blooded American male. But when the pitiful dialogue, the questionable casting (Jean Reno was obviously repaying a favor) and the laughable acting (Maria Pitillo taking the honors here) keep distracting you from the whole "vegging" thing you're trying to achieve just to enjoy yourself, something has gone horribly wrong. In addition, this movie's idea of suspense is easily rivaled by the act of picking one's own nose.

A special note (actually a plea) to Mr. Devlin and Mr. Emmerich, whom I understand are threatening us with not one, but two "Godzilla" sequels: Don't. It'll keep you out of trouble.

All throughout the decade of pencil-thin neckties and Pat Benatar look-alikes, various films came along that served to embody the times. "Valley Girl" (which introduced us to Nicholas Cage) and "Secret Admirer" were just a drop in the proverbial bucket. Amy Heckerling's "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" was the textbook definition of life as a teenager in the eighties and remains so to this day. The story was brought to life in a very unique way that hasn't been duplicated since:

There was no actual plot to speak of. This was just...High School.

It's a film about a group of kids looking for love, status, or a good buzz. The film was nothing more than that, and it didn't pretend to be more. In addition, Cameron Crowe's script made you *care* about what these kids went through as if their individual situations were happening to us (as they may very well have). It's almost a crime that a sequel was never made, although a mediocre TV series was spawned. Armed with a cast of characters that struck a chord with all of us (primarily because we knew someone in High School who acted just like them), and a soundtrack that reeked of the Mark Goodman-J.J. Jackson era of MTV, this film stands as a perfect portrait of a decade a lot of us say we'd like to forget....shortly before brushing the dust off an old Night Ranger cassette and indulging in a guilty pleasure.

I'll keep this as brief as I can due length of this page and to the overwhelming responses to this truly great American movie that, now that I've experienced it, I plan never to watch again.

My review is broken into two separate parts. Part one is for those who have difficulty with violence, blood, and gore: Don't see it-----you'll be getting over it for days. Possibly weeks.

Part two is for those who can handle violence, blood, and gore: See it. You'll have the same problem getting over it, though.

This is a movie that locks the name of Steven Spielberg into cinematic history forever. The thing that makes this movie like no other ever made is that it makes us believe, without a doubt, what it is to be in the hell that is war. The shocking scenes of violence and horrific combat combined with sound editing that actually makes you want to take cover under your seat will haunt the hardest of souls long after you step out of the darkened theater and back into the normal world. A world you will be thankful to have when you stop to think that 98% of what you just saw *actually happened* to thousands of American soldiers. The story told here is one of ultimate sacrifice and deepest loss. This is not a flag-waving movie, nor is it "Kelly's Heroes". This is the truth about D-Day, the truth about those who were unfortunate enough to be there, and those who were fortunate enough to make it back alive.