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Reviews
Swimming with Sharks (1994)
Possibly Kevin Spacey's best performance
"Swimming with Sharks" is probably the least well-known of all of Kevin Spacey's major movies, but it is also possibly his best. His portrayal of Hollywood executive Buddy Ackerman is unbelievable. At the same time he is both hysterical and terrifying.
Frank Whaley is passable as Buddy's assistant Guy, but it is Spacey who owns this movie. Even when taken hostage by Guy, it is clear that Buddy is the man in control of the situation. But for all his strength and of his fear-inducing qualities, his brief emotional breakdown into memories of his wife is the closest to the catharsis that Aristotle wrote about that I have seen in a movie.
But above all, this is truly a comedy. One of the funniest movies I have ever seen. Spacey's dry delivery style is so perfectly matched with this character. Buddy is able to belittle Guy in any number of ways, but perhaps most effective is when he simply looks at him, doesn't raise his voice and speaks the words: "You...have...no...brain. No judgement calls are necessary. What you think means nothing. What you feel means nothing."
When the movie dips into the romantic subplot between Guy and another producer named Dawn the movie becomes less interesting, but Spacey's performance makes this movie worth watching over and over.
The Thin Red Line (1998)
One of the most beautiful movies ever
[Warning: contains description of scenes]
Saving Private Who?
"The Thin Red Line" shows that it is possible to make a war movie that is in no way about war. Perhaps this is a bit of cliche, but this is truly a movie about people.
Terrence Malick's direction is superb, John Toll's cinematography is probably the best I have ever seen in any movie and Hans Zimmer's score is simply unbelievable.
In one notable scene when the soldiers are moving through the tall grass heading into battle, you know that at any moment the enemy will open fire, but you don't know when. Malick moves the camera through this grass at the same eye level as the soldiers and prolongs the appearance of the enemy, making this one of the most excruciating scenes I have ever experienced as an audience member.
Excellent performances across the board, with Sean Penn in particular standing out. Though why John Travolta, John Cusack and George Clooney needed to be in this movie I don't quite know.
I strongly recommend this film. See the movie and definitely buy the score.
Noises Off... (1992)
Theatrical Hilarity
"Noises Off!" is a great movie, almost as good as the play, but not quite. The play hinges around an excellent ensemble performance, led by Michael Caine, who is simply fantastic as Lloyd. Carol Burnett, John Ritter, Marilu Henner, Christopher Reeve and Mark Linn-Baker are excellent additions to this cast, and it was nice to see them in roles different than their usual. The writing of the new material that was not in the play is horrendous, but what remains of Michael Frayn's original script is worth seeing over and over. Watch the movie, but then see the play.