mrnews97's Reviews

Revenge of the Creature (1955)

2/10

4 February 2024

Warning: Spoilers

It's a shame this unpleasant sequel wasn't spear-gunned by the MST3K crew, it's so full of eye-rolling badness. The production values are okay, but pretty much everything else is cringe-worthy. I get it: they went with a King Kong type story, where the Creature is imprisoned, put on display, and fixates on a beautiful blonde "scientist" (student, actually). But what are they actually doing to it with electric cattleprods?! (Underwater, too, where everything nearby in the pool would be shocked!) This is conditioning by punishment, and you wonder if Stanley Milgram was part of the research team. And did they have to play the three-note scare sting EVERY SINGLE TIME the Creature appears. By the 37th time, it's completely worn out. Mrs News and I were still bursting into that sting the next day, every single time we opened the refrigerator. And the Creature's restraining chain, like Kong's, was apparently made by the Acme Inferior Chain Company. Then there's the idiocy of moving a fresh-water-living thing to salt water. The idea that the Creature peruses the entire Eastern Seaboard, and tracks the babe to one specific nightclub in Jacksonville. And the abrupt ending, like the budget ran out that day, so they just needed to call a wrap.

The only thing saving this sequel from being a One Star Bomb is the great Creature costume, and the two guys who bring it to life. Otherwise, this movie should only be used as a drinking game: do a shot EVERY SINGLE TIME they play the scary theme, and 30 minutes in, frankly, you won't give a damn...

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The Boat That Rocked (2009)

2/10

Exceptionally Disappointing

3 May 2010

This movie is a mess! Without reading any reviews, I rented it over the weekend and was quite shocked. How can a filmmaker take a fantastic cast, an intriguing story, and some of the best music ever made and come out with this drivel? Easy: just write a totally self-indulgent and idiotic script! At times this seemed written by a 13-year-old, or perhaps Beavis and Butthead (and I certainly don't mean Mike Judge). Full of clichés, disjointedly edited scenes, totally gratuitous sex, and humor that's just not funny, this inappropriately worshipful treatment of Radio Caroline mythology can only be compared to "Space Cowboys." That's right, the space movie, which, with an amazingly talented cast, an intriguing and exciting story, and competent special effects, also managed to be a complete bomb.

I wanted to like this movie; actually I wanted to love it. I came of age in the 60's and the music of that era is the soundtrack of my life. I was a (non-pirate) DJ for a long time. I think the whole pirate radio concept is totally cool. But "Pirate Radio" (as it's appropriately called for US release) is such an un-funny, un-true-feeling, un-original screenplay that I am embarrassed to admit I rented it at all. I gave it two stars only because its production values were slightly higher than a MST3K ("bot") movie, and for the great tunes.

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Shadows and Fog (1991)

4/10

Woody meets Kafka meets Murnau

30 September 2004

A wonderful semi-humorous homage to Expressionistic black and white films of folks like FW Murnau, Fritz Lang, Carl Dreyer, Marcel Carné and others. Allen plays a character caught in a Kafkaesque nightmare, at first thinking he is part of a vigilante group trying to catch a killer and slowly realizing that he might be a suspect. The writing is a little forced (this is, after all, Woody Allen trying to be a coy Kafka), but the point is made, and no harm done. The cinematography is interesting, about 100 shades of gray, but make sure you watch in a very dark room with a good screen, or details will get swallowed in the fog. This is an amusing little movie with a few laughs that are actually snorts of "uh-huh". The acting is fine, considering the odd vehicle, and it's worth watching if you are big Woody Allen fan. Also of interest to those knowledgeable about Expressionistic films. I'd give this a 6.5 out of 10.

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Dead Man Walking (1995)

8/10

What the Art of filmmaking is all about

22 March 2003

This film is a perfect example of Film as a combination of art and entertainment and social consciousness. "Dead Man Walking" is less about capital punishment than about personal responsibility and redemption. Based on the book by Sister Helen Prejean, who spent many years helping death row inmates come to terms with their crimes and punishments, this film rises above the debate about whether it's wrong to "kill someone to show that killing someone is wrong".

You find yourself caring about everyone in this movie: the young rape/murder victims; their grieving parents, one filled with hate, the other two inconsolable; the parents of the perpetrator of this crime; the nun who tries to do God's work in a place that is literally the last stop before hell for many men; even the prison guards who must do their job calmly and competently as they guide a man across the River Styx.

Sean Penn is an actor on the calibre of James Dean, reaching deep inside himself and putting his emotions on the table. Here, he somehow manages to find the right blend of odious and pathetic, and his portrayal is so very real that it hurts, even though his character is not a nice person at all. Susan Sarandon and hubby-director Tim Robbins have created a masterpiece, which provokes thought and discussion long after the film is over. This movie runs deep, but rather than resort to shameless manipulation and plot devices, it is real, and tough, and touching.

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U-571 (2000)

3/10

Clunky Sub Action Pic, But Still Fun

10 December 2002

You have to be in the right frame of mind to enjoy this film... it requires a "dumbing down" of the critical faculties. I've been reading many comments here regarding the historical inaccuracies, and they may be true, but I don't care. If you watch this as a documentary, you will be historically mis-informed. Just enjoy the action.

There are plenty of quibbles here beyond the history: the ship models aren't that great, the casting could have been better, the brief conversations regarding Matthew McConaughey's growth into a leadership role seemed one-sided. Then, with two sentences from Crew Chief Harvey Keitel, the Exec is transformed into a great sub commander.

But there's plenty of action, so much that you may find yourself saying "Gosh, what the heck ELSE could happen to these hapless bums?" Lots and lots of explosions, sparks, flames, bursting pipes. An especially effective scene was when the Americans are unable to read any of the labels on the guages on the German sub. That's like a nightmare most of us have had at one time.

This movie is the doofus-y little brother of films like "Das Boot" and "Hunt For Red October". It's a cheap thrill, so enjoy it for what it is; don't hold it to too high a standard.

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A Beautiful Mind (2001)

7/10

Complex on many levels and definitely worth seeing

24 August 2002

Essentially a biography, this is a story that could have been treated awfully, and instead has been turned into a fascinating and absorbing film. Without revealing any of the surprises, suffice it to say that things are not what they seem in the life of this Nobel Prize winning mathematician. This film is not boring, sappy, or pandering, instead managing to tell an amazing story in a way that would have made Rod Serling proud.

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Bringing Out the Dead (1999)

6/10

An intense masterwork from one of Film's greatest auteurs.

21 October 2001

This is Martin Scorcese at his best-- dizzying, intense, real. Much has been written here about the storyline, such as it is, but the story is secondary to the real purpose of the movie: an exploration of a human being's inner demons. The ambulance driver as "grief mop", as the saver of souls, as the attendant at the gateway of departure from this life, is powerful enough. Then Scorcese uses all the tools of his decades as a filmmaker to explore and probe the nightmarish existence of a man with one foot over the line. Sound familiar? It is, but this film combines previous characters, situations and viewpoints, and breaks new ground. Scorcese himself as one of the dispatchers is a nice touch, and there is plenty of black humor here. If you are looking for light entertainment, or any kind of clearly defined plot line, this is not the film for you. If you love Film as an art form, and appreciate a director who paints on the flickering canvas with all the tools at his command and whose works are uniquely his, rent or buy this film for your collection.

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Contaminated Man (2000)

1/10

Bill Hurt phones in his part in this confusing mess

29 September 2001

This movie is so bad, you almost feel contaminated by it. Actually, there is a strong sense of relief when it's over, relief that you can now put the cassette back in the rewinder and RUSH this back to the video rental store before it contaminates the rest of your video collection. I jokingly suggested when we rented it that it looked like the kind of film where William Hurt would "phone in" his performance. I meant that he would not be trying very hard. But lo and behold, in a huge number of scenes in this film, Bill Hurt is actually ON THE PHONE! Our realization of this irony was the only pleasure we derived from this confusing mess. The cinematography and editing are murky and befuddled, the story is chaotic, and the soundtrack is barely audible. There is a very slight resemblance to "Falling Down", but that film had a boldly disturbing story-line, great writing and acting, and an engaging soundtrack. "Contaminated Man" is just some kind of broken down old European tourist trap, and watching it is like driving along some unfamiliar back road in an unknown country where you don't speak the language in a steady rain just after nightfall as the windshield keeps fogging up. You get the picture? Don't get this one.

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The Wedding Singer (1998)

4/10

Mildly funny remake of a very old plot

29 September 2001

Not much to say about this one. A few yucks, but I have to defer to Roger Ebert here: the plot is as old as the hills, and they filmed a zillion of these silly stories in the 1930's onward, but back then they seemed to realize they WERE silly, and had fun with them. Now they take it so seriously, which makes you groan "Oh come on". Adam Sandler mumbles a lot, there are some very one-dimensional characterizations, some vaguely interesting characters whose roles go absolutely nowhere, and a plot that you can peg in the first 5-10 minutes of the film. This would all be forgiveable if the thing were really funny, but there are only a couple of good laughs. Drew Barrymore is an excellent actress, but her talents are wasted in this one. There are funnier films to rent, so keep looking.

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The Pledge (I) (2001)

8/10

Strongly artistic work with a few minor plot flaws

15 September 2001

This is not your average murder mystery, with Jack Nicholson again stretching beyond his crazy-killer persona. The story is familiar, but the treatment is not, with excellent cinematography, editing, and music by Hans Zimmer. The look and feel of this movie is very real, yet surreal, as if Sean Penn was taking mental notes while acting in "The Thin Red Line" by Terrence Malick. There are some things that just don't fit together in this movie: they are mostly story or plot-related, and might bother some viewers looking for realism and logic. However, the pleasure (and pain) in watching this film derives from the overall "feel" of the work, and if you enjoy films about people making tough choices that turn out to be wrong, you'll love this one. But man, what a downer!

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The Gift (2000)

8/10

Spooky whodunit with strong performance by Cate Blanchett

15 September 2001

There are so many red herrings in this movie, you would swear you're at a cannery in the Maritimes. There's plenty of motive to go around, and I didn't see any real obvious hints as to who the real culprit might be. Cate Blanchett seems to be a master of accents, having been very convincing as the New Jersey housewife in "Pushing Tin". There are no false notes in her Southern accent here. Hilary Swank, Greg Kinnear, Keanu Reeves, Gary Cole, and others turn in wonderful supporting performances. The movies was filmed in Georgia, and literally smells of swamp and Spanish Moss and old voodoo, while still taking place in the present day. If you like whodunits with lots of mystery plus some mysticism, you will enjoy this.

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Company Man (2000)

4/10

Somewhat surreal and very funny, but could have been a gutbuster

15 September 2001

This is a VERY funny movie, that owes a great deal to Woody Allen. It's kind of like "Bananas", 30 years later and badly gone to seed. Who cares if the premise is absurd and the movie is episodic, there's some hilarious material here, and stars like Sigourney Weaver, Woody Allen, John Turturro and others are very funny. Sometimes it's a bit like a prolonged SNL skit, with the whole grammar teacher bit, but there is always another laugh around the corner. All this said, the film was a bit of a disappointment in retrospect, and does not live up to its potential. It's almost like they ran out of money and cut some corners while making it. It is also fairly short, and it appears that pieces of some scenes that may have been cut from the film are actually shown during the credits. Lightweight, yet nowhere near as bad as some reviewers are saying.

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The Third Miracle (1999)

8/10

Above average script elevated by fine acting, cinematography, and music

15 August 2001

Bottom line: this is a "crisis of faith" story. The main character (Ed Harris) is a priest who has doubts, but wants to believe. He has already successfully debunked one candidate for sainthood; now his superiors ask him to investigate another. Along the way, he is sexually tempted by the saint-candidate's daughter (Ann Heche), and then opposed by a brilliant but embittered German arch-bishop. There's no sex, violence, sci-fi, or spectacular special effects in this one, folks. Just plain old good acting by the leads and supporting characters, excellent and evocative photography, and a first-rate musical score that adds to the overall enjoyment of the film. The script does have its flaws, which prevent "The Third Miracle" from being absolutely brilliant, but I was disappointed when the movie ended: I wanted more! Would that the absorbing story and its details continue: Is the candidate ever granted sainthood? Does the arch-bishop change his attitude publicly? And whose baby IS that? But these and other theological issues are what you will ponder and debate after the credits are over. And that's what makes this a worthwhile film.

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The House of Mirth (2000)

7/10

Gillian Anderson exceeds expectations in absorbing story of a woman trapped by social strictures.

5 August 2001

This is essentially a soap opera, in the tradition of "Room With A View" and "Remains of the Day". The action consists of conversations, silences, glances, written notes, and so on. It is also about the beginning of a sea change in women's roles in society, fueled by changing expectations of both women and men. While it is fiction, it is of great historical interest. It is also a tragedy of small proportions, made much larger by Gillian Anderson's clever acting of the lead character, a woman who, on the surface, is quite dislikable yet has a vulnerability under that hard exterior that eventually leads to her downfall. Anderson has made an art form out of strong women who burst into sobs, and she is quite good at it. The film is fairly long, and seems quite motionless at times, but that same stillness creates a sense of time and history quite appropriate to the material. If you liked the two Merchant-Ivory productions noted above, you will enjoy this one.

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Liberty Heights (1999)

6/10

A somewhat flawed but enjoyable "coming of age" film in typical Levinson fashion.

5 August 2001

Having never heard of this film before, and finding it by accident on cable TV, it was immediately recognizable as a Barry Levinson work. The Baltimore setting, the diner scenes, the close-ups on car hood ornaments, and other touches serve as identification markers of its author. It is interesting to see Levinson put Baltimore in quite a different light than he did in the TV series "Homicide". "Liberty Heights" follows the predictable plot-line of many coming-of-age movies, where things happen and then people talk about them. I kept waiting for something really bad to happen, someone to be killed or dragged before the HUAC, but nothing terrible happens at all. But far from spoiling the film, it allows the viewer to concentrate on the characters' experience and the changing direction of their lives. This is a film about Baltimore's distinct ethnic groups in the 1950's, but there is no sharp edge to it. Rather, "Liberty Heights" shows hope for tolerance and the breakdown of sharp socio-economic boundaries. The message is not hammered home; it's just there for the grasping if you wish to see it this way. Otherwise, it's a pleasantly diverting soap opera with typically Levinsonian cinematography, editing, and use of music.

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