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bethlynch91
Reviews
Roll Bounce (2005)
Much Better than the Average Score.
This movie brought back a lot of fond memories of the skating rink. It is definitely better than the average score given on IMDb. Despite some adult language by the teens in this movie, the story is light-hearted and tender. Bow Wow Shad Gregory Moss is definitely following in the steps of Will Smith in acting. He's a true talent! This is a family must see for parents 35 to 45 with teen children. A lot of "Awe, man, I used to have one of those/did that" moments: the Atari, the inchworm toy scooter, sissy bar bikes; the all skate, the couples skate, the lady's choice skate, trying not to fall down, learning how to skate backwards, popping the water blisters so you'll be ready to skate next time; young love and young lust without sex; the staying out all day in the neighborhood with your friends during the summertime and not going home until the streetlights flick on. That was the last generation to enjoy childhood innocently - that was my childhood! If you were a child in the late 70's and loved to skate, you will love this movie!
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
Just Like Gollum to The One Ring: I Loved It. I Hated It.
Warning Readers: Major Spoilers Ahead! Go back now if you don't want plot spoilage!
I didn't mind Frodo going to Osgiliath with Faramir, and I actually loved the Lothlorien Elves at Helms Deep. These diversions from the book were expected. What I couldn't stand was the break-neck speed of which the story was told. It's like Peter Jackson panicked. Granted you've got three different plots going on, but the transitions from one storyline to another was choppy and rushed.
For example: We start off with Gandalf falling and fighting with the Balrog. Cool! Love it already! Then we start off with Frodo and Sam capturing Gollum; then Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli running after the uruk-hai who have Merry and Pippin. Then we get diverted to Edoras and Wormtongue ousting Eomer from the kingdom; then to Merry and Pippin almost getting killed by the orcs; then Eomer running into Aragorn & Co. and tells them the orcs are dead. Then we're in the Dead Marshes with Frodo, Sam and Gollum; then back to Fangorn where Merry and Pippin run into a "very hasty" Treebeard who has them meet the "white wizard." Then Aragorn & Co. find the "white wizard" to actually be Gandalf.
See what I mean? And the movie goes on at this nauseating pace. I knew that Helm's Deep was going to be 45 minutes long, but it was like Peter Jackson was trying to hurry up and get to Helm's Deep to show off his new "massive" special effects. Don't get me wrong! The battle was great! But near the end, it was like, "Let's hurry up and get this over with!"
I thought Arwen's part put in a good romantic feel in the movie, but what was up with Galadriel telepathically conversing with Elrond? I found that to be the most awkward part of the movie, and I think that could have been done different. Granted Arwen may have had a mental connection to Aragorn, so I guess that's what P.J. was trying to do with Galadriel and Elrond. Tolkein Elves do exist on two planes of existence. But P.J. does a terrible job of explaining the Galadriel/Elrond connection. Like I said: awkward.
I was hoping to have the same feel that I had after I saw "The Empire Strikes Back." Dark Transition with a lot of Emotion. Now I realize I expected too much. I came out of the movie with the same yucky sensation that I had when I first saw "The Fifth Element" or "Starship Troopers" or should I dare say it: "Mission to Mars" (ugh! yuck! Gross!). Hopefully I will come to love this movie fondly as "5th Element" and "SS Troopers", and not turn it off every time it comes on like "Missed2Mars".
I'm going to see it again to see if I can get a better feel for the movie. But now I can't wait to see the extended edition of "The Two Towers" to see what Peter Jackson unnecessarily cut out of the movie. All around, I do give it a 9 out of 10, just because it's a continuation of a movie that was a 12 out of 10 for me and had characters that I really care about. It is good and I hope "RotK" to be better than "Fellowship" and much better than this slight disappointment.
Peter, if you're reading this, please take a deep breath and calm down! Don't rush this story. You've got the fans. Now give them a story they will cherish for the rest of their lives!
Xanadu (1980)
Childhood Favorite I was shocked to find had scored so low.
I woke up this morning to my husband singing "...suddenly, the wheels are in motion..." He never sings. I asked him why he was singing "Xanadu". He didn't know. Now I had that song stuck in my head. So I looked "Xanadu" up on the Imdb and was shocked to see how low of a score it got. Then I looked at the voting breakdown. People either loved it or hated it. Most loved it. So that made me feel better. This was a movie that I watched every time I could catch it when I was a child. It was my "Moulin Rouge" for years. It wasn't until Baz's brainchild came out that I felt so strongly about a modern musical. Just imagine if Mr. Luhrmann had gotten hold of "Xanadu". Wait, hold it. He sorta did in "Moulin Rouge".
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)
Yoda makes the Movie!!!
If it wasn't for Master Yoda in this movie, it would've been another dull action-packed mess with very bad acting. Even though the Anakin Amadala romance was to blossom, I felt it was not very convincing until close to the end. Ewan McGregor was good, so was Samuel L. Jackson, but Yoda is the master of this "Star Wars" adventure. That is a well worth full-paid ticket reason to go see this movie.
Spider-Man (2002)
The Amazing Tobey Maguire!
I just saw "Spider-Man" last night! Wow! What a way to start the summer movie season! Tobey Maguire is Spider-Man! The story of Peter Parker's evolution into the human arachnid was told with simple humor and action packed scenes with a beautiful New York City backdrop. Kirsten Dunst has an excellent chemistry with Maguire on screen. If their luscious kiss in the rain-soaked alley doesn't get most sexy kiss next year at the MTV movie awards, I will be very disappointed! Willam Dafoe as Norman Osborn and the Green Goblin was just down right wicked! I've forgotten how good of an actor he can be. He may have even over acted a little, but sometimes the villain has to have a distorted personality in the comic book and the movie screen. James Franco, I can't wait to see how he pulls off being Spidy's arch-nemesis in the next movie. And the guy who plays JJ Jameson, JK Simmons, he's right on the nose playing the obnoxious editor. Can you tell I highly recommend this movie? The few things which urked me: some of the CG effects looked fake, not the fly-through scenes but some of the actual fight scenes. Other than that, this movie is a definitely good way to start the summer season, if you can't wait for "Star Wars." If you're not in it for the sci-fi, Tobey is wonderful eye candy. Well worth the price of admission!
A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
Beautiful But Boring
Haley Joel Osment again proves beyond doubt that he is an excellent actor in this beautifully made movie. I hope to see him in other works. This movie, if made twenty years ago, would have been a major hit, if not, a major oscar contender. But its pace was as slow as "2001: A Space Oddessy" and could have been a little more intense. The 'Flesh Fair' scene was poinent: "He who is without sin, cast the first stone." I thought that was a very powerful scene. I didn't understand the origins of the beings at the end of the movie. Were they archeologists from another planet, or highly evolved machine creatures? I'll have to watch that scene again to hopefully answer that question. This movie is worth at least one must see and would have been a 10 in my book but for the fact that I found it to be boring at times, like an Acadamy Awards show with too many presenters.
The Bumblebee Flies Anyway (1999)
Not Deep Enough
It was a flat movie that didn't take the opportunity to tell a very deep and emotional story. It was too short. However I love Elijah Wood in any movie, so that was a plus. He needs to learn how to kiss on film. I also liked Rachael Leigh Cook. A good match for Lij. Hope they do other movies together.