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Reviews
I Am Sam (2001)
Dry Heave Inducing
This happens to be the first movie I walked out on in almost ten years. Anyone that could have been possibly touched or even gave it an ounce of credit must have been retarded themsleves. The least it could have done was give an objective, double sided view of the mentally challenged parent issue. BUT NOOOOOOOO! The whole movie consists of a Sam loudly moaning and feeling sorry for himself, and his wide eyed daughter giggling beside him. This reminds me of a homeless man I see in New York who puts a miniature poodle literally on a pedestal as he shakes his beggar bowl, hoping the rich civilians will give him change out of sheer pity and manipulated sympathy. The producers of this film have used the same approach on a much larger scale. If that weren't enough, the film trys to make you feel sorry for everybody else, and the film almost becomes a kindergarten class, where the young pupils whine and cry, whine and cry, until they get what they want. Sean Penn gives by far the worst performance of his career. Not only is he not a convincing retarded man, his performance is like a bad archetype for an over the top "retard" impression that I would expect out of an actor from MAD TV. And I think most will agree that while they are excrutiatingly unfunny and annoying, they are just as unsettling and unwatchable.
Red Corner (1997)
Trite Fun and Very Quotable
RED CORNER may not be a brilliant movie, but it's still a fun movie that makes you at least FEEL like you're watching an important movie on US/Chinese foreign policy. But, what I like most about it is the amusing, often hilarious quotes screamed by Richard Gere. Here are some of them for your amusement.
"If I had my passport, I wouldn't need asylum."
"You've already nailed my coffin."
-"You are in contempt!" -"I'm in contempt, what are you going to do? SHOOT ME TWICE!?!"
Extreme Measures (1996)
Hugh Grant at his best
Hugh Grant plays the "likable, befuddled Englishman" so well, that it was difficult for him to break out of that mold for a while. Therefore, he was cast in one romantic comedy after another. But, his performance as ER doctor Guy Luthan shows that he does have range. All of his quirks (the constant dopey smiles, the longwinded tripping over words, the tendency to hit his head on something) disappears as he portrays a curious doctor investigating the mysterious deaths of area homeless men. But, EXTREME MEASURES is more than just a showcase for Hugh Grant's range. This underrated thriller brings a little bit of humanity to its villain, played by Gene Hackman. His Dr. Lawrence Myrick is not trying to poison society because of mere evilness. He is just an idealist, trying to make the world a better place. But, alas, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. His quest to cure paralysis may be a noble one, but his method of killing his subjects in order to find a cure is corrupt and out of control.