ALittaM Reviews

Daraar (1996)

Weird

[25 April 2003]

This was the first Bollywood movie I saw and, frankly, it disappointed me. It has all the cliches of indian musicals and a very lame plot. If you are thinking about renting it, pick something else.

3 out of 10.

Scarecrow and Mrs. King (1983–1987)

My childhood's most treasured memory

[1 March 2001]

I watched this show when I was a little girl. And it soon turned up to be one of my favorite shows ever: the leading characters are great, and they interact in the cutest way.

Kate Jackson plays Amanda King, the most ordinary, suburban mother whose greatest hope is a special discount at the grocery store.

Bruce Boxleitner plays Lee Stetson, a secret agent who loves being a spy and being a Don Giovanni.

Their meeting happens at the train station, when Lee is forced to ask Amanda for help. From that day,these two become the most unlikely pair of secret agent, and more than often Lee wonders just what the hell Amanda is here for: she has no clue about anything concerning spies, guns, or secret weapons. On the other hand, she has a lot of common sense, and she uses a special intuit that more than once saves them both.

As seasons pass by, Lee and Amanda develop a very special friendship, that eventually turns into love. It takes three whole years, though, to see them show their feeling for each other. And this, for fans (or for me at least), was like a secret hope, just like what happened for X-Files ten years later.

Technically speaking, this show is just like any other 80s TV show: poorly directed, badly edited and with stunt over-using (most of the time causing embarrassing shots where anyone could see it wasn't them!). It was set in DC, but filmed in California, so they mixed long-range shot of DC monuments with street shots of the WB lot. Bruce and Kate acted pretty well, Bruce being the best of the pair and giving on the whole a very charismatic portrait of Lee (which caused a lot of women to fall for the actor AND the character - as I did!). On the last season, though, Kate Jackson cut her appearances on the show due to a sudden illness, and after a few episodes without Amanda the show stopped. Too bad they didn't get a chance to film a decent end to a very nice show.

I recommend it to those who suffer old-times nostalgia, and to those who haven't forgotten Bruce Boxleitner in his glory days. Plus it has a great theme tune!

Rags to Riches (1987–1988)

A must to build your music knowledge

[24 January 2001]

I used to watch this show when I was a little girl, and I thought that all the songs they sang were written for the show. Therefore I regarded it as some musical miracle. Only later I found out that those cute teen girls were singing 60s songs - but by then I also found out that this show has made my knowledge for 60s and 70s songs as deep as my parents'!

Anyway, this TV show is very well done, well acted and I couldn't help but find myself totally hooked with it. Watch it if you happen to find it on reruns - you'll enjoy it!

American Beauty (1999)

Beauty

[10/10 · 17 January 2001]

Pure beauty. Watch this movie. Again. And again. Think about it. Question it. Every single scene of it. See your life reflected in every single red petal. Be moved by it, disgusted, thrilled, annoyed, surrounded by it. This is art in its highest form. "You probably have no idea of what I'm talking about. But don't worry. You will someday."

State buoni se potete (1983)

Behave yourselves... if you can

[7/10 · 16 January 2001]

This movie is a treasured memory of my childhood. I was thrilled mostly by the musical scenes where Angelo Branduardi leads a chorus of kids into a splendid medieval tune called "Vanità di Vanità" - and this songs remains as one of the first songs I ever heard. Apart from the highly inspired music, this movie also has some very good performances by its leading actors, but on the other hand lacks on the technical and artistic side, maybe the result of a quick production and a hurried post-production. The storyline itself is also interesting, featuring some of the most important saints of Italian history (and telling the life of Saint Filippo Neri himself). I suggest it to those who appreciate good music, talented actor and a very naive portrait of 1500 Rome.

Labyrinth (1986)

The perfect movie for a child or a childlike grownup

[9/10 · 10 August 2000]

I remember watching this movie at a theatre when I was a little girl and it was instant LOVE! This is the kind of movie a child only dreams about... it's got fairies, goblins, magical creatures and the most charming Goblin King played by David Bowie himself... for being 1986, special effects were pretty good, and I found Jim Henson's work with muppets truly amazing. I would not believe when my parents told me that only Sarah, Jareth and little Toby were real. Growing up, I never stopped loving "Labyrinth". I still find myself listening to its great soundtrack album or watching it one more time, just for old time's sake. In a way, I think this is a magical movie.

Hope Floats (1998)

Sandra Bullock could do a lot better

[9 August 2000]

I found this movie very boring. Not that I stopped watching it, I wanted to see how it could have ended. Sandra Bullock is totally unbelievable playing a mother - no matter how old she gets, she'll always have that high school look that makes her so pretty. She's a good actress, too, but she never dares to add some depth to her character. The story lacks of plot twists, and honestly it could have lasted longer or shorter. Harry Connick should really stick to singing songs, a job he's great in. And people should rent this movie only if there's nothing, really NOTHING left on the shelves.

The X-Files Game (1998 Video Game)

Wonderful, stunning, thrilling! A MUST for everyone!

[10/10 · 8 December 1999]

This game manages to get you into the world of the X-Files in a way you've never experienced. It combines high tech graphics with real video clips shot exclusively for this game. You'll have a lot of places to visit, while you search for missing agents Mulder and Scully (Skinner will help you on your search). You can collect evidence, take it to the lab (or maybe to the morgue), touch a lot of things like you were really there, talk to everyone you meet thru agent Craig Willmore... can you make thru all of 7 CD roms?

Il signor Quindicipalle (1998)

What was it all about?

[5/10 · 8 December 1999]

Common man meets prostitute, makes her pretend she's his girlfriend then falls for her? Have I heard that plotline a lot before! This movie brings nothing new to this kind of story. Nuti acts really badly and the only scenes where you can bear his presence are the ones when he demonstrates his skills in playing pool. Please don't watch this movie.

Shadrach (1998)

A wonderful movie for children and grownups

[7/10 · 27 October 1999]

This is movie portrays childhood, summer and the 30s in a wonderful and poetic way. An old man's will to be buried in the land he was born is no easy subject to put up in a movie, but the makers managed to give this story a very touchy style which helped it a lot. Children should watch it and learn what the Depression was like and how close we actually are to those days (the boy is alive nowadays and has met a man who has been a slave - history's not that far at all). And they would also learn a very deep lesson on life and its ways.

For once Andie McDowell stars in a role different from the high-class girl she used to play (think about Green Card and The Groundhog Day). And for once Harvey Keitel doesn't get on my nerve!