movieman-187 Reviews

Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child (2010)

great movie but...

[8/10 · 1 September 2010]

I really liked this movie and what it shows not only about the new york art scene of the 1980s and Basquiat, but about how fame and success can easily lead to destruction. However, at times the movie is hard to watch because the sound is TERRIBLE! I don't understand how clearly talented film makers could take so little time and have so little care about the sound. They clearly took lots of time and care in interviewing many important and interesting players within the scene and Basquiat's life, but often I fell out of the movie simply because i was struggling to understand the bad audio, then starting to wonder why the audio was so bad. Some interviews had clearly exposed clip on mics and that was so much preferred to the other interviews where the audio was either distorted, rustle or clearly just a camera mic. I mean, even the interview done on the analog video camera in the 1980s sounded so much better than half of the interviews that feature prominently in the film.

I want to recommend this movie highly, as I feel its story has a lot of continuity to the artists of today, but i also have to strongly warn them that the audio is so bad that it might not be worth the struggle.

Please! please! Please! Documentary film makers out there, care as much about the sound as you care about the image and content. All three are needed to make a movie work. Nothing is more frustrating than suffering through an interview solely because the sound is bad. Learn something about sound. Care about your sound, or hire some one who does!

Biker Boyz (2003)

Terrible, just terrible

[2/10 · 24 January 2003]

I saw a special screening of this film, and special it was. I can't remember a time at the theater that was more wasteful than the time I spent with this movie. It is laughably bad. In fact, most of the audience was laughing at the "dramatic" twists and turns that occur in the film. They are all super-cliche and come out of left field. The acting is universally bad, the cinematography silly and pointless (watch for the 3 minutes in the 3rd act where the movie decides to become an extended music video), the music is uninspired, the sound design flat, and the script....well lets just say that scripts like this don't come along to often. I want to give this film credit for two things. One: The opening steadicam shot, taken directly from "Boogie Nights" really sets up the movie well and made me think that this could be something of quality. Two: The first race (and I am not giving anything away here...) and crash are really well done; however, the film never progresses from these opening moments and just keeps getting worse and worse until you wish that you were shot in the face. 2/10

Teachers Are People (1952)

Of its time, and interesting historically

[8/10 · 17 January 2003]

In this animated short, Goofy plays a teacher trying to reach his pupils. Most of it consists of goofball gags and some slight humor with the way kids of the 50s viewed school. The real reason to watch and study this short however, is for its implicit (and attempt to find humor in) school violence. In the short, "Billy" brings a virtual arsenal of weapons to school, including a gun, slingshot and hand grenade. Goofy eventually, lightheartedly takes these away, disposing of the grenade in the trash can. Billy goes on to cheat off a students paper by "holding him up" with a water pistol, and blows up the school. In the end, "Billy" is seen writing on the chalk board (as does Bart Simpson 40 years later), "I will not bomb the school again." This is another example of Disney naivete and really seems frightening in todays culture. 8/10

Brooklyn Bridge (1981)

Shows the growth of Ken Burns and his documentaries

[7/10 · 24 December 2002]

When this film delves into the history of and construction of the "East River Bridge" or what is now known as the Brooklyn Bridge, the film is masterfully constructed and endlessly fascinating. However, when Mr. Burns tries to romanticize the bridge in the present day (1981 when this film was shot), it becomes a mess, at the same time pedantic and preachy. I would highly recommend the first half of this film to anyone interested in historical documentary filmmaking, NYC history or architectural history, but the second half could be skipped by anyone save an Oscar completist (this film was nominated for best documentary feature in 1982) or the most hard core of Mr. Burns' fans.

Fighter (2000)

An Interesting take on a common type of documentary

[7/10 · 22 December 2002]

I have seen many documentaries in which a survivor returns to his or her place of internment. These films (especially "The Last Days") have the rare ability to both capture the past and show its affect on the present. If "Fighter" was simply another version of these types of films, it would have been one of the poorer examples; however, this film does something that none of the other films in the survivor series does: it questions the survivor, and does not simply accept his story as true. This very tough role in the film is taken on by Jan's friend and fellow survivor. Their philosophical banter and semantical games are what this film worth the time. They turn what is really a sad journey into some strange "Grumpier Old Men" sequel. I have to say that the film was much different than I expected, but what I got in place was perhaps more meaningful than what I wanted. 7/10

Journey Into Life: The World of the Unborn (1990)

Good, but semi-graphic explanation of conception through birth

[6/10 · 23 May 2001]

I can see why this movie could be nominated for an Academy Award for Documentary Short Subject. It is a very comprehensive documentary that must have taken a lot of time to compile. It contains a lot of old computer graphics, video from inside the body and 3-D diagrams. For anyone interested in what takes place to bring about a new baby, this movie will be invaluable. The best part about it is that it gives its information objectively, without being pro-choice or pro-life. It is just pro-information. If this subject interests you, then this is one of your best options. 6/10

Alaska: Spirit of the Wild (1997)

Beautiful short reinforcing the need to conserve our natural wonders

[8/10 · 30 March 2001]

In the present political climate, where some hope to drill for oil in the Alaskan wilderness, this funny and gorgeous documentary on the natural creatures of the region should force them to reconsider. Narrated by Charlton Heston, it shows the viewer just how explosive and pure this vast empty land is. It is virtually untouched by human hands, and has been for centuries. The movie is highlighted by stunning helicopter shots and plenty of Discovery Channel-like images of animal interactions. The scenes with the bears and the whales are priceless. This documentary (which was nominated for best short in 97) is a testament to all the reasons why natural parks should be kept free from human hands so that their beauty can be experienced by the next generation.

Adam Clayton Powell (1989)

A look at an early and controversial civil rights leader

[5/10 · 30 March 2001]

This documentary employs mostly talking heads and old still pictures to relay its message about the life and work of Harlem preacher and Congressman Adam Clayton Powell. As one of the first black Congressmen, Powell deserves a lot of credit for helping ignite the civil rights movement. He helped blacks get into the navy, obtain government jobs, and boycott racist businesses. However, after the rise of Martin Luther King, Powell faded, as a man who was only looking out for himself. He was no longer THE black leader so he retreated to the Bahamas to live in luxury. I admit that I was not alive during the Civil Rights Movement, but I find most of what Mr. Powell did to be only for Mr. Powell. I don't think he is or was ever a good symbol for black strive, and the movie fails because it tries to view his life through rose tinted glasses. It is not a balanced piece. The whole story is not accurately represented. In fact, out of all the people who gave insight about this man, only one was white, and everybody put a positive spin on anything he did. This was an interesting man in life, but a poor movie about it. 4/10

Rain (1929)

A lyrical impression of a rain shower in Amsterdam

[22 January 2001]

This silent film from Holland depicts the start and affects of a rain shower in the city of Amsterdam. It is a very beautiful movie with a good score, but the movie is definitely slow. It is not particularly interesting either. It is just an old and simple silent film that is not especially important. If you get chance to see it, you should just to see how far film has come in 70 years.

High Art (1998)

Great story, but poor direction

[7/10 · 9 August 2000]

After watching this film, I am struck by the grace and beauty of the story and the terrific acting. However, as I watch the film, certain directorial problems become painfully prevalent. For instance, there are many unnecessary camera movements and the camera always seems to be at the same eye-level angle. Maybe this is to add a sense of a documentary to the movie, but even if it is, it gets old fast. All of the acting in the film is top notch! The script is very interesting and gives a unique angle and edge on an old topic. There were also several places that I thought needed more depth, but those are post-decisions that I don't have all the facts on. If you like independent film, then check this movie out. 6/10

My Mother Dreams the Satan's Disciples in New York (1998)

Hysterical comedy about an old, farm woman in New York

[9/10 · 27 February 2000]

This is the first film by director Barbara Schrock, and it is a great offering. This short is nominated for an Oscar this year in the best live action film short category.

The plot is pretty simple, but in the end, it is very unique. Basically, a widow from Sioux Falls, SD goes to visit her daughter in New York's East Village. When she first arrives, she is very scared, and this feeling is not helped by the fact that her daughter lives across the street from the headquarters of a large motorcycle gang, The Satan's Disciples! She is overcome with questions like, "Is it safe?" and "What do they do over there?"

In the end, it gives plenty of laughs and just enough sympathy and drama to keep everybody amused. If you get a chance to see this movie, don't pass it up.--9/10

Kill Me Again (1989)

While this movie is far from perfect, it deserves any true noir fan's time and attention.

[8/10 · 8 February 2000]

Film noir is one of the oldest and most worked of all the Hollywood genres. Starting as early as 1941 with John Huston's The Maltese Falcon. Other greats include Orson Welles's Touch of Evil and Hitchcock's Notorious. With such a great variety of so-called "classic" noires to see, why would one want to take the time and money to watch an independent film noir by a then unknown director/writer. Simple: the director/writer is John Dahl, and this is no ordinary film noir. In fact, his movies (this was the first of them all) are so well received that critics credit him with starting a new genre called neo-noir.

It starts out like any other noir. Fay Forrester (Joanne Whalley-Kilmer), the femme fatal, and her boyfriend (Michael Madsen) are some small time criminals who rob the mod. They steal a briefcase full of money and kill one of the mod members. Then, Fay, who longs to escape country life and move to Las Vegas hits her husband on the head with a rock, takes all the money for herself, and runs to Vegas. Once she gets to Vegas, she hires Jack Andrews (Val Kilmer) to make it look like she was murdered, offering him, "$5000 up front and $5000 when I'm dead." Jack, reluctantly takes the job. However, once the job is done, Fay skips out of town without paying Jack the final $5000, and to make matters worse, Fay's boyfriend is in town at Jack's office looking for Fay. Now this is where it gets really interesting because everyone is looking to kill everyone else for revenge. It is just a question of who will succeed. The last half of the movie is filled with plot twists and unexpected actions. This, and especially the end, is where this film deviates from what is usually called film noir. This is not to say that the twists are unmotivated or out of character. They very much are. It is just the types of twists and the number of them are uncommon for films preceding this time. The ending is unexpected and pleasurable. But I won't ruin it for you here.

One thing that is particularly true for this movie is the consistency found in each of the main characters. There is no scene that feels out of place within the context of the picture. Also, I have to give a thumbs up to the under-appreciated performance by Michael Madsen. He does one heck of a job as the psycho boyfriend. Another thing that must be mentioned is the great choices for the camera angles by John Dahl. This makes the movie better than it is or should be. He places the camera in places so that you feel either closer or farther from the action, depending upon what sense he is trying to convey to the viewer. He really makes the tension tenser, and the action faster. The audience always gets enough, but never too much. This is just an outstanding example of film directing. The only other directors that have this uncanny ability are Welles, Hitchcock, Kubrick, Tarantino, and Scorsese. In my opinion, this film (which is from 1989) is a major influence on Tarantino and his works. You can clearly see the similarities between their choice of camera angles and what the audience gets to see; however, Tarantino is more graphic face.

While this movie is far from perfect, it is quite good and deserves any true noir fan's time and attention. If you like noires, and in particular, this film, then go check out Dahl's other two good neo-noires: Redrock West and The Last Seduction. I give this film an 8/10.

The X Files (1998)

This movie is entertaining, but nothing special

[6/10 · 12 October 1999]

If you are a big fan of the X-files, then this movie will be enjoyable for you; however, if you are just a casual watcher of the series then this movie is going to be dull. I am a fan of the series and therefore found the movie interesting, but a friend of mine who doe not watch the series thought it was stupid.

Tumbleweeds (1999)

A heart warming comedy about the struggles of a mother and her daughter.

[9/10 · 9 October 1999]

Right away this movie smacks you with the harsh reality of the Southern, abusive home in which this mother and daughter live. As per her pattern, the mother flees this relationship, daughter in tow. On the go again, this time they head west and end up in San Diego. Shortly after arriving, the mother enters into yet another abusive relationship from which, as per her pattern, she wishes to escape by running away. This time, however, the daughter refuses to pack up and leave, forcing her mother to come to terms with the self-destructive pattern of her life. This threatens to tear them apart, but instead brings them together with the freedom and independence that they have always been searching for.

This movie is fast moving with plenty of sharp and witty dialogue to keep even a 12 year-old entertained (I should know, we brought ours along). There is much more to this movie than the drama. In fact, most of the heavy scenes are interlaced with comic relief, and no scene in the movie is static for more than a few minutes. These two things will keep even the biggest male action fan from becoming bored. THIS IS NOT A CHIC-FLICK! I think, and I bet once you see it, that this is one of the best movies of the year along with American Beauty-9.

American Beauty (1999)

Best movie of 1999! A must see!

[10/10 · 8 October 1999]

This movie has it all. Its plot is engrossing and without flaw. Everybody will be entertained at this movie. The characters are extremely well developed, yet there is enough action to keep most men happy as well. To top it all off, the ending is cool, but not sappy.