jaltman143 Reviews

The Ring (2002)

Ultimately a Disappointment

[1 November 2002]

The Ring has a great look and a terrific performance from the beautiful Naomi Watts. However The Ring strains the boundaries of credibility. I saw this film in a crowded theater in Times Square on Halloween; at many points during the film the audience wasn't sure whether to be frightened or just laugh (I am aware this can be a defense mechanism against feelings of fright, however some of the plot is truly laughable). The film also leaves many unanswered questions. The ending (the best part of the film) goes on too long trying to tie all these loose ends, and eventually I stopped caring. Some on this board have said this is the scariest film they have seen in years. Perhaps the horror genre doesn't work for me much anymore, but I just wasn't very frightened. The setup of The Ring seems to promise chills galore, but I found them to be few and far between. This is a better horror film than most made these days (that's not saying much), but could have been a lot better. The Ring would make a good DVD or VHS tape rental (no pun intended).

Nixon (1995)

Great Film!

[7/10 · 1 November 2002]

I love the film Nixon. It is my second favorite Oliver Stone film after Platoon. A lot of people criticize this film as not being 100% historically accurate. This is true. If you really want to learn about President Nixon, it is best to start off with one of the many well respected biographies that have been written. Nixon is an historical drama. Were all of Shakespeare's historical plays 100% accurate? Doubtful. It is not my intention to compare Shakespeare with Oliver Stone, however if you reflect on the life and career or Richard Nixon, it very much mirrors that of a Shakespearean tragedy. Nixon is by no means a hatchet job on the former president. It is at various turns sympathetic and critical. Those not interested in modern American history might be bored by the film (Nixon is over 3 hours!). If this does not include you, see Nixon.

Mother Night (1996)

Very Faithful Adaptation of Novel

[7/10 · 31 October 2002]

Hard to categorize the film - perhaps it's an avant garde spy thriller? Mother Night is a very good Vonnegut novel, and most certainly one of his easiest novels to adapt into a feature length film. The film adaptation is very faithful to the original book. The "indie" approach to how this film was produced is probably more effective than having a big Hollywood studio financing it. These days, I doubt an intelligent novel like Mother Night would ever get the green light from the big Hollywood grindhouses. And normally that is too bad, but not in this case. Mother Night has tight direction and a solid cast. Nick Nolte who seems to be getting better roles as he gets older, still has that "everyman" persona that allows him to take on a wide range of different characters. Sheryl Lee is beautiful and great as always. I always thought she deserved better than she got out of the entertainment industry. I guess making your debut as a dead girl (Twin Peaks)with little air time isn't the choicest of roles, even if the TV show becomes a minor phenomenon. Anyway this film is totally enjoyable and you don't have to read the book to understand the movie. In fact, given today's geopolitical realities, the novel's premise may appear dated, and some younger viewers with little knowledge of history will be utterly confused by the events unfolding (I am talking to you, fellow Americans who are students and scoring the lowest in the industrialized world in geography, history, and lord knows what other subjects!).

Sugar Cookies (1973)

Two Reasons to see Sugar Cookies - Lynn Lowry

[31 October 2002]

I am amazed Lynn Lowry never became a bigger star. She is beautiful in a unique way (not "movie star" beautiful; her beauty is much more natural) and actually manages to act (and act well!) despite the dreadful roles she is usually given. This is particularly the case in Sugar Cookies. Terrible movie no matter how you look at it. Unless you look at Lynn Lowry. It was her beauty, her charm, her grace, and yes her acting that kept me engaged throughout an otherwise dreadful experience. Mary Woronov is a good actress also, and she and Lowry played off each other well. Ladies & Gentlemen - you really have to check Ms. Lowry out! Her characters are always memorable, even in small roles such as the one Paul Schrader gave her in his remake of Cat People. Alas, we never did see this once budding talent be given the proper opportunities to fully develop her craft before our eyes. This is the only tragedy regarding Sugar Cookies that is worth discussing.

Catch-22 (1970)

A good Adaptation of a Great Novel

[30 October 2002]

Catch-22 is of my favorite American novels. The satire is biting and the story is brilliant. There is no way a big budget Hollywood studio could capture all the novel's nuances in a feature length film. The novel's "flow", for one is not one that is easily captured in film format. Given the fact that this film was backed by a major Hollywood studio, employing a hot shot director (no disrespect to Mr. Nichols intended) and excellent cast, this film was about as good as it could have been. Perhaps if it was filmed under more independent circumstances (an "indie" film) such as the film adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut's "Mother Night", the results would have been more pleasing to many fans of the book. For those who have seen the movie but not read the book, I certainly invite your input to this public forum. However, I think you do yourselves a major disservice by not reading this classic - the themes, if not the events are forever timeless.

The Dead Zone (1983)

David Cronenberg's Finest Film

[9/10 · 2 April 2001]

This is such a wonderful [horror] film. And coming from David Cronenberg no less! Anyone familiar with Mr. Cronenberg's works will be surprised at how understated this movie is, and the gore is kept to a bare and necessary minimum. I thought many of Cronenberg's early works, while promoting interesting notions were simply too gory and in a way too emotionally and/or sexually repressed to garner serious comment. Many of Cronenberg's later works, particularly Dead Ringers and Naked Lunch are excellent as well. But Dead Zone is special. Of course you have Christopher Walked who adds an 'edge' lacking in the original character portrayed in the Stephen King novel. And then there is the supporting cast: Colleen Dewhurst, Herbert Lom, etc. Tom Skerritt, who I had never thought of as a particularly great actor, truly steals the scenes that he is in. And of course Martin Sheen. Long before West Wing we had this wonderfully acted demagogue running for Senate with Presidential ambitions who our 'gifted' hero manages to foil. I would not restrict this film to the horror genre - if you are looking to rent a great movie - rent The Dead Zone.

The Killer (1989)

This is like no other action film!

[9/10 · 19 March 2001]

Of all John Woo's bullet-ridden action movies, this is his greatest. You see many of Mr. Woo's "trademarks" (flying doves, reflections in mirrors, very strong Catholic symbolism) that appear in his inferior American directed films (save Face Off) first in this Hong Kong cinema classic. Sure the violence is over the top, the plot only adequate, the sentimentalism a little thick. The actions scenes are filmed with such, I dare say beauty, that no Hollywood 'by the numbers' action film can possibly compete. While this film is not for the squeamish or those offended by excessive and rather graphic violence, if you are in any way a fan of action films - you mush see this movie (and many other John Woo directed films during his Hong Kong days, i.e. Hardboiled, A Better Tomorrow, etc).

Telefon (1977)

The Ultimate Détente Film

[7/10 · 16 March 2001]

If you look at the history of American Cold War films, you see they often, but not always reflect the current state of Western-Soviet relations. Many of the B-movies of the 1950's reflected the anti-communist paranoia that existed stateside; and that decades's Invasion of the Body Snatchers (also directed by Don Siegel) brilliantly parodied McCarthyism. Now we find ourselves in the late 1970's. Gone are Stalin and Kruschev - now we have Breznev and Nixon/Ford and Jimmy Carter and a gradual policy of rapprochement and cooling of tensions. In this film, neo-Stalinists are purged by the pro-Détente Soviet leadership. One such old guard agent, played by Donald Pleasance (who is always in fine form with these 'oily' character representations) decides to unleash an old Soviet conspiracy hatched by leaders in the 50's and unknown to most of the current Soviet brass. I am not going to rehash the entire plot, but let it suffice to say that we have a top Soviet Army General (played by Charles Bronson who mercifully does not even attempt a Russian accent) working together with American double agent Lee Remick, to battle forces more sinister than the current leadership of either the US or the USSR. This truly is the movie that best reflects the détente political philosophy in vogue at this time.