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David Jacobs
Reviews
The Majestic (2001)
Better Than Expected
I saw this film by default. By no means have I been a Jim Carrey fan, save his moments as Fireman Bill. However, I was pleasantly surprised by his restrained performance in The Majestic. The story could have lapsed into the banality we've seen before about a man who loses his memory, but what raises it above the average slop is the film's absolutely wonderful relationship between Carrey and Landau. Completely unexpected.
Phantom Lady (1944)
Decent Film Noir Offering
The premise is a bit better than the execution, but that doesn't mean the film is worth a look. Splendid supporting cast makes this a fun mystery to unravel. Raines is great as the resourceful woman determined to solve this puzzlement. I always enjoy Thomas Gomez.
Hannibal (2001)
Over the Top
Fine acting and story telling is chaffed at the expense of a few scenes that were really over the top. Killer pigs! Come on. It pained me to watch two fine actors like Anthony Hopkins (who admitted during an interview he only did this part for the money), and Julianne Moore agree to the script. I am not easily "gored out", but the director
seemed bent on trying to gross out the audience. Not the worst film I have seen, it had potential, but fails to know the difference between an honest scare and a stunt. The last scene with Ray Liotta was just plain ridiculous.
The Outer Limits (1963)
Most Imaginative Sci-Fi Series Ever
Before the advent of special effects, there was plot. The old Outer Limits episodes dating back to the 1960s, mingled thought provoking, well written shows with creative "special effects" to create a vehicle that spoke to hot or sensitive topics masked under the guise of science fiction. Additionally, present and future stars frequently lent their talent and their abilities elevated the already taught, witty and sometimes compeling dialogue above the pablum normally mistaken for quality. It's a shame this series has not garnered the accolades it deserves. The themes remain fresh even today and the subject matter and writing never go stale, even if the special effects appear facile. "There's nothing wrong with your television set. Do not attempt to adjust your picture. We are controlling transmission... "
Hurlyburly (1998)
Pretentious
Pretentious farce about a small unlikeable group of Hollywood reprobates who are given over to waxing philosophic under the heavy influence of drugs. Drug-induced banter poses for creative dialogue and becomes tiresome very quickly. Waste of some fine acting talent.
The Contender (2000)
The Candidate this is not.
The film's fine acting is flawed by a predictable and at times, unbelieveable, plot. First, the film's plot is driven by asking us to believe that such highstakes politics are predicated on our government's inability to conduct a thorough background investigation on their own nominee. Secondly, the film asks us to believe Joan Allen's character, a U.S. Senator and paragon of moral virtue, is willing to throw away a chance at becoming the first woman to become the vice-president of the United States because she is naive enough to be appalled by the nomination process. I got news for you, anyone who has gotten this far in politics is no babe in the woods. If you are truly willing to suspend your disbelief and throw away any critical thinking skills for a couple of hours and wish to be caught up in the current of some fine acting by Allen and Oldman, by all means, rent this film. However, the film gets caught up in its own attempt to become more than it ultimately offers.