Sara the Weimaraner Reviews

Showtime (2002)

Good God Almighty, what the hell were they thinking?

[1/10 · 24 March 2002]

There comes a time in every big name actor's career when they get sloppy and accept projects that they wouldn't have touched with a 1000 ft. pole in their golden days. Remember "Taxi Driver"? That was a fine film. I can hardly believe that the De Niro of "Showtime" is the same actor.

I would rather watch "Time Chasers" twice than see this film again. If anyone offers to take you to see "Showtime" or gives you free passes, or whatever, run away as fast and far as you can.

America's Sweethearts (2001)

Not even leather pants were able to save this film.

[1/10 · 24 March 2002]

Zzzzzzzzz... oh, I'm sorry, I was just watching "America's Sweethearts" and seemed to have dozed off. It's really bad but it shouldn't have been. It has a lot of talented actors (wearing leather pants no less!). Billy Crystal wrote it and he's the man! Despite all of this, "America's Sweethearts" is painfully boring. The last scene is especially bad; the film completely breaks down leaving the viewer puzzled, perhaps a little angry.

Amateur (1994)

Hal Hartley, where's my $1.50?

[1/10 · 24 March 2002]

Yes, I'm aware that Hal Hartley is an acclaimed independent film maker. I like most of his films myself.

Yes, I'm aware that I'm supposed to like this film.

That having been made clear, I want the $1.50 it cost me to see "Amateur" back! (Hey, it's been eight years and I'm not asking for interest or emotional damages.)

I suppose it's only fair that I give some reasons for thinking that "Amateur" is a bad film. 1) It is too long. The story could have been told quicker. 2) Owing, in part, to the first reason, it is boring. 3) It keeps faking you out, making you think that something exciting is about to happen and you, the weary viewer, keep giving it that chance. It's kind of like an abusive relationship: despite being hurt time after time, you can't break it off.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not claiming that I could do a better job or anything like that. It's just that I had really high hopes for "Amateur" and those hopes were crushed.

Catchfire (1990)

This film held up traffic on the Fremont Bridge.

[1/10 · 24 March 2002]

"Catchfire" or "Backtrack" as it is sometimes called, is not very good. That is, it's bad. Jodie Foster had already won an Oscar at this point. Why did she agree to do this? I don't know.

The hostage/kidnapper relationship is not believable, even if it is a common psychological phenomenon in real life.

Worst of all, this film features a scene where Hopper and Foster ride a boat under the Fremont Bridge (a bridge in Seattle) which means that traffic had to stop so that the bridge could open. I've had to wait for that bridge to go down many times, almost all of them on the bus. It's not a pleasant wait. This film caused unnecessary bridge-waiting and the world is a worse place for it.