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Shakespeare in Love (1998)
A Terrific Film
Don't be afraid of the word Shakespeare in the title! This movie is not a junior-high history lesson. It's light, funny, romantic, and a totally irreverent look at Elizabethan England. The idea is that Shakespeare is not some grave, great poet, but a young guy trying to make his way in the theatre. He's written good plays, but nothing truly transcendent. The conceit is that an ill-fated romance--the one great true love of this life--with a beautiful, smart woman is what inspires him to write his first immortal play: Romeo and Juliet. The film never plods. The screenplay is rich with romance, emotion and action. The plot weaves several stories and themes. You can enjoy it as a simple love story with some action and basic suspense about producing a play or you can get much deeper into movie's complex tapestry of ideas and in jokes. But most importantly the film's mood is always light and is never overblown.
The Pelican Brief (1993)
lame would-be thriller
Julia Roberts is Darby Shaw, the kind of brilliant, beautiful and ambitious character that drive potboiler novels like "The Pelican Brief". A law student at Tulane, Shaw rounds off her legal education by sleeping with one of her professors (Sam Shepard) and floating a conspiracy theory linking the mysterious deaths of two Supreme Court justices. When Shaw's theory - blaming powerful land developers for murder - becomes circulated in a legal brief, she finds her life turned upside-down. Friends of hers - all having have read the brief - die and Darby goes on the run. Meanwhile, the president (Robert Culp, playing a morally bankrupt chief, less a right-winger than merely in sway of the rich) tries to squelch an FBI led investigation of one of his friends. Tying the mysterious deaths to a top-level cover-up, a Washington Post reporter (Denzel Washington) teams up with Darby to crack the case. They follow the trail that takes them across the country and eventually brings them to the home of a dead lawyer. This has to be one of the worst movies I've ever seen. borrowing elements of more deservedly remembered Alan Pakula movies like "All the President's Men" and "Parallax View", "Brief" is utterly contrived. It's not as inspired as it is clearly dependent on the cynicism of a jaded public for our leaders and the law. When you look past this flick's slim thrills and its laughable message, nothing left makes sense. The script tosses in a high-priced hit-man (Stanley Tucci) only to dispatch him quickly. Others eliminate their enemies with well-placed car bombs. (We're supposed to believe that guys who are expert in killing people without raising suspicions will rely on big loud car bombs going off on public streets in front of everybody, and of course they can kill just about anybody but a crusading journalist and a law student? We're also supposed to believe that Darby's brief, based on unsubstantiated suppositions, is enough to warrant her death - you'd think that those with power are smart enough to know that most routinely dismiss conspiracy theories for that reason.) Like all so-called thrillers, this one isn't solved - once the story runs out of steam, the script merely dredges up somebody who can explain all. ("Brief" is typical of modern thrillers populated by brilliant characters who nevertheless never actually do any detective work - virtually all relying on some mysterious stranger to walk out of the gloaming with all of the answers.) Over two hours of overwrought tension aren't enough to match the detective-smarts you'll get in a single half-hour of Scooby Doo. The final insult is the leaden seriousness that Pakula bathes the script in. We not only have to believe this flick, we have to believe IN it. What's impossible to believe is how the "Pelican Brief" poses any danger at all. You'd think that a cabal of rich right-wingers could afford to do a better job than a law student could uncover. You'd also think that had Shaw been brilliant enough to solve the mystery, she would have been smart enough to realize the danger it posed her - illustrating the modern thriller's other big failing, its reliance on characters who are gifted and brilliant but never all that smart.
Rush Hour (1998)
Sticks to the formula but delivers a fun movie.
I see this movie is not getting very good reviews. However, I very much enjoyed this movie. There is no ground breaking acting or film-making here...the same formula is in place...a buddy movie of action and comedy. I really enjoyed the first movie, but Rush Hour 2 was just a little more bland. Rush Hour was one of the first that coupled Jackie Chan with an American star to fuse his martial arts skills with comedy. While I am not a big fan of Chris Tucker, I found myself liking this duo. An African-American Comedian paired together with an Asian Action Martial Arts Legend for an action/comedy worked for me. Now on its third installment seemed on face value to be an uninteresting stretch of the original and only out to make a quick buck. However,after watching this as a rental I bought a copy. This movie delivered as an entertaining reworking of the formula. This movie finds them headed to Paris to find the assassin who attempts the Chinese Ambassador's life. We find out that Jackie Chan's character was in an orphanage and has a connection of some sort of "brotherhood" with another boy that turns to a life of crime. Now Jackie Chan is on a mission to bring down the Triads, despite his "brother's" involvement. Chris Tucker continues to keep things funny with his stylish dancing, singing and comedic cop blunders...Jackie Chan continues to impress with his still agile martial arts moves. Take this movie on face value...an entertaining action comedy that puts a slightly new twist on the same formula. If you liked the other movies, then this one will not disappoint.
Daredevil (2003)
Fun, if incomplete
Daredevil is a better superhero film than most people give it credit for. The direction isn't outstanding, but it's certainly more than competent, and the special effects are quite novel. Ben Affleck, once you get past the personal baggage the actor brings to every role he plays, is an effective Matt Murdock. Jennifer Garner is also strong as Elektra, just please remember to skip that horrid spin-off movie she did. The rest of the cast is an A-list of stars: Colin Farrell, Michael Clarke Duncan, Joe Pantoliano. All are great, and help ground the story emotionally. The problem with Daredevil is that Fox, like with X-Men, fudged the film by cutting out a lot of footage. There's a whole subplot that's missing here, as well as small character moments that give the movie a stronger edge. They don't bring the film to X-Men or Spider-Man levels, but they do raise it significantly. And if you haven't tracked down the director's cut DVD, it's worth a look as well. Otherwise, this 2-disc theatrical edition comes loaded with extras. As appropriate for a movie about the visually impaired, there is a descriptive audio track included among the commentary and enhanced viewing mode options. Lots of documentaries and featurettes on disc 2. The best cut of the film isn't here, but the extras are, so it might be worth your money to view both. A good comic book film missing that extra punch, but still one of the better ones in the recent splurge of comic book movies.
Cheaper by the Dozen 2 (2005)
Misadventures & Rebellious Kids
I wish they'd changed the title on this so people wouldn't expect an updated version of the classic. It starts out as a feel-good family film with unrealistic perky, tidy mom caring for this huge family. Then it shifts gears into selfish mom and dad moving ahead with their careers and suddenly letting the children shift for themselves. Chaos ensues and all the children are miserable. I'm guessing the intended audience is 8 to 12 years olds who could laugh at the pratfalls, misadventures, and rebellious kids. As an adult, maybe I just can't appreciate the humor of someone slipping and falling in vomit or kids plotting and setting the disliked boyfriend up for a crotch attack by the family dog. Steve Martin has to make serious decisions about his career as a coach vs his family needs. He doesn't get much of a laugh in this, not like his early movies. Probably good to while away an hour or so if you don't have something better to do. As for me, I had to watch Bad Santa right afterwards to cheer me up. Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt are wonderful in this family movie and I just loved it. Tom and Bonnie are highschool sweethearts, who fall in love, marry and have 12 children. You can see how much they are in love right from the beginning, however the trouble starts when Tom gets his dream job as a football coach and they move from their comfortable home where everyone is happy. Now they must adjust to a new life, which is always hard for children and to top it off Bonnie writes a book and makes it big time. Going on a book tour, she leaves the children to the charge of Tom, who is already dealing with the pressures of his job. Everything that can happen does happen and for a while their lives are going downhill. But, love pulls this family together and the wrongs are righted, it was great! If you want a good family, feel good movie then you need to watch this one. Acting was good, story was good and there was a lot of humor mixed in. Well worth your time.
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004)
Simple plot, slapstick laughs, good characters
Really..that's it..VERY basic, no need for thought if you're watching this movie..seriously...You have a great cast of comedic actors portraying funny characters...some good physical comedy as well..Stephen Root's character of Gordon is great! Plus Steve the Pirate..Steve the Pirate? Yea..Steve the Pirate!! cmon..Just the name of that character alone rules!!(and the character himself is pretty damn good) Throw in Rip Torn as Patches O Hoolahan, and Hank Azaria playing a younger Patches (in a wonderful B&W instructinoal video from the 1950's telling Timmy to take a break from that fine lead based paint to learn the wonderful game of Dodgeball) and you got soem serious laughs....and remember..this movie IS stupid and that's the whole point..go with it. To be honest, I resisted watching DODGEBALL because I didn't care much for recent comedies. I also avoided anything with Ben Stiller after several of his unfunny stinkbombs. He really needs to be more picky with his scripts because he is a genuinely funny guy (check out "The Ben Stiller Show" to see that). But Stiller is very funny in DODGEBALL, along with everyone else. I wish there had been more Stephen Root and Rip Torn. I also loved Hank Azaria's spoof of old educational films on the history of Dodgeball. After OLD SCHOOL and this movie, Vince Vaughn is becoming the Bill Murray of his generation. Most of this movie is predictable and derivative but it keeps the laughs coming. Funny, funny stuff. Check it out.
The Towering Inferno (1974)
I've seen the special edition DVD and it gives this classic a great upgrade
Irwin Allen decided to follow up his "The Poseidon Adventure" success with the 1974 suspense-thriller "The Towering Inferno," a movie which also garnered an impressive 10 Oscar nominations and is released as a 2-disc DVD special edition this week. Whereas in "The Poseidon Adventure" the leads had to travel up, the only way is down for Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, William Holden, Fred Astaire, Richard Chamberlain, Robert Wagner and Faye Dunaway. Attending the opening night gala the guests are trapped on the 129th floor of the world's tallest building which becomes an inferno thanks to the shoddy wiring system installed by chief builder James Duncan (Holden) and his electrician son Roger Simmons (Chamberlain). Newman plays Doug Roberts, the proud architect behind the Glass Tower, a skyscraper, which dominates the San Francisco skyline at a height of 138-story's. Returning from a long vacation Roberts immediately recognizes that something is wrong and he is proved correct when a circuit breaker burns out and ignites garbage on a lower floor. While the script can be a tad melodramatic at times, the effort put into this movie is obvious. Nominated for Best Picture and winning for best cinematography, best special effects and best song, the movie was a smash hit and still holds up well today in this age of blockbuster special effects extravaganza's. As with "The Poseidon Adventure" the previous DVD release was sorely lacking in special features and has been replaced with three hours of extras. Joining the nine all-new featurettes which includes a retrospective, a look at the special effects and the art design is the AMC Backstory on the making of the movie, 32 deleted or extended scenes and an audio commentary by film historian F.X. Feeney. Feeney's commentary is fascinating and comprehensive, covering all aspects of the production from the writing and dialogue all the way through to the sets and the sense of anticipation director John Guillerman builds up from the start. Feeney tells us that this movie was a milestone for Hollywood in that it was the first time two studios had co-produced a feature. Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox owned two separate books, "The Tower" by Richard Martin Stern and "The Glass Inferno" by Thomas N. Scortia and Frank M. Robinson, and both planned to make two competing movies on the same subject. It was Allen who stepped in and proposed the historic deal and the two studios agreed, splitting first the cost and then the profit equally. Though not for the full length of the feature special effects director Mike Venzina and stunt coordinator Branko Racki both individually comment on individual scenes. Verzina discusses eight scenes and Racki talks about nine separate scenes. Their observations are largely technical in nature and center on their selective specialties. The longest of the documentaries is once again the AMC Backstory which runs 22:08. It is in this featurette that we learn that the model used for shots of the tower was itself seven stories high, that William Holden became aggravated with Faye Dunaway's tardy-ness to the set and that despite the media attempting to portray conflict between the two stars Steve McQueen and Paul Newman, the two actually got along well together with a mutual respect and friendly competition (as evidenced by a funny blooper). The other featurettes range from 4:28 in length (on the directing of the movie) to 9:15 on the writer Stirling Silliphant. But they cover a wide range of topics from a retrospective by the cast and crew "Inside the Tower: We Remember" (8:16) in which Richard Chamberlain likens the set to being at a really glamorous Hollywood party day after day with the standard six star dressing rooms being increased to 15 to the architecture of the tower in "Still the World's Tallest Tower" (8:28) which compares The Glass Tower to other real-life skyscrapers and the impact these high-rise buildings have on the surrounding communities. Other topics touched on include the safety aspects employed on the production in "Putting out fire" (4:58) in which Allen comments "You'd better have all the camera's rolling because fire waits for no man," and also reveals that firemen were on the set each day to "Running on fire" (5:52) which discusses the work of the stuntmen and includes the facts McQueen did not like anyone else doing his stunts and even Newman and Chamberlain did a number of their own stunts. Also on this special collector's edition are 32 deleted or extended scenes that range from the 40-second "Still Waiting for the Elevator" which featuresshots of crowds of people pushing and shoving each other at the elevator and Holden's character assessing the situation on the telephone to the 2:55 clip "Four Alarm Fire" which covers the spreading of the fire through the building, the call from security requesting a four-alarm fire and shots of fire engines screaming through the streets of San Francisco. All of the deleted or extended scenes were originally part of a longer television broadcast. Unfortunately their condition has deteriorated and they were deemed of too poor quality for Fox to include them through the popular DVD technique of seamless branching alongside the theatrical cut on the first disc. Rounding out the special features on this release are three 1975 articles from "American Cinematographer" which run for a combined 83 pages and which, like those on "The Poseidon Adventure" DVD release, include selectable images which take the viewer to image galleries. These articles are all technical in nature and include discussion on how the movie was photographed and the work of the action unit. There are also six storyboard comparisons and five image galleries that range from shot compositions and costumes through to publicity and conceptual sketches.
The Grudge (2004)
It doesn't matter what you do or who you are -- you're toast...
The Grudge is the American remake of the Japanese horror film. What's different about The Grudge is it's non-linear story line. At first you think it's three separate stories, then just two, and finally you realize that your seeing interspersed story lines from the past and from the present and they meet at the end of the film -- filling you in on the curse and what's happening. (Think Momento and Identity) The scariest part of the story, and it is pretty creepy, is that because the curse born as a result of the first murder kills indiscriminately anyone who enters the house. Not immediately. Not in the same way. No matter what you do, you can't outwit it. If you were in the house, it's got your number. The scariest thing is most of the people involved were innocent -- they had nothing to do with the original killing, when seeing the ghost while shocked, they tried to help. Yet, still they died. There might have been a way to avoid the curse but unfortunately, it didn't get carried out. There's no CGI/FX -- everything is low key and creepy. I'd almost say this is more psychological horror than monster coming to get you horror but never the less -- you'll probably end up sleeping with the lights on and wondering if you should ever go into a house you don't know anything about again.
Gremlins (1984)
There are just three rules...
1) Buy GREMLINS. 2) Watch GREMLINS 3) Repeat #2 several times Every time I surf the t.v. and I come across GREMLINS, I will put down the remote and watch it til the end. GREMLINS, for its time, was truly groundbreaking. It was E.T., except with really rotten friends and relatives. Well-paced and directed Joe Dante, with unique performances by Zach Galligan and the gorgeous Phoebe Cates, GREMLINS deftly treads in and out of suspense/horror and comedy. (Phoebe Cates' explication of how her father died is still outrageous.) And there are plenty of pitched battles between the good guys and the unruly gremlins to keep the plot moving. Just don't show this movie to young kids around Christmastime. This special edition has a lot of goodies that true GREMLINS fans will enjoy, and the quality is top-notch. Just don't get it wet. I've loved Gremlins since I was a wee girl of only about 5 or 6, and previously my only copy of the film was a tattered VHS, worn out and almost grainy from repeated viewings. I purchased Gremlins on DVD and was astonished at how beautiful the transfer from film to DVD was. The details are crystal clear and the sound is impeccable. Certain small visual details of the movie were totally lost on my old VHS, but stand out gorgeously on this DVD. The movie itself doesn't need further praise from me - it's fun and funny, gory and touching at the same time. My personal favorite scene is when all of the Gremlins are in the movie theater, singing "Hi Ho" right along with the dwarfs in Snow White. The special effects are amazing for the time, the score was perfect, and Gizmo never ceases to be adorable. A must-buy.
X-Men (2000)
Great adaptation of classic heroes.
While it'd be impossible for any films to do justice to Marvel's legendary team of super-powered mutants, I really feel that these films are almost as good an adaptation as we could have hoped for. The casting was strong, the action was solid, most of the characters were portrayed memorably, and the stories largely stayed true to the spirit of the X-men. The first film felt a little rushed due to the sheer number of characters introduced, but all things considered it was a very enjoyable film for both the uninitiated and old-school X-fans. Hugh Jackman was spot-on as Wolverine, the most iconic X-man and arguably the hardest to cast and Famke Jansen was a fantastic Jean Grey for at least the first two films. Patrick Stewart (Professor X), Ian McKellan (Magneto), and Rebecca Romjin-Stamos (Mystique) also delivered outstanding performances playing their respective comic icons. The story was a nice update of the comics and followed Rogue's induction into Professor X's school for mutants and Magneto's first big terrorist attack on mankind. All-in-all, a satisfying start to the series. The second film really kicked the series into gear and introduced more of our favorite X-men, including Nightcrawler (whose opening sequence was the highlight of the film), Pyro, and Iceman. The story involves Wolverine's past and the government's attempts to control the ever-growing mutant population. The result was one of the greatest comic book films ever made that firmly cemented the developing series as one to watch. For some ridiculous reason, at this point the powers that be decided that the third film would be the last. This was a bad choice that made no kind of sense, upset the films' fans, and severely hurt the quality of the third film. Ah, the third film; a mixed bag to say the least. The plot deals with two classic story lines involving a cure for mutants and the legendary Dark Phoenix. My personal list of complaints is a long one, but I'll just hit a few in this review. "X-men: The Last Stand" tries to cram two movies' worth of material into one film that is too short to begin with. The introduction of the Phoenix was obviously forced and no care was taken in this storyline which is one of the all-time classics in comic history, and the result is several pointless character deaths and gaps in logic, like why an all-powerful entity is content to hang out at an aging terrorist's side and just look menacing for most of the story. The series' former darling, Rogue, is reduced to a brooding plot-nuisance, has no real influence on the story, plus she never gains the fantastic powers she obtained in the comics that made her such a powerhouse of a character and a personal favorite of mine. On the other hand, more classic characters are given parts such as fan-favorite Kitty Pride and Collossus (both of which had cameos in X2), Angel, Multiple Man, Beast (played nicely by Kelsey Grammar), and the almighty Juggernaut (whose battle with Kitty was as awesome as it was unexpected). But as many characters as there were that made it into the three films, there were so many great ones that were reduced to either tiny, unnamed cameos in the series, or forgotten altogether. No Gambit, Emma Frost, Sinister, Apocalypse, Scarlet Witch, or Havok to name just a few. Furthermore, the final film's resolution in extremely unsatisfying and leaves little doubt that this franchise as we know it is dead, though they do leave us a glimmer of hope. There are talks of Wolverine and Magneto spin-offs and possibly a New Mutants project; promising ideas, but hardly a substitute for the ensemble we know and love. Still, in the end, I really did enjoy X3 as a film as it did have several great stand-up-and-cheer moments; it just upset me as a fan of the comics and as a fan of the the movies because there wss so much more that could have and should have been done with this series. In the end, whether you're a fan of the comics, the cartoons, or just a fan of sci-fi or fun movies in general, you really shouldn't miss out on these three movies. The series is full of memorable characters, fantastic battles, sly humor, references for hard-core fans, and, of course, the classic X-men social commentaries about discrimination and the importance of both individuality and cohesiveness. There doesn't appear to be much in the way of special features from the first two films on this edition; but for about $10 a flick, I'll let it slide since it is still a hell of a bargain. Highly recommended set.
The Passion of the Christ (2004)
You must own this
Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ is one of the most powerful films that I have ever seen. Honestly, I really do not care about the various controversies surrounding the film... some say that Gibson's interpretation was too literal, some say that his film was a pendulum reaction to Da Vinci code where he has attempted to please the church, some have even said that the film is anti-Semitic. Honestly I don't care. I wept through most of this movie and I can't remember when I last did that (probably Schindler's List). Yes, it's bloody. But that's precisely what Gibson wanted to show... the sheer hell of the final hours of Christ. You have to own this because it's a movie that you will need to watch every now and again to remind us of the harshness of life when we start getting down with minor irritants in our everyday lives.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
This disc is a cinch you can't go wrong with the Grinch!
"How the Grinch Stole Christmas" is a Christmas classic that usually receives repeated viewings in my household. The Grinch is a timeless tale of tolerance, discised as a fantasy. It's the perfect way to put your Little Cindy Lou Who to bed on Christmas Eve, or any night of the year. "Hurton Hears A Who" is another delightful story, which will be especially popular with animal lovers. The animated adaptations of these two stories are a "hateful" of fun! Here's more on each of the shorts, because a person is a person no matter how small and you deserve some good protect information. You can keep your Frosty the Snowman, Rudoplh the Red Nosed Reindeer, and all the rest. Just let me have my Grinch. Quite simply, this is the best movie that money can buy- a wonderful gift and you never can have too many Grinch movies. Any family should own this movie. After all, who can resist this tale of selfishness conquered by love? Not me, that's for sure. I'm not really into seeing the Jim Carrey version; nothing can top this Dr. Seuss masterpiece. Not even Hollywood. The Grinch is a mean one, and your kids will think YOU'RE mean if you don't stuff their stocking with this. It's collectively a perfect disc, and kids will be excited to hear that the soundtracks to both films appear unabridged on a single disc. This is a very special DVD release sure to satisfy the ones who aren't getting a lump of coal this year....
Top Gun (1986)
Twenty Years On....
1986's "Top Gun" had a lot going for it: a first rate production staff featuring the action partnership of Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer, direction by Tony Scott, and lead acting by a young Tom Cruise and a still youthful Kelly McGillis, backed by a solid supporting cast that included Val Kilmer, Anthony Edwards, Tom Skerrit, Michael Ironside and, in cameos, Meg Ryan and Tim Robbins. Couple this horsepower with a superb popular music score, lots of action sequences featuring the Navy's hot F-14 fighter aircraft, and hijinks and angst among young naval aviators, and you have a great action movie that spent months in the theaters. The storyline centers around Navy LT Pete "Maverick" Mitchell (Tom Cruise), a brash, immature, but gifted flier. In a close encounter with enemy Migs over the Persian Gulf, Maverick saves his wingman and earns a slot at the prestigious Fighter Weapons School for himself and his backseater, "Goose" (played with everyman humility by Anthony Edwards). At the school, Maverick quickly develops a rivalry with his chief competitor, Iceman (played with suitable demeanor by Val Kilmer) and a romance with one of his instructors, "Charlie" (Kelly McGillis). However, Maverick's willingness to push the flying envelope gets him and Goose into an horrific flying accident. The accident robs Maverick of his self-confidence and threatens to take him out of the cockpit altogether. Some gentle mentoring by one of his flight instructors (Tom Skerrit) gets Maverick back out to his carrier, right in the middle of an confrontation with the bad guys. In a vicious aerial dogfight involving an outnumbered Maverick and Iceman, Maverick must finally grow up and become a team player. An absolutely terrific music score and action sequences involving dog-fighting F-14's and "Red team" aircraft (cutting edge at the time) tend to mask a sometimes incoherent script. The romance between Maverick and Charlie gets worked in around the flying sequences, as does a rather obscure sub-plot involving Maverick's MIA father. The jumpy editing causes supporting cast to sometimes wander in and out of scenes without real introduction or explanation. Minor flaws aside, "Top Gun" continues to hold up well as a highly enjoyable action movie twenty years on.
Indecent Proposal (1993)
One of the most entertaining morality plays
INDECENT PROPOSAL, along with THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE (Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves) are two of the most entertaining morality plays out there. The moral to the story, without needing to go into Christian theology or anything else is really simple: there's no such thing as a free lunch. I remember when the movie was out in the theatres and the many sound bite talk show people would ask guests and people on the street if they would do what the couple Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson did in the film; so many fools said "yes, in a heartbeat" and I wondered about the education system of our country! The line of the stylish Robert Redford when Demi Moore accused him (while slowly being seduced by him) of being a man "who likes to own things" summed up the whole movie: "You think I need to BUY women?" Redford, a man in this movie who as a billionaire has seen and caused the birth and death of multi-national corporations the size of ancient civilizations, knew EXACTLY what would happen to their marriage, and to their mind- and to her heart, if they knowingly accepted this proposal most indecent. He depended on THEIR arrogance and scoffing at the fragile nature of human relationships and the invisible architecture of the human soul; knowing, like every man (and woman) with a secret plan for another human being, that that would bring about the predictable but unexpected chain of outer events. The movie's most poignant turn, however, is when he reveals the road not taken in HIS life, with all his billions, and how that has generated much of his actions. Only then do we really discover under no uncertain terms what he wants, and what he is willing to do to get it. That really begins the falling domino of epiphanies that leads to the revealing of the gentle, fragile and beautiful hearts of all three of the characters, and the transcendent power of love, commitment and surrender. It's a good guy/girl movie as well, because Woody Harrelson is so much the All-American man, full of rambunctious flaws and money problems (can't relate), where Robert Redford is, well, Robert Redford; he is the next best thing to Sean Connery's James Bond in this movie when it comes to the debonair, power- broker man the women couldn't resist if he had a 30k a year job, let alone making 30k every couple of hours. The testosterone is there. Combine that with the transformation of both of their characters because of the love of Demi Moore, who can play the dichotomous strong/weak women better than most of the Hollywood actresses out there still (if she would just take better scripts- aren't the bills paid sweetie?), and you've got more intelligent INNER action, romance and sympathy than you can shake a stick at. Worth owning. Ignore some of it's flaws (too miniscule to mention really; if you want CASABLANCA than buy that for Gawd sakes) and you'll have a great time with it- perhaps even learn something about yourself that you didn't know you knew.
War of the Worlds (2005)
Fun if not entirely true to the book ...
I have the unabridged audio CD for War of the Worlds from Blackstone Audio and it's very enjoyable. While this isn't true to the book, it is quite fun. The technology was state-of-the-art back then and, while you can see the strings for the martian machines, I still think it provides an enjoyable, if not nostalgic romp. Frankly, I enjoyed this more than Spielberg's newest retelling. Though, that could be from what he did to the main characters. While the special effects of the newer version are lightyears ahead of the original, I found Spielberg's recasting of the aliens as having planned this millions of years ago and putting the machines deep within the earth just plain dumb and removing one of the spookier elements of the book (and original movie). The Orson Well's radio broadcast is also provided and is a hoot.
Meet the Fockers (2004)
An Inferior Sequel to Meet the Parents
Given the casting of Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand as Ben Stiller's parents, along with Robert DeNiro back as the hot-tempered Jack Byrnes, you'd think that "Meet the Fockers" would be a tremendously funny movie. Alas, I was very disappointed. The gags and dialogue don't work nearly as well as in the first film. What kind of screenwriter would think that attaching a fake breast to Robert DeNiro, or having a toddler utter profanities, or giving Greg Focker an illegitimate son, would be funny to watch? The running joke about Greg's last name ran pretty thin in the first film, and in this one, they run it into the ground. It's a shame so many talented actors had to work with such a lame script.