niryuu/sni-each-converted huggingface dataset:
in these days of overlong movies ( meet joe black , the thin red line , the mask of zorro ) it is a shame that films like waking ned devine ca n't be longer than a paltry 90 minutes .
this is just a cute movie , even through its mildly risque subject matter .
old friends jackie ( bannen ) and michael ( kelley ) try to find the lottery winner ( they deduce must live in their dinky town of about 60 ) so that they might kiss up to him and share the winnings .
through process of elimination , they find that it must be lovable old ned devine , who they find sitting in front of his tv , clutching the winning lottery ticket in his cold dead hand .
what results is thuroughly amusing , as jackie tries to convince his wife that not claiming it would be wrong , and that they could really benefit .
after all , old ned wo n't miss it . rather than divulge the later twists and turns , i 'll stop here merely pointing out that jackie and michael get into all sorts of trouble in their little sleepy irish villiage .
bannen and kelly are a perfect pair .
one slightly stout , the other as thin as a rail .
both getting on in years , they make such a cute pair of old codgers .
waking ned devine may even be seen as a " full monty " for the geriatric set , especially since kelly gets buff - o for one amusing scene .
waking ned devine is by no means perfect , but it is so sincere and touching that it looks so much better than most films .
the performances by everyone in the town are great , particularly the two leads .
there is one twist at the end which i find unnecessary , but it hardly ruins the picture .
writer / director kirk jones should be held up as an example to all those hollywood screenwriters .
scripts as creative and endearing
as this should be the norm , not the exception .
perhaps it makes us appreciate this wonderful film even more .
had i held off on my year 's best / worst list for another day , waking ned devine ( officially released in late november of 98 )
surely would have graced the short group of the year 's finest films .
it is light , but thought provoking and sweet .
i ca n't think of anyone who should n't see ( or would n't enjoy ) this film .
Output: P
it 's no secret in the motion picture industry that the relationship between a script and the actors involved often makes or breaks a movie at the box office .
a poorly - written script can be bested by a superb acting corps , and a well - written piece can be mangled by a group of amateurs .
in directing his latest action - comedy , director brett ratner ( money talks ) takes a relatively mediocre piece of standup comedy and turns it into a funny as all get - out buddy cop movie .
in addition , rush hour serves as a first - class example of directing a movie with conservative attitude - a feature that is sure to draw in crowds of all types .
the two lead names share equal screen time here , mostly because they spend it together .
jackie chan , in his first completely american production , makes an impressive debut by mixing dialogue with martial arts .
the other martial arts flick from a few weeks ago , knock off , stands no chance against the content of this one .
chan manages to make every fight scene exude grace and poise , and there 's no doubt that a large percentage of video sales for this movie will come from viewers who could n't believe their eyes the first time .
chris tucker , on the opposite side , relates a hilarious comedic approach which smoothes out the rough edges to chan 's performance .
he works perfectly with the script , and it 's quite likely he lent scribe jim kouf a hand with some of his lines .
almost essential to the action genre , the plot is nonexistent .
we 're quickly introduced to detective james carter ( tucker ) is a maverick officer for the lapd .
cut forward to another scene where the daughter ( julia hsu ) of the american chinese consul ( tzi ma ) is kidnapped by a gang of swarthy characters .
the fbi is quick to the rescue , but the consul insists that one of his men , detective inspector lee ( chan ) , be brought on the case to help .
the fbi resists , but then requests that lapd send a man over to babysit the chinese detective .
it 's here
that carter and lee hook up , and the two unwittingly solve the case while the fbi rushes in to back them up .
rattner
does a fine job of going the extra mile to get his movie to move a step up , but it does n't quite reach the top tier of action - comedies like last year 's grosse pointe blank .
there are moments where the plot strays too far off the straight line it sticks almost exclusively to , and if not for the comedic interactions between tucker and chan , this might be a major drawback .
also , some supporting characters are almost entirely along for the ride , and others are there simply to look menacing .
however , none gives a standoffish performance and they mostly mesh into the background .
almost every member of the cast displays some reservation at one point or another - whether it 's tucker 's toned - down routine or chan 's tight rein on his action sequences - and that contributes greatly to this being a watchable movie for all types .
a recommendable visit to the theater , indeed .
Output: P
if chris farley had strapped some fake mutton - chop sideburns to each side of his head , spoken with a thick irish accent , and tried his damnedest to play it straight , he would n't have been nearly as funny as brendan gleeson in
" i went down .
" gleeson , who 's not dissimilar to the late " saturday night live " alumnus in terms of physical attributes , plays a character named bunny kelly in this delightful irish film .
bunny is sent to county cork to " retrieve " one frank grogan for an irish gangster called tom french ( well dressed like all good gangsters should be and menacingly portrayed by tony doyle ) .
bunny is to accompany git hynes ( peter mcdonald ) , recently released from prison and obligated to tom for disfiguring one of his cronies .
that tom french is a mean bollocks .
he wants frank back .
and a small matter of some ?
25 , 000 that tom 's wife was supposed to have given to frank .
for this he wo n't break anyone 's thumbs .
maybe . inventively and engagingly written by conor mcpherson and directed by paddy breathnach , " i went down
" follows the trials and tribulations of git and bunny as they knock around peat bogs , dimly - lit pubs , and seedy hostelries trying to stay alive and out of trouble .
mcdonald is a newcomer and a promising
one at that , but gleeson has been in over a dozen movies , most recently as father bubbles in another film with a very irish accent on hilarity , " the butcher boy .
"
even if you ca n't comprehend half of what they 're saying , gleeson and mcdonald together make " i went down
" a trip worth taking .
the film is in many ways reminiscent of another " little " independent feature , 1991 's " highway 61 .
" that film , too , was a road movie and it shares the same kind of wry dialogue and humorous situations
as mcpherson 's tale : whimsical observations on life , carefully - crafted vignettes , deadpan conversational asides , and scenes that 'll make you laugh out loud
.
witness the episode in which our good - natured protagonists bind frank ( played by peter caffrey ) to a hotel bed , leaving him with only the tv remote for company .
that sequence alone is on a par with satan locking himself out of his car in " highway 61 .
"
what 's also charming about
" i went down " is how the relationship between buddy and git develops .
their trip becomes an education for both of them , but the way it 's handled is neither sappy nor labored .
the only thing in the film which approaches clunkiness is the culminating explanation , via flashbacks , of the relationship between frank and tom .
it 's a little too hollywood , and what makes " i went down
" so refreshing is the fact that it rarely panders to traditional conventions of hollywood gangster movies .
sure it 's gritty -- make that grubby --
but it 's also pretty goofy .
although " i went down " emphasizes the comedic elements of dis - organized crime , there are a couple of fairly brutal scenes in keeping with the subject matter .
do n't let these deter you , though ; " i went down " is a little gem .
it 's only playing at one philadelphia - area theater -- and i suspect it wo n't be there for long --
so catch it while you can .
Output: P
"
you leave little notes on my pillow .
i told you a million times i ca n't stand little notes on my pillow . '
we are all out of corn flakes - f . u . '
it took me three hours to figure out that ' f . u . ' was felix unger .
" --- a frustrated oscar madison ( walter matthau ) running down a list of his complaints against his roommate felix unger ( jack lemmon ) , in the odd couple .
the classic neil simon comedy ( based on his own stage play ) about suicidal felix ( lemmon ) , who is persuaded by his poker friend oscar ( matthau ) to stay with him in his apartment after felix 's wife throws him out and files for divorce .
the hook : oscar is messy and likes his apartment that way , while felix is an obsessive / compulsive neat freak .
the two men , despite their friendship , instantly clash .
movies just are n't as delightfully funny as this one is .
every line of neil simon 's dialogue flows like comedic poetry , and all the actors are just perfect in their performances .
lemmon
is at his best as the anxiety ridden felix , but it 's matthau who shines brightest as oscar , whose world is being invaded and rearranged , mostly against his wishes ( the type of character i always enjoy identifying with ) .
and who can forget that catchy score by neal hefti ?
the best thing about the film
( and this is a testament to the quality of the writing ) is that it 's a comedy with substance .
these two men , even while at each other 's throats , genuinely care for one another as friends .
when they clash , it is n't cartoonish hatred being displayed , but genuine frustration with the fact that they are such good friends but just can not manage to co - exist .
movies nowadays , take grumpy old men for example , just do n't have that extra spark there .
these days it 's just animosity for the sake of comedy .
a television series followed ( starring jack klugman and tony randall ) , which i 'll admit i 've never seen an episode of in its entirety , and neil simon even scripted the sequel , the odd couple ii , which was released in 1998 .
neither of them compare to this comic masterpiece
though .
it 's one of the best comedies of all time and easily earns its spot in my top ten favorite films .
Output: P
i have seen several ( but not that many )
woody allen movies .
i did n't particulary like radio days , the purple rose of cairo , play it again , sam .
i quite enjoyed manhatten murder mystery and everything . . .
sex , and i loved might aphrodite .
however i found bullets over broadway to be a snoozing bore .
and bullets got some very raving reviews , but i did n't think i 'd like .
but i finally saw it ( double feature with ready to wear i think ) and hated it .
since .
. .
i love you also seems to be getting raving reviews
i was n't sure if i 'd want to see .
. .
thankfully i did !
people burst into singing and dancing , something i hardly ever like .
but
this movie is so infectious .
and funny ! and entertaining !
( and unlike evita , they only sing when they need to . )
sure some of the actors may not be great singers , but they seems to be having a great time , and so does the audience .
that 's all i have to say .
really , if you think that is going to be a dull movie , you 're probably dead .
and dead people should not be forced into movie theatres .
is mark leeper dead ?
he said that " this is an almost ghastly misfire " .
the movie is rated r , for * one * use of the word motherf
*
* * * * .
Output: P
veteran actor clint eastwood has never looked as grizzled as he does in true crime , his latest directorial effort .
when steve everett ( his newest character ) gets angry at someone , he glares them down with those famous dirty harry eyes , furrows his brow and frowns like a grizzly bear who 's just lost his cubs .
eastwood has played some particularly despicable characters in his time , but everett could just take the cake .
he gets my vote , at least , partly because ` ev ' is a drunken affair - a - week womanizer who has many relationship problems , very few of which are with his wife ( diane venora ) .
when his colleague at the oakland tribune is in an ugly car wreck and dies , everett must take over for her at a vital interview session .
the interview is with frank beacham ( isaiah washington ) , a death - row inmate set to die at midnight for the murder of a pregnant convenience store clerk .
eastwood furrows his brow .
as everett gradually finds information , he realizes that beacham could very well be innocent .
he interviews a key witness ( michael jeter ) , who claims that he burst in the door at pocum 's foods because his car had overheated , only to see beacham standing over the dead woman 's body , blood on his suspenders , gun in hand .
but everett protests
: how could he have seen the gun , which was lowered by his side , with the potato chip rack in front of him ?
jeter does n't know what he 's talking about .
eastwood furrows his brow .
crinkled expressions and all
, clint is the centre of energy of true crime .
the film is by no means a standard action / suspense yarn , but a thoughtful human story in which the characters come before the shoot - outs .
isaiah washington has a break - out performance as frank beacham , and scenes with him and his weary wife ( lisa gay hamilton ) are truly heartfelt moments .
but the best scenes are ones that feature eastwood duking it out with those in authority over him .
denis leary , as everett 's editor and boss , has more than a few memorable moments of restrained anger ( you see , ev is sleeping with his wife ) .
but hands down ,
the most enjoyable segments of the film are when james woods is on camera .
playing the big boss alan mann , woods and eastwood create amusing chemistry and laugh - out - loud punchlines .
when true crime opts for a high - speed chase to the governer 's house at the finale , the quality of film - making takes an abrupt nosedive .
eastwood was so successful with colorful character portraits that he did n't need to switch lanes .
true crime is a tension - building , intriguing drama showcase for the talented director and star .
this is a road block he could have easily dismissed ( i furrow my brow ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Output: P
mars attacks !
( 1996 )
- c : jack nicholson , glenn close , annette bening , martin short , danny devito , rod steiger , pierce brosnan , sarah jessica parker , michael j . fox , jim brown , pam grier , joe don baker , natalie portman , christina applegate , lisa marie , tom jones .
this is director tim burton 's finest film to date .
many will compare this tale of martians who invade earth to independence day , but even though the stories are similar , they really are two distinctly different films .
however as a whole , mars attacks is much more entertaining than id4 , and i loved id4 .
you really have to be in the right frame of mind to enjoy this film .
it is completely wacked - out and unlike anything you 've ever seen .
once the silly tone of the film is set , it 's easy to just sit back and throw logic out the window because logic and comedy just do n't mix .
the plot is simple : martians invade the earth .
but it 's different than any other invasion film .
usually it 's the evil aliens versus the heroic humans .
this time however , it 's the goofy aliens versus the equally goofy humans .
the martians , who are all computer generated , are just about the funniest things i 've seen in a long time
.
they look funny , they move funny , and their " language " is hilarious .
and about the special effects .
the effects in mars attacks ! are just about the most flawless ones i 've seen to date .
the computer animation of the martians combined with the goofy personalities they are given makes them seem 100 % real .
there are just a couple of scenes that do n't work , mainly those involving sarah jessica parker and pierce brosnan on board an alien ship .
also , glenn close overacts tremendously in her ( thankfully ) very limited screen time , so much so that i actually applauded silently when her character meets her demise .
but there are many big laughs in the film , as i said , if you are in the right mood .
could it have been funnier ?
certainly . was it funny enough ?
yes .
was i entertained ? absolutely .
on a personal note , i 'd like to thank whomever cast rod steiger ( my favorite actor ) in the film as war - crazy general decker .
finally , after many very small parts in direct to video garbage and minor tv roles , steiger is back on the big screen in a real movie that many people will see .
while he 's not given the type of role that you can give a real " performance " in ,
he does the job well and has some good lines of dialogue .
the preview audience i saw the film with really seemed to enjoy him .
Output: P
when i was asked to see this movie with a friend , my initial reaction was ? not hugh grant ! '
i was perhaps wrong to be so harsh , but after his insidious flirtation with a street hooker , i just could not picture him in any romantic lead .
what makes this movie a wonderful experience is not the fact it stars hugh , but because it stars julia and carries with it a brilliantly written script .
this writer richard curtis , whose exceptional first work ?
four weddings and funeral ' shows us that he is a master in the domain of the romantic comedy , with splashes of drama thrown in between .
hugh and his hair , is almost identical to the character that made him famous in ? four weddings ' .
he plays an ordinary guy who is down and out on his luck .
unfortunately , he is type cast in this role , but
fortunately it works well for him in this movie .
if only he would dither a little less .
julia knows this role well .
the glamorous movie star who is searching for true love .
there are moments in this movie , that you almost weep for her pain felt loneliness .
how sad it must be to be so wealthy and beautiful , but to have no one to share it with .
the writer deals with difficult issues of love and social class on various levels .
how differences in social standing can make it almost impossible for love to grow in such a harsh environment .
how the media can be as cruel as it can be attentive , and how fulfilment in life and love can be found in forgiveness and sacrifice .
Output: P
i was originally going to give the spanish prisoner two and half stars .
from my first viewing , i noticed that david mamet 's film was intense and clever at times but boring and cliched at other times especially at the beginning .
from my second viewing however , i noticed that mamet 's script was actually a masterpiece .
the spanish prisoner , like the usual suspects or chinatown , begs for the viewer 's complete attention .
miss a scene or even a small detail , and you could miss the meaning of the entire film .
also like the aforementioned films , it rewards its viewer for paying attention by delivering
a surprising and memorable ending
.
mamet is success doing again what he once tackled in 1987 when he wrote and directed house of games .
like his past gem , the spanish prisoner fools the audience as much ( or even more ) than the victim . because we were deceived just like the victim , we feel a strong attachment to the main character and consequently are more interested in the film .
mamet has the talent of not completely ending a film gift wrapped , but rather leaving some ambiguity towards the end .
the power that he has in forcing the viewer to determine who the good guys and bad guys are once the film is over , without giving a right answer , is unique and ingenious .
the spanish prisoner will leave you seriously puzzled and intrigued .
after seeing the film again , i noticed that the details mamet uses are so incredibly accurate it is frightening .
his direction is very subtle ; as he leaves so many clues explaining what is going on and who is who
but it is still very difficult to tell what exactly is happening even if you see all of them , or think you see all of them .
the story follows a young up and coming businessman , joe ross , ( campbell scott ) who has just created a mysterious and lucrative " process " that everyone is trying to get their hands on .
soon ross does not know who he can trust or who is after his " process .
" through his journey ross meets a number of mysterious characters : the rich and popular jimmy dell , a secretary who has a huge crush on ross , and ross ' boss mr .
klein .
played by steve martin , rebecca pidgeon , and ben gazarra respectively , the supporting cast is very solid especially martin , who deserved an oscar nomination for his commanding and manipulative role .
the most interesting character in the film , though , was campbell scott 's joe ross .
the character 's transformation from an ingenuous and polite rookie to a paranoid veteran is very apparent and justifiable .
david mamet 's script is so interesting because we know people do n't actually talk like the characters in the film , yet we feel so connected to some of them .
his beguiling style could fool any viewer up for the challenge .
this is a must see , for those interested in solving a complex puzzle of a movie .
Output: P
upon taking a seat at the theater , and surveying the crowd , i soon realized that i was the only person under forty in the premises .
i 'm twenty - two , but have been accused of looking sixteen .
yet as the film began , any consciousness of setting shifted to the home of five close - knit , yet troubled sisters .
director pat o'connor ( inventing the abbots , circle of friends ) weaves a quiet yet affecting tale of loss , need , and the bonds between five sisters .
the family is ruled by kate ( meryl streep ) , an unconsciously strict schoolteacher , who is completely conscious of the deterioration of her family .
there is very little background given to the viewer , as we are thrust into a tense but loving home .
squabbles take place one after the other , caused by years and years of history .
perhaps one of the best things about this film , is its naturalness .
no situation is over - wrought , and characters react as real people do , to real problems .
this probably is a result of the film being from a stage play .
the play was in turn is based on a time in the life of the playwright .
what seems to be an underlying theme are the pagan rituals and dances of peoples , both in lughnasa and africa .
in fact , dance seems to be the glue that holds the family together and most expressively shows their closeness .
legs tap , and bodies sway even in the midst of impending disaster .
only after the music stops , and the characters stand breathing heavily
do we sense any trouble .
in the quiet after the music we muse that it 's sad that music has to cease , and families falter .
the movie is framed by a scene of michael mundy , the narrator of the movie , as a young child flying a kite .
he trips over a bump and loses hold of his string , and the kite floats off farther into the distance .
drawn on the white diamond of the kite is a face that looks at once pained , and at another glance mischievous .
the mundy family itself follows a similar fate to that of the kite , and kate 's hold of the family is n't strong enough to hold off the winds of change .
as michael stands , staring at his kite fly away , we hear the adult michael , looking back at the season that his world changed forever .
the movie is not overpowering , but it gives us a beautiful window into the life , love , and trouble of a household of lonely women .
note : this is the first movie review i 've ever written , any responses on it would be greatly appreciated .
: )
Output: P
in may of 1977 , just 2 years after steven spielberg 's success with jaws and 3 years after francis coppolas ' the godfather , a risky , ambitious young director named george lucas went for the same unpredictable box office success .
little did he know that star wars would become the greatest science fiction epic in the history of film .
in january of this year , lucas re - released star wars on its 20th anniversary .
in this new , remastered version , the added effects , which range from leathery desert beasts inserted into already existing shots to an awkward new scene in which hans solo bargains his way out of a jam with a computer - generated jabba the hutt , do n't do much but call attention to themselves .
other than these , the film is exactly the same .
why pay to see it in the theaters , you might ask ? simply because when this movie was released , most of us were a few years short of being born .
we should all get up and go to the movies for the experience , especially if you have n't seen it .
the plot is basic but in the same way , complex .
it has many themes , but the one rotates around luke skywalker ( mark hamill ) and his quest to become a jedi knight .
his mission begins when a droid named r2-d2 plays back a secret message recorded by the beautiful princess leia ( carrie fisher ) , which tells him to contact the mysterious obi - wan kanoby ( alec guiness ) .
he and kanoby then , joined by two inter - galactic renegades , hans solo ( harrison ford ) and chewbacca , and skywalker 's two droids d2 and c3po
( the voice of anthony edwards ) , wage war upon the corrupt empire , commanded by an evil general ( peter cushing ) and the traitorous darth vader ( the voice of james earl jones ) .
skywalker defeats the evil empire by rising out of himself to embrace something larger : the force .
the film is obviously quite star - studded .
but how was lucas to know that ford would become one of the most sought after men in hollywood and jones ' voice would appear so many more times in the future ?
it just happened to work out for him .
the magic of star wars lies in the way that skywalker 's triumph is symbolized by the audience 's sense of becoming something larger than life itself - a universe of fans , young and old , recreating a movie atmosphere that will impress generations forever . ,
Output: P
` strange days ' chronicles the last two days of 1999 in los angeles .
as the locals gear up for the new millenium , lenny nero ( ralph fiennes ) goes about his business of peddling erotic memory clips .
he pines for his ex - girlfriend , faith ( juliette lewis ) , not noticing that another friend , mace ( angela bassett ) really cares for him .
this film features good performances , impressive film - making technique and breath - taking crowd scenes .
director kathryn bigelow knows her stuff and does not hesitate to use it .
but as a whole , this is an unsatisfying movie .
the problem is that the writers , james cameron and jay cocks , were too ambitious , aiming for a film with social relevance , thrills , and drama .
not that ambitious film - making should be discouraged ; just that when it fails to achieve its goals , it fails badly and obviously .
the film just ends up preachy , unexciting and uninvolving .
Output: P
albert brooks saves the day , just in the nick of time .
with a very poor summer for movies , brooks is just what audiences were looking for to cheer them up , and does so in a positive way .
while this may not be his finest work , " the muse " still shakes up some delightful humor .
in albert brook 's latest comedy , he tells a story of a troubled screenwriter ( brooks ) who 's losing his edge , as his business partners say .
in desperation , he goes to see his friend jack ( jeff bridges ) , who has been a very successful screenwriter in the past .
he asks jack for some help , and recieves word of a real life muse , that has helped him and many other directors throughout their career .
so brooks seeks the muse named sarah ( sharon stone ) , and is suckered into buying her expensive , food etc . as a sort of payment .
the real punch line however , does n't come until the end .
it really makes you wonder , how screenwriters really get their ideas , could it simply be from a friend or a bum in the street ?
the idea itself is provoking and brooks
does it in a hilarious manner .
speaking of brooks , he was absolutely hysterical as a screenwriter .
every time he graces the screen , i ca n't help but start laughing .
albert has a very unique sense of humor that makes him a very likeable character .
the real problem with the film lies with sharon stone .
she was n't likeable at all .
brooks had the right idea with her occupation , but she never pulled through .
in a way , she drained energy from the once funny atmosphere and left it bleak .
luckily brooks could clean up the mess , and cover for stone 's mishap .
it was a shame that the film went slightly downhill after her appearance , because " the muse " had the potential to a be a very authentic comedy .
on a brighter note , andie macdowell was also charming as brook 's wife .
she is always a nice addition as a supporting actress , because she has that charisma
that seems to complete the atmosphere to any film she 's in .
the funniest moments in " the muse " in my opinion were the cameos by james cameron and martin scorsese .
i mean imagine , brooks seeing these big named directors in his back yard seeking sharon stone for advice
, like it was something out of the ordinary .
it was just plain hilarious .
it just adds to the satire joke , of how directors get ideas .
brilliant move by brooks .
as i mentioned before , the film is a satire much like it 's proceeder bowfinger , which came out a few weeks before .
unlike bowfinger , this is not a mean spirited film that 's desperate for jokes , it 's rather a witty and humorous look at hollywood .
" bowfinger " had it 's moments , but had quite a few problems that were never worked out , but " the muse " still managed to keep the laughs despite a bit of a detour .
by the end of the film , you 're glad to see a good hearty comedy come out of it .
for once
i 'm not fully disappointed , because the film did n't slow down , it kept moving , even with some flaws .
thumbs up to brooks for his brave effort .
i think he 'll still manage to keep his edge around well into the future .
Output: P
razor blade smile running as part of the vancouver international film festival played october 2nd and 4th , 1998 .
official release : halloween reviewed by vince yim
` you think you know all about vampires . . .
believe me . . .
you know f
* ck all . '
with these words , we are brought into the world of a sultry vampire seductress by the name of lilith silver ( played by eileen daly ) .
made into an immortal a century and a half ago by the sinister ethan blake , she continues to alleviate boredom with her state of being .
so , what 's an undead girl to do , except squeeze into the tightest fitting clothes possible , get out her guns , seduce a few guys , and kill a few people for money and blood ?
with that out of the way , let me say this .
this film is bad .
this film is really , really bad .
yet somehow , it is strangely enjoyable .
with all the elements of a direct to video horror flick ?
buxom babes , gore , cheesy dialogue , and bad acting ?
any casual film viewer would be more inclined to spend their money on renting innocent blood or going to see blade .
still , it is considered to be one of the finest british vampire film .
agreed , it might be , but is far from being the best vampire flick ever . period .
razor blade smile has some rather high production values , shown by the nice overall tone to the film .
the film is also a bit of a departure from popular vampire lore , with a vampire that can go out in broad daylight without disintegrating , does n't sleep in a coffin ( but leaves one next to her computer ) , and sees religion as the ` opium of the peoples ' ( hence , immunity to crosses ) .
but aside from that , it does n't stray too far away from horror film conventions .
that is , unless that is intentional .
razor blade smile literally goes for the throat , then pumps the wound full of processed cheese .
you ca n't help but laugh when a female vampire gets decapitated and her severed head goes flying into a puddle .
you 'll laugh even harder at the hideously contrived situations ( to distract two female guards , lilith tosses a cellular phone towards them and dials the number ) .
you 'll laugh the hardest when a murder witness recants the tale and suddenly starts sobbing uncontrollably .
and then , there 's the sudden twist ending ( i have enough heart not to give it away ) .
the film refuses to take itself seriously , which is a good thing , as by the time lilith zips up her skin - tight body suit and then unzips it just to show the right amount of cleavage , you 've most likely forgotten the main point of the story .
but in case you really care , she 's been assigned to kill a bunch of people who belong to the so - called illuminati , and she 's leaving a huge mess behind for the police to find . as much as my criticisms , this movie works best as a guilty pleasure or as a film that you watch with your friends and within groups .
almost destined for cult - status , the film 's campy , cheesy overtones
actually work towards the film .
while this may not necessarily be the film you 'd want to be seen watching by yourself , it makes for a fun time at the movies .
Output: P
i guess there are those who have never been kissed before ( a rare and dying breed ) , except if you 're child ?
in which case it would be called experimenting .
rarer still are those who have never been kissed before they reach the twenties . hardest to believe still , is that drew barrymore has never been kissed .
despite all these hard to believe tit bits , there are people out there who have never truly been kissed , and who are still waiting for that right person to give them the wet , sloppy warm feeling of tongues intermingling , reassuring them that their search for true love is over .
well , this movie is about a girl waiting for the right boy to give her the kiss of her life .
and it 's sweet .
drew barrymore who shone in ?
ever after ' is wonderful as ?
josie , grossy ' , the high school dweeb who becase a professional editor , before being assigned by her paper to return to school as an undercover reporter .
it addresses the issues of how a dweeb , becomes a prom queen and finds the man of her life all in one sitting .
hard to believe , but possible .
there may also be those who have been kissed before , but in fact , never truly been given the kiss .
so this movie can be watched by those who are waiting for true love or those who are still searching for it .
either way , it is one enjoyable sit , with a fairytale ending .
Output: P
while alex browning ( devon sawa ) waits at jfk to leave for a school trip to paris , bad omens seem to surround him . as soon as he buckles into the plane , he has a vision of the plane exploding seconds after take - off .
when the vision begins to come true , alex bolts for the door , dragging several students and a teacher in his wake .
the plane takes off without them and explodes just as alex predicted .
he becomes an object of fear and suspicion among the community , and the tension only increases as the survivors begin to die .
alex and another survivor , clear rivers ( ali larter ) , investigate the suspicious " suicide " of a friend , and a mortician ( tony " candyman " todd ) clues them in to the truth : alex interrupted death 's design by saving people who should have died in the explosion , and death will want to claim its rightful victims .
in order to save himself and the others , alex will have to figure out death 's new plan and thwart it .
of the countless horror films that have competed for a piece of the " scream " audience , " final destination " is the best so far .
talented young screenwriter jeffrey reddick offers a fresh variation
on a familiar formula .
we 've seen hundreds of movies where a group of teenagers are murdered one - by - one by a faceless slasher , but reddick cuts out the hockey - masked middle - man and makes the villain death itself .
first - time feature director james wong made the most of that premise .
every scene is permeated with creepiness and foreboding , reminding us that death is everywhere , can come at anytime .
everyday objects and events vibrate with menace .
the most amusing harbinger of doom : john denver 's " rocky mountain high , " which is played several times in the movie before someone dies .
( the link is that denver died in a plane crash , and the song includes a line about fire in the sky . ) the performances are stronger than those usually elicited by teen horror .
devon sawa , who previously starred in another horror flick , " idle hands , " gives a frantic and convincing lead performance .
kerr smith is carter hogan , an antagonist of alex 's whose quick temper causes him to pulled off the fatal plane .
smith plays carter as filled with anger and confusion that constantly threatens to bubble over into violence .
seann william scott , who 's also in theaters right now in " road trip , " plays the somewhat dim billy hitchcock and provides a needed counterpoint to the intensity of alex and carter .
tony todd 's one - scene cameo is delicious but all too brief .
bottom line :
watchable
teen fright flicks are few and far between , but this destination is worth visiting .
Output: P
let 's face it : since waterworld floated by , the summer movie season has grown * very * stale .
with no new eye - candy for four weeks
straight , we 've had to sustain ourselves on the quasi - nutritional value of cheatin ' husbands , traveling chocolate salesmen , and computer- generated serial killers .
sigh .
thank god for desperado .
the freewheeling sequel to el mariachi -- director robert rodriguez 's notorious $ 7000 debut -- stars a cool antonio banderas as the returning guitarist with no name .
he 's a man in black with revenge on his mind , and an arsenal in his case .
( the woman he loved was killed in the first film . )
so , he spends the entire story shooting drug dealers ; sort of a tex - mex version of the punisher , if you will .
there is n't much of an emotional core to desperado .
rodriguez is having too much fun finding new and innovative ways to pay homage to john woo .
( and sergio leone . . . and sam peckinpah . . . )
some may wince at the body count -- at least 100 graphic killings is a fair estimate -- but it 's all played for laughs .
big , broad , hispanic laughs that , for me , recall the physical comedy of blake edwards and his pink panther films .
sick , slick fun .
Output: P
the small - scale film , in limited release , " waking ned devine " is a pleasant excursion to a time and place which allows the audience to absorb the full texture of a small town . filled with breathtaking scenery , ' characters ' , and delightful music , the movie would be interesting even without a plot .
the story contains several surprises which are best left unmentioned in a review .
the film starts out with a sharp opening , which gives us a taste of what is to follow : country folk with an inclination for a bit of larceny .
what gets things going is the fact that a winner of the lottery is apparently one of the residents in the small town ( pop 52 ) of tullymore .
who that person is , and how to share in the good fortune is the mission of two longtime friends jackie ( ian bannen ) and michael ( david kelly ) . part detectives , part scalawags , they have to stay alert to the changing circumstances they face as the story unfolds .
the village consists of several amusing characters .
a clueless pig farmer , temporary priest , and a witch .
there 's also the lotto man who must be satisfied that everything is on the up - and - up .
there are no hollywood touches to this film - except for the outer space introduction [ ! ] .
pacing is right .
towards the end , it runs a bit out of steam , but that 's okay because for most of the 90 minutes we 've been interested in the goings on .
a mixture of laughs and ( occasional ) sentiment
- all the right emotions are engaged .
in one brief dream sequence - you 'll know it when you see it - a fantastic combination of color and music transports the characters to a place you really hope exists .
one of the key moments in the film .
the music , available on cd ( london 289 460 939 - 2 ) follows the same arc as the movie and
is well worth considering . a fine film that 's for everybody except action fans .
somewhat like ' the englishman who went up a hill and came down a mountain , ' . . .
but livelier .
Output: P
bruce lee was a bigger - than - life martial artist ( and ) actor .
bruce 's unique character ( i .
e . ,
self - produced sound effects , etc . ) and seemingly perfected martial art and physique were all well portrayed by the actor , james lee .
the story is told from his wife linda 's point of view where she put a lot of family and practical side of bruce lee 's life .
however , you ca n't help
but like , whenever the fight scenes are on , what he can does with his body and that familiar bruce attitude and character .
i also like the little bits of insight scenes about bruce lee 's life before he became famous : scenes like bruce practicing pronunciation of english .
it seemed as if he was no better than anybody else .
scenes like bruce delivering chinese food as a delivery boy ridding a bike through the american college looking at the ( all - white ) students , cheerleaders , and athletes .
it seemed he too wished for the american dreams and hopes .
in conclusion , the movie was well made
, it produced a realization of who bruce lee was , and actor james lee was so much like bruce you have to remind yourself that he is just an actor .
and the fighting scenes were all excellent .
so go see it and enjoy the movie .
p . s .
if you have seen the movie unforgiven by clint eastwood , then the feeling left after dragon was very much like the feeling you got after the unforgiven .
Output: P
clint eastwood , in his ripe old age , is cashing one talent in for another .
midnight in the garden of good and evil is an eastwood - directed film clint is n't even in , and
it 's damn good . adapted from a best - selling john berendt novel based on true events , this movie is set in the bizarre georgia town of savannah , where people walk invisible dogs and attach horseflies to their head .
and that 's just the mayor .
as director and producer , eastwood contributes a self- indulgent but very competent 150 minutes , neatly balancing drama , suspense and humor .
like all great movies , midnight in the garden has a lot of funny moments that spring from the characters themselves , and not from some contrived , juvenile intrusion .
the acting , from big - time stars john cusack and kevin spacey , is as good as you 'd expect , but it 's the supporting stable that gives the movie its offbeat charm .
cusack plays a free - lance reporter sent to savannah to write a fluff story for town & country magazine about one of eccentric millionaire spacey 's parties .
lots of food , beverages and gunplay .
yes , an employee of spacey 's has a huge argument in front of cusack and later turns up dead .
it seems like a simple matter of self- defense -- the guy threatened spacey , shot at him , missed , then spacey took him out -- but being a movie , there 's much more to it than that , and cusack decides to stay in town and write a book about the murder , a book which will eventually become a movie he will star in .
the weird circle of entertainment .
this is where the stable of supporting characters comes in .
there 's the requisite sexy woman ( alison " nepotist 's daughter " eastwood ) , the strange piano player , the voodoo woman and the transvestite .
miss chablis deserves a paragraph of his / her own , as the stealer of every scene she appears in -- what would this movie be without the castilian scene and her testimony ?
chablis , playing herself , is five times funnier than reigning drag queen rupaul , but never seems exploited as the movie 's comic relief or out of place in a basically serious movie .
there are also a fair share of courtroom scenes , which these days almost never seem welcome in a movie , but even here clint manages to keep the movie fascinating .
certainly the characterizations of the judge and spacey 's lawyer both help immensely , as does having the fly - guy as the jury 's foreman .
it 's here
we realize the case boils down to an indictment of spacey 's homosexuality .
yes , spacey had a sexual relationship with the dead man -- before he shot him , of course .
midnight in the garden of good and evil is n't a classic , but it is one of the better celebrity - directed , true - story best - seller adaptations out there .
likewise , no one from this movie will be getting any oscar nominations , but the performances are all great .
in fact , i 'd almost recommend that the academy add a best supporting transvestite category .
serving america for more than 1/25th of a century !
Output: P
buffalo ?
66 is a very rarely known movie that stars vincent gallo and christina ricci .
gallo plays a very troubled man , who was sent to jail for gambling .
once out of jail , he must visit his parents , who he told he was married .
the truth is he is n't married .
to try to impress them , he kidnaps a girl ( christina ricci ) from a tap dancing class to act as his wife .
the film is very cheaply made , and it shows it throughout a lot of the movie , but you do n't need money to make a good film .
buffalo ?
66 does n't always stay with the realistic concept , and sometimes goes through outrageous events .
gallo 's parents , played by angelica huston and ben gazarra , are two very strange individuals .
the mother plays a football fanatic and the father plays a quiet man with odd habits .
gallo and ricci arrive at his parent 's house , and
some extremely funny scenes take place within the house .
ricci 's performance during the scene at gallo 's parent 's home are very well done .
there is constantly humor involved in the interesting dinner table scenes .
the way the movie was filmed in this particular part of the movie were interesting and creative .
they seemed very mediocre , but they worked out just fine
.
gallo 's character is developed very well .
the impression that he is very depressed and confused is very clear .
gallo gives a performance that makes you believe what the character is going through .
his character goes through many , many problems , just like many people in real life .
this character seemed very realistic to me .
ricci 's character is funny and different .
she does n't care much that she has been kidnaped , in fact , she falls in love the man who kidnaped her !
ricci is a very wonderful actress and she is starting to get the recognition that she deserves
.
buffalo ?
66 is n't all laughs though .
many scenes are very dramatic and depressing .
gallo 's character was so realistic , he was extremely disturbing .
some scenes are supposed to come off as funny , but they actually seemed sad and real to life .
the film sometimes drags along , not giving much material .
i really would have liked to see gallo 's parents a lot more , and i would have liked to see the characters developed more .
overall , buffalo ?
66 is n't as good as some people put it up to be .
the bottom line-
a few hysterical scenes save this film from sinking to the bottom .
Output: P