niryuu/sni-each-converted huggingface dataset:
the grandfather of italian horror the late mario bava has credits in nearly 100 films and tv movies produced in italy between 1939 and his death in the early 80 's . more practiced as a cinematographer than a director , bava nonetheless sat in the director 's chair for beyond the door ii ,
the project which turned out to be his last full - length feature film .
alongside the appalling zombie schlock of hacks like lucio fulci , beyond the door ii is simply a revelation . in his day bava was considered by most to be no great filmmaker , yet here he fashioned one of the finest italian horror movies of the 1970 's .
( note that the film has no connection with the 1975 exorcist - rip off behind the door , but for some unexplained reason was given this related title for release in the usa and australia . )
this story focuses on dora , a women set upon by a malevolent spirit that channels itself through her young son marco .
the film opens with dora , her son and second husband bruno returning to a house by the sea that was the scene of her first husband 's suicide and her subsequent trauma 7 years earlier .
they hope to put the past behind them , but as small accidents start to befall dora - usually while bruno is away on business - she starts to suspect that marco ( played with uncanny ability by 8 year old david colin jr . ) is somehow involved in the strange goings on .
to reveal any more of the story would be unfair .
suffice to say that this artfully paced study of a woman suffering a nervous breakdown offers an intriguing plot , loads of atmosphere and solid acting , though the dialogue is somewhat weakened by the dubbing into english .
bava coaches a surprisingly good performance from the usually wooden daria nicolodi , wife of famed italian horror director dario argento .
her character is invested with sufficient depth to allow the audience real empathy with dora 's troubled soul .
the music by italian ensemble libra is also effective , mixing odd - sounding 70 's rock with classic gothic piano sequences .
and there is
at least one moment - brilliantly engineered by bava
- that is guaranteed to lift you ten feet out of your chair .
yet for italian horror , the bloodletting here is surprisingly minimal .
lamberto bava and francesco barbieri 's script is more concerned with deeper , psychological terrors , with themes of guilt and suffering , with the notion that what we sow will shall - somewhere , somehow - eventually reap .
scholars of the genre take note : beyond the door ii is stylish , chilling , and essential .
Output: P
' lake placid ' is definately not your typical creature attacking people movie , ok so maybe it is , but this one is enjoyable , and clever
.
actually it comes off more of a comedy than a horror film .
well the ending is kinda scary , but in most horror / comedies they are .
i will admit that ' lake placid ' is n't an oscar worthy film , but it does come off as an inventive movie that is original and funny .
bridget fonda plays a palentologist who after finding out her boyfriend is cheating , is forced to go to lake placid and investigate a tooth , after a man is bit in half .
she gets there but really does n't understand why she is there .
bill pullman plays a man also investigating what happened , along with the sherriff and a rich croc obsessed man , they go out and find what is going on .
what they find though is n't great .
a huge
and i mean huge crocodile is living in lake placid , over 150 years old , he has migrated here for who knows why .
they have to fight against the croc and try to trap him so they can study him and see where he came from .
betty white plays a woman who lives on the shores of lake placid , and well you 'll have to see the movie to find out .
her character is very funny and foul - mouthed , which is surprising to hear betty spew words and phrases that are pretty bad , but funny .
to me the movie came off as a spoof of jaws .
with the opening sequence , and some others , it is not original and is .
when you watch this movie , you definately notice the smartness and cleverness of it .
david e .
kelly who is the mastermind of the practice and ally mcbeal
, writes this movie with ease and surprisingly does a great job
.
the characters have smartmouths , two foul , and some great one - liners .
but believe me , do n't take ' lake placid ' too seriously or you wo n't like it .
but it is a movie that can be enjoyed as a fun ' popcorn ' type movie .
but i guess it rates above the ' popcorn ' rating .
sit back , watch the movie , laugh , scream , and whatever you want .
even though the movie is r , and i put violence and gore .
there 's really not that much gore , but what there is might seem kinda gross to some . '
lake placid ' is a smart , clever , funny , and scary movie that i enjoyed
and i think you will too .
Output: P
a lot of times a three - star film will be my favorite .
they 're usually the kind of movie i can watch most often too .
they 're usually not too deep , allowing for semi - brainless relaxation , and at the same time , not too dumb .
men in black is a four - star three - star film .
( hope you could follow that one )
men in black does n't wait to get to the fun .
just minutes into the film we are introduced to agent kay ( tommy lee jones ) , introduced to an alien , and introduced to the the awesome memory - diminishing tool that all mib agents use .
after all , you ca n't have alien witnesses running around with that kind of knowledge
can you ?
men in black is , of course , the organization which " moniters all extra - terrestrial activity on earth " .
nypd officer james edwards ( will smith ) , is on a routine foot chase when suddenly the no - good punk
he 's chasing starts leaping up buildings and blinking more than one pair of eyes .
the alien delivers the simple message that the world is going to end , and with that , dives off of a roof .
naturally nobody believes his story . . .
nobody that is , except for the top secret organization that not even the government is aware of .
edwards then meets agent kay , the man who never seems to crack a smile , and is introduced to the mib .
edwards winds up joining the team and is stripped of anything that can point back to him ( birth certificate , drivers license , and even the literal removal of his fingerprints ) .
james edwards no longer exists .
meet agent jay .
agent kay takes the rookie jay under his wing as they go about " regular " duties .
eventually a far more treacherous event comes into play .
a " bug " has landed on earth and is going to wipe out mankind if these two do n't ( or ca n't ) stop it .
the plot is n't exactly clear , but we know it has to do with a galaxy as big as a jewel or marble being sought after on earth , and that is crucial that the mib find it before the " bug " does .
barry sonnenfeld , who also did the addams family films
, directs this nicely .
it 's fun
, it 's funny , it 's action - packed .
a nice summer blockbuster as it rightfully turned out to be
.
this is one of those movies that is just " fun " and ca n't really be summed up any nicer or clearer .
will smith and tommy lee jones
both do great jobs and both are a blast to watch .
definitely one of the best films of the the summer of ' 97 , men in black comes highly recommeded from me !
Output: P
" desperate measures " was something i was excited about seeing back when it was originally scheduled to be released : summer ' 97 . for some reason , it was delayed until hollywood 's traditional dumping ground : january .
now that it 's out , i see no real reason for that delay , as it 's a simple yet highly entertaining film .
michael keaton stars as a maniacial murderer who 's bone marrow can save the life of the dying son of a san francisco police detective ( garcia ) .
keaton agrees to the transplant , only so he can attempt escape .
he succeeds , in a plan that of course could only work in the movies .
the police force is now trying to kill keaton , while garcia is working against them trying to keep keaton alive in order to save his son .
the film definately has it 's flaws .
the plot is strictly tv movie of the week fare , but the acting and direction certainly boost it far above that status .
also , after keaton 's escape , garcia 's captain barks at him " how many men have to die to save your kid 's life ? " which the film treats as such an evil and insignificant remark .
the thing is , it 's a vaild point .
how many people have to be needlessly crippled , burned , and killed just to save this one child ?
what 's the greater good here ?
many lives or one life ?
if movies really had guts nowadays , i would have loved to have seen this movie come down to a final choice for garcia 's character .
place him in a situation where he knows that he has to kill keaton because keaton is about to kill someone else .
alas , movies these days generally have no such ambition to pull the audience 's strings in ways which might make the uncomfortable .
despite a few silly moments ( and one or two really stupid ones ) , the good things about " desperate measures " outnumber the bad .
the main highlight would be keaton 's performance .
the character could have easily been an overacting , scene chewing freak , but keaton underplays it nicely .
he 's not as menacing as he was in " pacific heights " or even as menacing as he was in " batman
" ( yes kids , batman used to be a dark character ) , but you certainly get the idea that he 's evil .
even the final scene of the film , which normally i would just hate , seems strangely appropriate for this film .
so much so that i did n't mind it in the slightest . and another bonus : the film takes place in san francisco , which usually means a car chase on those hills that you 've seen a billion times before .
and for a moment , it looked as though it was about to happen .
but it does n't ,
and that 's creative .
[ r ]
Output: P
a wonderful little movie that is really interested in its characters and in its theme .
the scene of " second best " is laid in wales .
james ( chris cleary miles ) is a 10-year - old boy who must live in a home because his father ( keith allen ) is in prison and his mother committed suicide .
james is a mentally unbalanced child .
he ca n't forget what happened in the past , and he dreams of living a happy life with his beloved father .
in the home he feels sadly and lonely .
one day , a social worker ( alan cumming ) tells him of a person who wants to adopt him .
this person is graham holt ( william hurt ) .
graham manages a post office and shop in a village .
he is a single and has n't any real friends .
his mother is dead , and his father is ill and will die .
graham feels that he has been a disappointment to his parents .
there has never been real love between his parents and him .
graham 's monotonous life would get a new sense if he could adopt james .
but graham has not only to convince the institutions , but must also win the love of james .
james and graham have to open theirselves .
they must get to know each other and learn to understand and trust the other person .
james and graham aid each other to cope with their problems .
but will their relationship really have a future ?
" second best " is based on a novel by david cook who also wrote the screenplay .
the film was directed by chris menges who had made his directing debut with the very good anti - apartheid drama " a world apart " ( 1987/88 ) .
and maybe , " second best " is even a greater picture .
this precise , richly detailed , sensitively and convincingly directed study about a special adoption treats its theme with great seriousness .
the breathtakingly intense film shows the necessity of human contact and communication .
william hurt delivers an outstanding performance as graham holt .
and chris cleary miles is remarkably convincing in the role of the boy .
the supporting cast is also fine ( especially jane horrocks as debbie , a social worker who is charged to examine graham 's living circumstances ) . " second best " is an underestimated masterpiece .
it 's a pity that films like this one are made so seldom
.
i eagerly await menges ' next directorial work , " the lost son " , which will star daniel auteuil .
Output: P
this is a good year if you want plenty of sci - fi on your multiplex .
> from the comedies mars attacks and men in black , to luc besson 's powerful the fifth element , and to this
, sci - fi / horror that is event horizon .
( more is on the way with contact and alien : ressurection being released later this year . )
the story is thus : in 2040 an explorer ship called the event horizon tests out a newly invented gravity drive .
a device that enables a craft to travel anywhere in the universe , instantaneously .
this is achieved by creating a gateway , infact , a black hole , between the craft
and it 's required destination .
in this case , from near neptune to proxima prime .
however , when the event horizon attempts this , it dissappears , without trace , leaving two searches for it fruitless .
seven years later , it reappears , transmitting a distress signal and
this is where the film starts .
a search and rescue ship is sent out to investigate .
the team is led by laurence fishburne , and joining them is sam neill who plays the scientist that invented the gravity drive .
as the team search the event horizon , they find no trace of the crew but plenty of blood lying around .
not a good sign .
. .
to make matters worse , as they search the ship , they find themselves being subjected to a series of illusions based on their own individual inner secrets and worse , some very bloody events start to occur as they slowly piece together the events that transpired on the ship seven years ago .
it soon becomes apparent that , wherever the ship went , it bought something back with it .
something very , very evil .
. .
the first thing you 'll notice in this film is
it 's incredible visual effects .
they really are eye popping , with some great models to boot .
the acting is quite good , with some occasional witty moments .
sam neill
does a good job as the scientist that increasingly becomes more and more disturbed as the search continues , but a tip of the hat goes to laurence fishburne who leads the team , in a cool , calm , take no nonense manner .
it is his acting skills that help hold this film together .
the idea behind event horizon is certainly a good one .
it starts off incredibly well , but the middle section becomes quite confused and sometimes muddled , leaving the viewer unsure on just what the reasons are behind some of the bloody and bizarre events that occur .
however , the closing 20 minutes of the film more than make up for this , producing one the most nail biting ( or in my case ,
straw of my drink biting ! )
climaxes i 've recently witnessed .
overall , event horizon is a smart film indeed .
it 's very enjoyable and has some amazing visuals .
but be warned , the horror scenes , despite being very brief
are very , very , gory .
not for the squemish !
Output: P
scarface , a remake of the 1932 film of the same name , is a very gripping and , as far as i know , a true - to - life story of how power and violence lead to corruption .
al pacino , as tony montana ( for whom the movie is named ) , also provides a brilliant performance as a cuban refugee who comes to america with less than nothing and becomes one of the most highly respected and feared drug lords in miami .
oliver stone also penned the screenplay in one of his earlier writing roles .
the film begins by disclosing the story of now fidel castro ordered thousands of cubans to set sail and head for the coasts of the united states .
many of these cubans had criminal records , such as tony montana , a cocky , fast - talking man who has the look of crime .
nearly right after his arrival in miami , tony is thrust into the gangster life when he participates in a cocaine buy that goes awry .
along with his friend and partner , manolo ( steven bauer ) , tony rises in the gangster ranks when he forms a friendship with frank lopez ( robert loggia ) , a high - roller in the organized crime field .
tony also begins to fall in love with elvira ( michelle pfeiffer ) , who at the time was frank 's lover .
of course , sooner or later in this industry , betrayal and corruption amount into a force greater than anything else , and tony is one of the ones who fall victim to this force .
this is not before he becomes one of the most respected , and often feared , men in miami .
tony gets to the point where he can not trust anyone , and everyone he knows basically feels the same way towards him .
no one can trust him , and basically , no one does .
scarface , although incredibly violent , is one of the best crime films of its time and stands out as another great performance for al pacino .
although he did not receive any recognition from the academy for his performance , it truly is a very good one .
in fact , his accent and facial movements alone are enough in my mind to win at least a nomination ( although he did get a golden globe nomination ) .
another element that stands out when someone mentions this film is the profanity .
a figure tagged to the film boasts that the word " fuck " and it 's uses are uttered 206 times throughout the film , which is apparently a record .
the thing is , the vulgarity fits rather well with the movie .
as odd as it sounds , it 's true .
in the end , scarface is a very powerful film that hits home hard .
Output: P
if you 're the type of person who goes on the submarine ride every time you visit disneyland , you 're going to love the hunt for red october .
you 'll also love the film if you enjoy cat and mouse military tactics , or if you 're a sean connery or alec baldwin fan , or if you admired director john mctiernan 's earlier films , die hard and predator .
in fact , the only people likely to be disappointed with the hunt for red october are those who have read the book , since films almost never live up to the novels which inspired them .
the hunt for red october is an epic thriller , adapted from tom clancy 's best selling novel .
set in an era before glasnost , the movie revolves around a top - secret soviet submarine , called the red october .
the nuclear sub has a revolutionary propulsion system , which makes the vessel silent and allows it to escape sonar detection .
the red october embarks on its maiden voyage under the command of captain marko ramius , played by sean connery .
ramius has strict orders just to test the submarine , but he has other ideas .
he takes the sub and its crew and disappears into the atlantic ocean .
is he planning to start world war
iii ?
cia analyst jack ryan does n't think so ; he 's convinced that ramius plans to defect to the u . s .
ryan , played by alec baldwin , is given three days to prove his theory and find the missing sub .
the characters in the hunt for red october are paper thin , but the performances , thankfully , are rock solid .
baldwin and connery anchor the film with their customary vigor .
sam
neil gives a sturdy performance
as connery 's somber first officer .
it 's ironic to see neil and connery playing russians , since they are both best known for their roles as british agents , connery as james bond and neil as reilly , " ace of spies .
"
the large cast also includes scott glenn , james earl jones , tim curry , and joss ackland , plus richard jordan as the smooth u . s . national security adviser .
the special effects are remarkable , but more than anything , the hunt for red october is distinguished by its water - tight plot .
screenwriters larry ferguson and donald stewart have gracefully navigated red october through a story line full of twists and turns .
they keep us involved in the action by unveiling plot strands at just the right moment .
the movie does n't get as sweaty or breathless as die hard , because it would rather tell a good story than hit you over the head with non - stop action .
the finale is rousing and suspenseful , but essentially , the hunt for red october is a superior potboiler .
Output: P
the ring is probably one of the creepiest movies i 've seen in years .
but then again , i 've always had this phobia of asian born horror films .
i remember when i was a kid i was scared as hell with those green faced , long - haired floating ghosts donning their white gowns .
euuugh .
the ring really brings back those memories and its grips me long after the movie has ended .
unlike the horror films coming from the west , i 'm pretty much used to the gore and visual effects , so much so , they become rather bland nowadays .
there 's really no scary movie from the west for a long time .
if you have something in mind , please tell me .
this japanese flick is supposed to be based upon stories written by ` the stephen king of japan ' , which is also ( i heard ) televised over the air in japan .
the film revolves around a mysterious videotape which will bring death for sure to the person who watches it , one week prior to viewing .
a journalist and her husband , stupid enough , tests the so call ` urban legend ' and ends up having a week before she meets her doom .
she and her husband then goes on a search for the origin of the videocassette , to get to the root of the whole curse with the hopes of freeing themselves .
the ring plays on the senses like no other horror film today . visual subtlety , minimal music and an intriguing plot puts the audience within an aura of suspense throughout the entire film .
very well done indeed , especially for a film that does not have a single trace of violence and gore .
now , that 's something budding horror film - maker wannabes should consider looking into .
just an idea of how visually powerful the film is , it is in japanese and subtitled in chinese ; both of which , i ca n't understand at all ( ok , i had a friend who gave me a gist prior to watching , but he revealed very little ! ) .
the twists in the plot , leading to an unforgettable climax
( will definitely leave an impression on the audience ) will have you at the edge of your seat .
Output: P
" rebel without a cause " is such an important film in american history because it is a true analysis of youth in america that everyone of all ages can relate to .
everyone feels that they are different in some way , that they do n't belong in some places and " rebel without a cause " successfully shows on screen these universal emotions .
no matter what generation you belong to , these feelings are present .
this is why james dean is admired by america , because in this film he represents us all and his actions are actions that we would also execute .
in our minds , we just try to do the right thing just like dean 's jim stark does .
not only does " rebel without a cause " display these universal emotions for all to relate to
but it also shows that america has suffered a uniqe pattern in its social structure .
each generation looks at its past generation without a strong connection .
this is because times change and in response people change .
no matter how popular you were once , as your generation grows older , newer breeds look at you in a different light .
this is why stark and his friends never could form a strong relationship with their parents .
even if their parents insisted that they were also rebellious and troublesome in the past , the teens could not believe this .
in one humorous scene , stark , his girlfriend judy ( natalie wood ) , and his pal plato ( sal mineo ) pretend they are adults .
they use upper class british accents and in their conversations they make it out to appear that kids are no good and should be ignored .
this scene shows that what was once cool in a past generation is the complete opposite in another .
speaking on behalf of my generation , i feel that dean has lost a lot of his coolness from our perspective as the years have grown by .
the only ones who seem to still lionize him are those members of his generation .
same goes for
brando , redford , even deniro .
i can only imagine how vaguely matt damon , ben affleck , and brad pitt will be viewed at the mid point of the twenty first century .
will dean even be remembered when these newcomers are forgotten ?
any film that sparks this kind of thought is certainly a milestone in american film .
even if " rebel without a cause " has some ridiculous scenes ( the game of chicken - did people really act this way ? ) , an unbelievable conclusion ( how did everyone end up at the abandoned mansion at the end ? ) , and a silly romance ( wood declares her love for dean after talking to him for a couple hours )
it still is a fabulous film .
the acting is so believable that it is no wonder that dean was considered the epitome of cool .
now , however , the coolness is fading . . .
Output: P
a costume drama set in the 1500s , england , elizabeth is a lush , romantic , political masterpiece about the upset over the crossing of a protestant queen from a respected catholic one .
when the court and country are a whole after the passing of the queens , the royal family , so to speak , are upset that a protestant should be crowened , and not another catholic , plus , the new queen , elizabeth i ( cate blanchette ) , was the bastard baby of the previous queen mary 's father .
the persecution over catholics and protestants is n't the only majority in elizabeth .
elizabeth i must face the decision to give up personal pleasures , and her lover ( joseph fiennes of shakespeare in love ) , in order to rule , successfully , the country , which she did for 40 more years .
both elizabeth and shakespeare in love are set in the elizabethian era , and both feature a queen elizabeth i ( judi dench plays her in love ) , or course . yet ,
i found elizabeth more stimulating and involving than love , not just because elizabeth features a great deal more of elizabeth i , but because i found blanchette a more powerful , hypnotic sense for the role .
elizabeth , also featuring geoffrey rush and richard attenborough , is my pick for the best picture of 1998 award .
it 's a dynamic , important , breathtaking film of loyalty , power , greed , and trust .
shakespeare would die for the book rights .
Output: P
a sci fi / comedy starring jack nicholson , pierce brosnan , annette benning , glenn close , martin short and other stars .
a warner bros picture the martians have landed in this hillarous tim burton movie .
before entering the cinema , i was initially a little bit nervous about what this film would be like .
many people were saying that this film was silly rubbish , and there was no point to it all .
how wrong they were .
i left this film feeling much happier than i was before i entered the cinema .
the story is about martians attacking earth .
using ray guns ( hooray ! )
they generally cause havoc around the u . s and other countries .
nicholson plays the president who must try to stop invasion , and also taking advice from his loopy officials .
but , basically , its a load of set pieces showing the martians destroying earth .
the way people are killed by the ray guns is great , they is a hillarous ( and mildly disturbing scene ) involving a martian lady , a mad general who just wants to nuke the aliens away , ( and ends up getting squashed by an aliens foot ) and a gory finale involving lots of alien heads exploding .
but , most of all , this film is fun .
the martians are full of character , the performances are spot on , and the all star cast help make the film more enjoyable
.
the film is a million times better
then the dire independance day , and is a real tribute to the tacky ' 50s invasion movies .
they are is a great score by danny elfman , and lots of laughs .
this has to be the best invasion i 've seen for a long time .
Output: P
saving private ryan ( dreamworks ) running time : 2 hours 48 minutes .
starring tom hanks , edward burns , tom sizemore and matt damon directed by steven spielberg
already being hailed as the ' greatest war movie ever made , ' saving private ryan is an harrowing , saddening and riveting movie .
it may not be the greatest war movie in my opinion , but it 's certainly one of the best war movies made , and one of the best of 1998 .
tom hanks stars as a captain who 's troop has to find private ryan ( damon ) who has a ticket home because his three brothers have been killed in action .
action , drama and even some humour occur as the troop journeys through wartime france to find him .
after the disappointing amistad ( 1997 ) spielberg has returned to form with this excellent movie .
i 'm not the war movie genre biggest fan , but
i found this film to be gripping , and very scary , thanks to the excellent cast , direction and terrifying battle scenes .
tom hanks is superb , straying away from his usually soppy dramatic roles , such as in forrest gump ( 1994 ) .
this time , he plays the role with gritty realism , and is much better for it .
occasionally he overacts the sentimentally , but he generally delivers a fine performance .
edward burns , looking a lot like armageddon 's ben affleck , also delivers a top notch performance , moving away from his roles in films such as she 's the one ( 1996 ) tom sizemore makes less of an impact , but is still watchable , and matt damon reinforcing his position as one of the finest young actors working today .
spielberg directs very well , putting the audience right in the heart of the action of the battle scenes .
and what battle scenes they are !
they 're truly terrifying , yet the audience can not drag their eyes away from the screen
.
the battle scenes are filmed with a jerky hand - held camera , and the panic and confusion felt by the soldiers is emphasized by this technique .
the gore and violence is n't spared either , which body parts flying , and blood spurting .
this film is certainly not for kids and sensitive adults .
other factors help saving private ryan be a masterpiece of 90 's film making .
the cinematography is excellent , and the music score by john william 's is also superb .
it is never intrusive , and adds to the drama on - screen .
but while they are thousands of good things great about private ryan , there 's one major flaw that detracts the genius of the film : the writing .
it is unusually flat , with many of the speeches strangely weak .
the film never really makes any profound statements .
this is not a major gripe , as private ryan is a film of action , not words .
still , the script could of been a lot better .
thankfully , the actors help partly to rectify the situation with their great delivery of their lines .
saving private ryan , in the end , is an excellent film , but not the ' greatest war movie ' due to
it 's weak acting .
this film should be viewed by everyone who has the stomach for it , as it 's rewarding and extremely worthwhile .
it really should n't be missed , and dreamworks skg has finally found it 's first hit movie .
Output: P
the trailers and the beginning of the move sum up this plot very easily .
three filmmakers venture into the woods of maryland to track down the legend of the blair witch for a documentary they are making .
they disappear and their footage is discovered a year later buried underneath the foundation of a one hundred year old house .
from there , things become a little more complicated .
i can say , with absolute assurance , that no film has ever had quite the impact that this little movie has had on me .
although i know it was all a staged " mockumentary " ,
there 's no denying the psychological impact this film will leave on you
.
i did n't feel much upon initially watching it .
i just thought it was an interesting film with some pretty creepy parts .
i never even dreamed that thirty minutes after the film had ended i would be frightened out of my mind just discussing it with a friend .
i 've gotten chills every time i 've brought it up since then .
this is not a movie that hits you right away .
instead this is a movie that sits at the base of your spine , waits until you think everything is okay
, then it slowly starts to creep
it 's way up into your mind .
this is truly the most frightening movie i have ever had the pleasure to watch .
the film is comprised of home video and 16 mm camera footage that the documentarians supposedly shot for their blair witch film , so do n't expect any steadi - cam shots or fancy camera work .
this is as real as it gets folks .
i do n't recommend sitting too close to the theater screen though , because i guarantee you will get motion sickness from the constant movement of the camera .
the performances of the three lead actors in the film are so real
, you may find yourself questioning whether all of this has really happened or not .
this is definitely a movie that warrants home video viewing , especially due to the fact that the bulk of the movie was shot with a standard home video camera .
the reality of the images will strike frighteningly close to home when viewed as actual video instead of the tape - to - film transfer done for the big screen .
word has it that a special edition dvd with boatloads of extras ( hours of deleted scenes , alternate endings , commentary , the sci - fi channel special , and others ) is being planned for release .
i urge artisan entertainment to forge ahead with this plan and give us what could be the dvd to rival all dvd 's .
i know
i 'll be first in line to buy one .
[ r ]
Output: P
apocalypse now , based on the novel " hearts of darkness " , is an extremely striking , gripping , and horrifying depiction of the vietnam war from another angle .
a long debate has surrounded this movie as if it is actually an anti - war film .
in many ways , this debate could go either way .
apocalypse now is probably one of the most memorable vietnam war films ever made .
in addition , now film has gone to the extremes that this film does - a disturbing look at the corruption and terrifying effects of the most devastating war of recent years .
apocalypse now follows the mission captain benjamin l .
willard , played by martin sheen , to seek out and eliminate colonel walter e .
kurtz , a green beret who is thought to have gone insane and set up his own militant base in cambodia .
captain willard is ordered to assassinate kurtz with " extreme prejudice " because he has been deemed a murderer .
willard accepts his mission , but not while pondering the accusation .
accusing someone of murder in this situation is like " handing out speeding tickets at the indy 500 " , as he puts it .
it does n't make too much sense .
escorting him on his mission are a group of men who operate a riverboat .
the men are chef ( frederic forrest ) , chief ( albert hall ) , lance johnson ( sam bottoms ) and mr . clean ( a fifteen year - old laurence fishburne ) .
willard is ordered not to let them know exactly what his mission is , but they all know it is something big .
the men encounter many exciting , dangerous and bizarre situations .
but no situation is more bizarre than the infamous napalm scene with a very eccentric robert duvall as lieutenant colonel kilgore .
kilgore decides to attack and overtake a certain beach area so that his men can surf .
surf .
this is all inspired when kilgore is able to meet the famed california surfer lance johnson .
duvall 's portrayal as lieutenant colonel kilgore is terrific , and , he provides a number of memorable quotes .
eventually , captain willard encounters colonel kurtz 's frightening community full of strange things everywhere
you look , especially his followers .
one of his main followers is a freelance photographer ( dennis hopper ) who attempts to convey the situations to willard .
but willard can not understand the madness that encompasses the colony .
kurtz is actually well aware of willard 's mission , and refers to him as " an errand boy sent by grocery clerks to collect a bill " .
yet willard is intent on completing his mission , no matter what shocking things kurtz does .
apocalypse now ,
possibly one of the greatest films ever made , is a stunning vision into the madness that corresponds to the vietnam war .
a movie that will hypnotize you with it 's brilliant cinematography , apocalypse now is an outstanding epic drama about the controversial and horrifying ravages of war .
definitely on the " do not miss " list . be prepared for a very memorable film .
Output: P
earlier this year , the movie holy man opened to a meager box office receipt and to indifference from audiences and critics .
a real charmer of a movie , it 's possible that the subject matter was too hip or trendy to attract any real audience .
now , at the end of 1998 , comes waking ned devine , a comedy which inspires the same vein of easygoing laughter .
there 's no substantial difference between the two other than a more refined atmosphere -- they strike all the same chords -- but still , ned
devine is a movie worth seeing .
the plot is interesting and robust : the latest lottery winner is ned devine ( jimmy keogh ) , of tullymore , ireland .
ned 's prize is over six million pounds , but the shock of winning killed the poor old man , and the check remains unclaimed .
enter jackie o'shea ( ian bannen ) and michael o'sullivan ( david kelly ) , the only two residents who are aware the winner is in their village .
the two men eventually find the ticket , and decide that if michael can convince the lotto authorities that he 's actually ned , the entire town can reap the benefits ; their only adversary is an ancient old woman ( eileen dromey ) who sees more profit in reporting the fraud .
ian bannen and david kelly truly shine as jackie and michael .
jackie , stocky and large , is the brains behind the operation ; michael , scrawny and short , is the method man .
the two contrast each other delightfully , and at the same time remain sympathetic to the audience .
every viewer is sure to like both of them .
there are other minor subplots included as well , such as an unlikely romance between a local girl and the town pig farmer .
this appears quite inconsequential until the end , and even with a startling revelation it 's a tad bit unnecessary .
overall , waking ned devine has a predictable outcome , and plot twists are never really taken seriously .
the ending , a very hilarious and very ironic twist of fate , somehow fits with the twisted sense of humor the movie exhibits throughout .
the kirk jones script is indeed off - the - cuff .
in a way , waking ned devine is exactly like the class of people it presents : warm , friendly , outgoing , and jovial .
it 's the perfect kind of comedy , a real gem of a tale that sets up a trivial plot outline by which to introduce a sympathetic cast of characters and a string of jokes
.
there 's nothing remotely serious or grounded for more than a moment or two , because the spirit of ned devine is a lighthearted one .
indeed , it 's one of the year 's best feel - good movies -- 91 minutes of unrestrained joy that no one should miss .
Output: P
susan granger 's review of " the perfect storm " ( warner bros . )
"
more people die on fishing boats , per capita , than working in any other job in the u . s . .
every journey a fishing boat makes can be an all - or - nothing risk .
it is life at its most exhilarating and its most terrifying , " says director wolfgang petersen ( " das boot " ) .
and that 's just what he captures in this true story of struggle and humanity aboard a swordfishing boat , the andrea gail , sailing out of gloucester , massachusetts , in late october , 1991 .
early in bill wittliff 's screenplay , based on sebastian junger 's best - seller , we meet the crew of six .
the veteran captain ( george clooney ) is frustrated because he ca n't find fish on the grand banks , yet a rival skipper ( mary elizabeth mastrantonio ) brings in huge hauls .
his right - hand man ( mark walhberg ) needs money to build a new life with his girl - friend ( diane lane ) .
there 's a devoted dad ( john c . reilly ) with an estranged wife and son , a free - spirited jamaican ( allen payne ) , a lonely guy ( john hawkes ) , and a last - minute replacement with a bad attitude ( william fichtner ) .
the skipper 's convinced he can change his bad luck streak in remote flemish cap , and he does .
but then trouble begins .
there 's a rogue wave , a man overboard and the ice machine breaks - with 60 , 000 lb . of fish that could spoil .
but that 's minor compared with a deadly monster storm approaching which a boston meteorologist describes as " a disaster of epic proportions " that also threatens the lives of a coast guard helicopter rescue team trying to save three people stranded on a sailboat on the high seas .
it 's formulaic and there are cliches , but the walls of water , created by fluid dynamics simulating real - life phenomena , are awesome
.
on the granger movie gauge of 1 to 10 , " the perfect storm " is
a terrifying , suspenseful 8 . hang on for the white - knuckle thrill ride of the summer !
Output: P
just in time for halloween and christmas , the reissue of the nightmare before christmas could n't be more appropriate .
with all of the attention thrown to " family films " in recent years , namely those starring pocket monsters and nickelodeon characters , it 's high time
we raised the intellectual level of children 's fare as well as the animation achievements of the movie studios .
with that in mind , it was refreshing to revisit an animation classic on the big screen that still retains the originality and freshness
it had seven years ago .
nightmare is the story of one man 's quest to discover his true purpose in life -- to look beyond the accolades of his peers , the achievements of his years , and the praise of his ego .
jack skellington , the pumpkin king of halloweentown , is the main dude behind the halloween holiday for kids everywhere .
but during his reign as pumpkin king , jack has somehow lost his understanding of his place in the world and the magic he creates with his halloween holiday .
after the completion of one particular halloween season , jack walks with a heavy heart and ends up discovering in the woods outside halloweentown a grove of trees with doors to all of the other holidays in the world .
imagine his surprise to discover christmastown , a far more impressive and uplifting holiday than halloween , surrounded by happy elves making toys , and with good cheer all around .
upon his return to halloweentown , jack decides to combine halloween and christmas together by kidnapping " sandy claws , " employing all the residents of halloweentown to build toys for children .
he then aims to take over the role as primary joy - provider and gift - bearer to the children of the world , in the hopes of rediscovering the zest for life he once had .
alas , the co - mingling of halloween and christmas creates disastrous results involving shrunken heads , psychotic wooden ducks , a sleigh pulled by a phantom dog with a lighted nose , and a large , sinister , singing bag named oogie boogie tim burton -- the man behind such great films as ed wood , beetlejuice , pee - wee 's big adventure , and edward scissorhands -- is the creative force behind nightmare .
originally , burton authored a poem that became the basis of the storyline , and he was jointly involved in the production design of the film ( though many mistakenly assume he directed the picture ) .
the stamp of burton is clearly everywhere in the film -- with bold colors , imaginative character design , and it 's simple yet compelling story .
the direction of harry selick , who also directed james and the giant peach , is strong , offering intimate views of the strange collection of characters .
also memorable are the songs in the film , written by former oingo boingo lead singer danny elfman , the next john williams of film composing .
the nightmare before christmas is intended for both the kid and adult in everyone .
it 's not just child 's play for the holidays ; it 's a movie about how to be truly happy in a tough world , saying that all you need to do is just be exactly who you are , without compromise .
what better message is there for christmas ?
Output: P
in the grand scheme of mel gibson movies , payback was better than conspiracy theory , but not as good as braveheart or lethal weapon .
in other words , it 's a decent couple of hours of entertainment , but 20 years from now if a they compile a list of mel gibson 's greatest hits , payback probably wo n't be on it .
gibson plays a crook who gets double crossed by his partner after they heist a payroll .
mel 's partner needed the money to pay off a mob debt .
so he puts a couple of bullets in mel , leaving him for dead , and goes on to pay off his creditors .
but , mel is n't dead
( it would be a real short movie if he was ) and he certainly is n't happy .
to make matters worse , he wants his money back and is willing to go to any lengths to accomplish this feat .
his ex partner has already used it to pay off the mobsters , so mel goes after the mob to get it back .
payback is often a very violent film . to its credit
, there are a few scenes that could have been very graphic , but the director ( i 'm not sure which one -- more about that in a second ) made the choice to let the audience use their imagination instead of subjecting us to the usual gratuitous gore found in many films .
the film appears a bit disjointed in places , which is understandable considering producer / star gibson was n't thrilled with how the film turned out and wanted parts of it re - shot .
when the director refused , another one was brought in to do the re - shoot .
so as a result while the final product is apparently better than the original ( although personally i would love to see the original version for comparisons sake ) it does get a bit of a choppy feel to it towards the end .
it 's always tough to make a film where the main character is a villain , unless that person has some redeeming qualities .
in this case , gibson 's character has few redeeming qualities .
but hey , its mel , so even when he is killing people in cold blood we are still rooting for him .
my guess is that if that you put some other johnny bananas actor in this role , the audience would not be quite as responsive .
gibson is gibson , whether he is playing a suicidal cop or a stone cold killer ,
he does a good job .
he almost guarantees that no matter what else happens in the rest of the movie at least the audience is going to get one good performance .
this time out mel is surrounded by a good supporting cast , including maria bello ( as his love interest ) , william devane and kris kristofferson ( as mod bosses ) .
the man who steals the show and unfortunately does n't have a real big part is james coburn ( as yet another mobster ) .
if i had one big disappointment in this film , it would be that coburn did n't have a bigger role .
in the end , payback is a fairly solid action thriller , just not in quite the same league as some of mel gibson 's other work .
Output: P