niryuu/sni-each-converted huggingface dataset:
"
the end of the affair " is a dark and moody romantic period piece , that neil jordan exquisitely writes and directs .
although it 's slow and sometimes confusing to follow , it still manages to give audiences a moving experience .
based on graham greene 's novel of the same name , the film mainly follows 3 characters .
there 's maurice bendrix ( ralph fiennes ) who has an affair with henry mile 's ( stephen rea ) wife sarah ( julianne moore ) .
sarah finds henry to be a bore , because well , he 's just a normal guy .
it 's all work and no play with him .
while maurice on the other hand falls madly in love with sarah , and would do anything for her .
unfortunately the two break up .
this is all witnessed in a serious of flashbacks , so that leads us to the present .
it 's a few years later , and they both still think of each other , so maurice hires a private detective ( ian hart ) to see what sarah is up too .
while this may sound straight forward it 's not .
it 's a deep dark tale of the jealousy that lies in the two men , unhappiness , and the ever lasting love .
all this may sound like a drag , but it really captures your interest . with great performances by ralph fiennes ( doing another english patient type of film , only this movie is better ) and julianna moore who definitely deserves an oscar because out of all 5 films she did in 1999 , i believe this was the role ,
she had the most passion for , and you can see why .
the story was also well written thanks to neil jordan .
even though i did n't read the book ,
there 's no doubt in mind that it was just as moving and descriptive .
what 's so moving about it you ask ?
the tragedy of it all .
it 's not the typical romance , in which a guy finds a girl , they fall in love and all is well
, this is more complicated and depressing .
it really shows the complexity of a relationship , because nothing is ever perfect .
everyone feels a different way and that is what tears us to pieces .
back to neil jordan 's script , it was n't only red roses .
there were times when i felt it
too be a little slow , but most romances are .
it also tended to be a bit confusing , especially at the start .
it keep jumping around from past to present , so it obviously took awhile to get a grasp of things .
also a notable was the superb direction by neil jordan .
i 'd have to say this is his finest achievement to date , because quite frankly i 've never really found his work to be up to par .
it just never did anything for me , until now .
when it ends , it leaves viewers a little saddened , but provoked nonetheless .
this is definitely one of the best films of 99 , and had some of the best acting , most notably by moore .
not for all movie goers , but for those who are film buffs and want something of value .
Output: P
okay , let me first say , this is a beavis and butthead movie .
if you do not like beavis and butthead , do not go to see this movie ! ! ! ! !
however , if you do like them
, i recommened you get out right now and go see it
.
the movie starts off with the boys wondering what happened to their tv .
they notice that it has been stolen and they vow to find it .
this wind their way through america searching for dallas
( she is a woman ) .
they look for her because as they are searching for the tv , they find a drunk who wants them " to do " his wife .
well , of course they think he wants them to score with her when actually he wants them to kill her .
and
the fun starts their .
this movie is a mix of funny gags that anly beavis and butthead could pull off .
it is quality entertainment that only fan of beavis and butthead would enjoy .
i enjoyed this movie alot because mike judge knew how to keep pace .
even when they were crawling through the desert and i thought the movie started to lag , he manages to keep the laughs coming .
if you expecting changes from the show keep looking .
the same character , the same voices , the same everything from the show and
that 's what makes it good .
you might think with a movie from a tv show , you can change a few things .
often times this spells disaster for films because the film makers veer away from what made the show popular in the first place !
Output: P
there 's a moment in schindler 's list when a number of jews are trudging through snow , clean and crisp , dark edges and frost on the ground .
one girl waltzes through , wearing a red dress that stings the eyes .
it is probably the finest moment through out the film .
when i first saw it i began to cry , though i could not say why .
this landscape is the setting of many small moments that add up to one big whole .
when one man is shot in the head we see blood oozing out onto the ground -- so black and murky , its almost pomegranate red .
at another time we follow a young boy as he runs , searching for a hiding spot before finally squeezing into a toilet -- which is already occupied .
like so ( citizen kane , fargo , the godfather , the godfather part ii , greed , ) many of the greatest american films , schindler 's list plays with the concepts of money , power , and soul .
but this is a movie about a man who does the right thing .
starkly emotional , and brutally powerful , schindler 's list strips away everything on the outset and leaves us ony feelings .
the following that it has gained is not suprising -- this is probably , thus far , the best film of the decade .
steven spielberg has always been a skilfull filmmaker -- his assured hand churned out both jurassic parks , jaws , the indiana jones films , and e .
t .
-- but it was n't until 1993 that we saw what a brilliant man he can be .
the product of his genuis is really something to see -- it can bring tears to your eyes just as it uplifts you .
throughout , we sense the deep control which he so masterfully spreads .
we watch oskar schindler ( liam neeson ) grow from an arrogant , self important man who hires jews only to save money into a moving figure , with a deep sense of pride and accomplishment .
the film requires much work , and can be a harrowing experience -- go expecting a quick entertainment
and you 'll be bitterly dissapointed .
it does reward the patient viewer .
this is a mature spielberg , and his deft hands shape an absoloute masterpiece .
this eqsuisite , beautiful film is a rare gem .
it does a good job of summarizing why i love movies .
it leaves one breathless , uplifted , and with much to think about .
afterwards you can reflect on individual images , visions , and people .
laconic , removed , schindler strides through the film a detached prescence who watches all , does much , and leaves feeling as if he could , should , have done more
then he did and was able to .
the change seems natural -- in the hands of a lesser filmmaker , it would be crude and would cheat the audience .
instead we are told a tale , told a story .
the film is punishing to watch , yes .
but anyone who allows themselves to get involved will experience a miracle , and a genuine masterpiece of a movie .
Output: P
oliver stone 's latest feature is the last one standing in the long line of biographies of american presidents .
it 's a three - hour long saga about the life of one of the most hated and misunderstood leaders of the 20th century .
stone does n't hold back anything as he digs deep inside politics and legal maneuvers of the white house .
the director holds nixon responsible for everything he has done .
at the same time he creates a very human character , a brilliant and tortured man that is caught in the dirty game of politics , which is here pictured as a wild animal .
he is simply trying to tame it .
but the occasional switch to the raging sky and the clouds swiftly fleeing over the white house as events run ahead of the president 's ability to control them .
stone does n't in any way apologize for nixon .
he blames not only nixon 's own character flaws but also the imperial presidency itself , the system that , once set in motion , behaves with a mindlessness of its own .
" nixon " is a modern shakespeare story - a saga about a ruler destroyed by his fatal flaws .
there 's something almost majestic about the process :
as nixon goes down in this film , there is no gloating , but a watery sigh , as of a great ship sinking .
sir anthony hopkins is staggering and plays nixon with incredible honesty and understanding , creating a very emotional picture of the 37th american president .
joan allen 's magnificent and captivating performance is certainly worth an oscar statuette .
she is strong and loyal as mrs .
nixon .
the rest of the cast is equally magnificent , including : james woods ,
j .
t .
walsh , paul sorvino , ed harris and bob hoskins .
everyone does a serious and demanding job , no one are disappointing .
stone never loses focus and his direction is steddy , honest and determined .
he is displaying the historical facts and at the same time concentrating at the human element .
at times he is showing to black and white showing flashbacks from nixon 's youth and childhood .
the flashy editing by brian berdan and frank corwin , robert richardson 's rich cinematography and john williams ' musical score create a hectic and bizarre atmosphere .
the film 's only fault is that it 's a bit tiering and overloaded with too much political material and legal maneuvers .
still it 's an honest and captivating - a solid piece of movie making .
Output: P
ok , i admit i had a bad attitude about this film from the start .
a romantic comedy about the trials and tribulations of single working parents ?
with a couple of incredibly cute kids thrown in for good measure ?
yuck .
but it 's not really too bad .
it has a lot working against it , for me at least .
in addition to the above , it is typical of a lot of recent movies in that it is really just a glorified made - for - tv movie , but longer and with bigger stars , and you have to pay to see it .
it does win you over , though , even if it is painfully predictable .
just think about it :
two single parents , with their cute kids , are thrown together due to a missed field trip .
through a day of near disasters , they cont inually meet , get in one another 's way , cause trouble for one another , and generally insult one another at every opportunity .
in fact , they hate each other so much that we know that they are , or soon will be , in love .
the only people who hate each other more than lovers are married couples .
so this film is predictable , just as the screwball comedies of the classical hollywood cinema were predictable ( and the screwball genre is obviously hoffman 's model for this film ) .
will they get fired from their yuppie jobs ?
will they make the big soccer game that is so important to their kids ?
will pfeiffer realize what a jerk her ex - husband , a drummer for bruce springsteen , really is ( are n't they all ? ) ?
will they finally kiss ?
well , what do you expect ?
but there is a certain amount of satisfaction in having our expectations fulfilled , especially when it is done with as much humour , along with a lack of sticky sentimentality , as it is in this film .
pfeiffer and clooney have a certain chemistry together
that is surprisingly charming , and the kids are neither shoved into the background nor allowed to steal the show .
one word of caution , though .
this film is being billed in some places as a " family " movie .
do n't let that stop you .
however , i think most kids , especially boys , would be pretty bored by this move .
after all , nobody gets killed and there are no explosions .
all in all , a good , non - offensive date movie .
the flying inkpot rating system :
* wait for the tv2 broadcast .
*
* a little creaky , but still better than staying at home with gotcha !
*
* * pretty good , bring a friend .
*
*
* * amazing , potent stuff .
*
*
*
* * perfection . see it twice .
Output: P
i know it already opened in december , but i finally got around to seeing rushmore last weekend , and it was one of those rare oppritunites that i got to leave the theatre feeling proud about paying the expensive ticket price .
as the final scene closed out in happy slow - mo fashion ,
i felt happy to have been priveleged enough to watch such a good display of filmmaking .
jason schwartzman , his face oddly intriguing behind those large braces and glasses , steals the show as max fischer , the most well known rushmore academy student who gets terrible grades , but compensates for it by organizing most of the school 's clubs and organizations ( i .
e .
the fencing team and writing and producing school plays ) and often pulling outrageous stunts , one that eventually earns him an expulsion .
this stunt , building an aquarium on the school 's baseball diamond , is a plot to steal the heart of widowed elementary teacher rosemary cross ( olivia williams ) .
he funds this aquarium with the help of millionare herman blume ( a very oscarworthy bill murray ) , who eventually finds himself falling in love with miss cross .
rosemary and herman begin dating - and the fun begins ; herman and max go at it head to head in a battle for miss cross .
herman manages to destroy max 's bike , while max cuts herman 's brakes , and it goes on like this .
but eventually max realizes he is too young for miss cross , and he ca n't stand in the way of two people in love .
the academy of arts & sciences really messed up this year ; they completely overlooked rushmore ( and , if you ask me , it was n't an accident ) .
it maybe was n't best picture material , but it certainly deserved a screenplay nod ( instead of elizabeth ) , and bill murray 's absense from the ballot is a complete snub .
the entire mood of the film is one reason
it is so good
; at one point it 's fun , and the next scene can turn serious and dramatic .
the cinematography gives the movie an important feeling , as well .
i hope rushmore can overcome its ' oscar snubs , and be enjoyed by intelligent film goers .
Output: P
there was a huge crowd - so many over 100 people could not be admitted - at a premiere screening of " the nephew " ( first screening with a major general audience admittance ) .
this was a movie premiere at the santa barbara international film festival .
pierce brosnan ( 007 ) , produced his first movie with beau st .
clair .
it was a constantly mind - moving and personal movie with lovely scenes of ireland .
chad ( hill harper , beloved ) is a cute 17 year old mixed race ( african american and irish ) nephew , who 's
irish mother died .
he comes " back to ireland " , living with the curmudgeon uncle , tony egan ( donal mccann ) .
he meets pierce brosnan 's character , mr .
o'brady ( or just brady ) , because he falls in love with the beautiful daughter .
there are many scenes ( ah , character scenes ) to laugh at , others pull some tears .
the three mentioned above were at the premiere in the flesh , with the director eugene brady .
after the movie they took questions .
the movie was very good , it not fantastic .
the nephew has not been " picked up " in north america but has been in the rest of the world .
the nephew is generation secrecy of a " titanic " proportion .
let 's hope the rest of america will be able to see the nephew .
contact given in the program guide : " print source : irish dream source , inc .
, tel : ( 310 ) 449 - 3411 "
Output: P
melvin udall is a heartless man .
he spends his days inside of his spacious manhattan apartment writing romance novels .
it also seems that melvin will never change .
one day he dines ar his favorite restaurant , and is a little too mean to his normal waitress ( the only waittress that will serve him ) , carol ( played to perfection by a lovely and sexy helen hunt . )
she threatens not to serve him if he does n't shut up about her asthmatic son .
he does shut up .
to make matters considerably worse , melvin has obsessive compulsive disorder .
one day his gay artist neighbor simon ( greg kinear , of talk soup fame , in an oscar - worthy role ) 's dog threatens to dismiss himself at melvon 's door .
the dog meets the garbage chute .
soon simon is sadly beaten by thieveing burglars , and ray ( cuba gooding , jr . ) , simon 's agent , takes the dog , verdell , to melvin , so that melvin can dogsit him .
and through the dog and a rather heartwrenching car trip that involves simon , carol , and himself , melvin learns to emerge from his cantakerous shell .
jack nicholson gives yet another oscar - caliber performance as the film 's cynical lead , and is back at work , not playing a goofy u . s . president or a comic book villian , but instead playing jack nicjolson , and playing him full force .
all of this adds up to this year 's funniest comedy , a creative , witty , and scathing film from james l . brooks , and brooks gets award - worthy performances from the entire cast .
a winner in every aspect , and a truly delicious slice of cyncial life .
Output: P
the first thing you notice about this movie is that it 's cold .
placed in minnesota and north dakota during the winter , many of the scenes take place outside with long scenes of snow - covered ground against a background of white .
just what we need as bloomington struggles out of the endless long cold night .
as with most coen brothers films , this features outlandish characters in nefarious schemes , each of which works out in the oddest way possible .
a car salesman hires a couple of hoods to kidnap his wife so that he can collect the ransom from her father .
along the way everything that can possibly go wrong does .
in brief scenes of vicious violence , people get shot through the head , in the back , face , chest and various other areas of the anatomy .
there is also one of the most unpleasant body disposal scenes yet seen on the screen .
remarkably enough , most of the movie is played for laughs .
even more remarkably , it works .
the only likable person in the film is the very pregnant sheriff ( frances mcdormand ) who hunts down the killers while eating at every possible opportunity .
with every good film the audience gains new knowledge .
here you learn _ two _ things .
everyone in minnesota speaks in an annoying whining accent that would drive you crazy .
and do n't do violent illegal business with low - life amoral degenerate scum - sucking losers .
oh yeah ,
if you get shot in the face , using a brightly decorated napkin to stop the bleeding just makes you look goofy .
Output: P
defending your life is an imaginative vision of the afterlife from the twisted mind of writer - director albert brooks , who also stars in the comedy .
after dying in a car crash , on his birthday of all days , brooks wakes up in judgement city , a satirical rendition of purgatory where higher beings evaluate the lives of newly deceased earthlings .
brooks has five days to convince two judges that he 's worthy of passing on to higher plains of existence .
enter rip torn as the slick lawyer who defends brooks in court against prosecutor lee grant .
during his " trial , " brooks must view episodes of his life on a movie screen , and these scenes are both hysterically funny and painfully poignant .
it 's impossible to resist chuckling ( and cringing ) at brooks as he and torn try to explain away his cowardly behavior on earth .
torn , in particular , is in vintage comic form , and he walks away with the picture .
the movie also features meryl streep , appealing
as the love - interest , and shirley maclaine , who pops up in a hilarious cameo .
while the film is uneven , many of its gags are price less .
take , for example , the food in judgement city : it 's always the most delicious you 've ever tasted . . .
and it 's also calorie - free -- so chow down !
Output: P
the happy bastard 's 30-second review :
american pie the summer of raunch continues to spread into theatres with this latest yuk fest , filled with sick jokes and teen dialogue aplenty . if you go expecting dawson 's creek , you 're in for a problem .
if your expectations are lower ( and better , i might add ) , you will enjoy the hell out of american pie .
the movie casts several unknowns , with the only real recognizable one being sctv 's own eugene levy as a happy - go - lucky dad .
the story revolves around four high school seniors who have one goal before the school year gets out- get laid .
that 's pretty much it .
throughout the movie , little sick comic bits are sprinkled throughout , including a memorable scene involving an apple pie ( i wo n't give it away , but you probably know what it is ) and an internet broadcast gone horribly awry .
of course , the movie has some slightly sentimental bits , but they do n't drag the movie 's humor content down that bad .
most of the actors get their job done , but it 's levy who 's a hoot , a father who tries to talk sex with his son with the help of some curious " visual aids " .
i could n't stop laughing during this movie , and if you can stand all the raunch and the sex references , then american pie is for you .
if you 're one of those " conservative " types , well , i 'll bet you 're having fun at home while this , south park , and austin powers ii plays in theatres , now are n't you ?
Output: P
my fellow americans is a movie that at first glance looks to have little substance ( or a movie that we 've all seen a million times ) , two lifetime rivals thrown together and
then the fun begins .
this is exactly what happened in this movie , but fortunately , they managed to do it in an interesting and funny way .
the movie starts with a quick ( and i do mean quick
) glance of two presidents russell kramer ( jack lemmon ) and matt douglas ( james garner ) .
william haney ( dan aykroyd ) and ted matthews ( john heard ) are the new president and vice president .
there is a scandal that arises involving a kickback from a contractor and haney is positive that he buried that years ago .
he finds a scapegoat in kramer and now everyone wants kramer and douglas dead .
this movie was exceptional for many reasons .
one being that they found people ( lemmon and garner )
that have good chemisty together .
they worked very well as a unit and they mirrored each other perfectly , one being a ladies man and one being the old man
( i 'll let you fiqure which is which ) .
also , they found people that know their parts as govenment officials well
.
it seemed to me that garner played almost exactly the same role that he played in the distinquished gentleman ( except then he was a congressman ) .
experience counts for a lot ! !
Output: P
in , " the muse " albert brooks plays steven phillips , a hollywood screenwriter who after winning a humanitarian award for his work is dumped by his studio .
they claim that he 's lost his edge and his agent is quick to agree with them .
he knows that he needs to write something fresh and original and quick or else his career will be over .
so he turns to his " best " friend , jack ( jeff bridges ) another screenwriter who 's enjoyed success after success .
on the way over to jack 's house steven sees jack helping an attractive woman ( sharon stone ) into a cab and begins to think : is he having an affair ?
when confronted , jack relunctently tells him that this mystery woman is , in fact , a muse , a mythological figure who is believed to have inspired all creativity , and has helped him garner his success .
"
she does n't do any actual writing , " he is told , " but inspires you .
" steven is excited by what he 's hearing and asks jack to call her up to see if she 'll take steven on as a new client .
jack arranges a meeting between the two and suggests that steven bring her a present , preferably something from tiffany 's .
after the meeting the muse , sarah decides to take on steven , but at a price : she wants a suite at the four seasons and wants steven to perform odd tasks for her ( like bringing her salads in the middle of the night . )
steven 's wife ( andy macdowell ) sees him at a food store and questions him about why he has tampons in his wagon .
steven confesses everything and , although at first suspicious , she later allows sarah to move into their guest room and eventually into their life .
the only question for steven is if the muse is worth all the trouble he 's going through for her .
and that 's a question only time will tell .
"
the muse " is albert brooks ' sixth film as writer / director / actor ( he co - wrote with monica johnson ) and although it 's a good movie
it 's not up to the level of his best works ( " defending your life " and " mother " ) .
the problem lies in the script , and for a movie that relies on its dialogue for its humor , there are n't nearly as many laughs as they are chuckles despite a few good one - liners .
it has a great premise but does n't deliver up to it 's full potential .
but , i like albert brooks in this film
and i think that we can all identify with steven phillips a little bit .
he may whine and complain , but he just wants to support his family and be happy .
and
i like sharon stone in this movie too
; it 's a nice change of pace for her .
and i also enjoyed the cameos featuring the likes of rob reiner , james cameron and martin scorsese .
and although " the muse " does n't have as much to say about hollywood as robert altman 's " the player
" i still left the theater feeling good .
and that 's something i wish i got out of more movies .
Output: P
plot : good ol' texan kid suddenly gets to play first - string quarterback on his high school team 's football team , in a town where football is considered religion .
the coach is just about the biggest a - hole you 'd ever want to meet , who will do practically anything to win .
the good ol' texan boy does not approve of said man 's methods .
critique :
a fun football movie .
this film was obviously geared towards the teen market , with mtv behind its production , a big tv star actor in the lead role , rockin ' hip music galore , and plenty of t&a .
having said that , i enjoyed the look and feel of the movie
, thought james van der beek gave a solid performance , loved the slick sounds , and yup , loved that t&a !
i actually thought this was a comedy going in , but overall , it plays more towards the dramatic , than a comedy .
i also enjoyed jon voight 's performance as the stubborn dick coach , as well as many of the other character players on the team .
this is not a classic film by any stretch of the imagination , but it might teach some kids the hard lessons behind the " fun " game of football , or just allow them to have a good time for about an hour and forty - five minutes in the movie theatre ( or in the comfort of their own home , depending on where you watch this stuff . )
all in all , i would definitely watch this movie if you like football , play football or want your kid to succeed in high school football .
you could also watch it if you like teen flicks with a lot of cute guys and girls running around doing their stuff .
and did i mention the t&a ? : ) little known facts about this film and its stars : james van der beek actually started acting after a concussion stopped him from playing football in real life .
he is the oldest of three children , and his father is a cellular phone salesman while his mom runs a gymnastics studio .
he 's born in connecticut and received $ 200 , 000 for his role in this film .
actor scott caan , who plays football player " tweeder " in this film , is the son of famed actor james caan in real life .
that 's right
, he 's sonny 's son !
actress amy smart , who plays van der beek 's girlfriend in this movie , also played the main star 's girl in the 1999 film outside providence ( 6 . 5/10 ) .
screenwriter w .
peter iliff also had a part in writing the screenplays for the 1992 harrison ford film , patriot games , and the keanu reeves surfing flick , point break .
director brian robbins might be best remembered as the " cool dude " from the tv series " head of the class " .
his name was eric mandrian and he generally wore a long , black trench coat on the show .
the book mox ( james van der beek ) is reading on the sidelines in this movie , hidden inside the team 's playbook , is " slaughterhouse - five " by kurt vonnegut , jr .
the high school fight song played at the pep rally is the texas a&m war hymn .
Output: P
the film starts out with a creepy opening sequence to which has the now classic and creepy score by writer / director / producer john carpenter who in my mind is a brilliant director , he really is .
he wrote this film , he directed this film , he produced this film and he made the excessively creepy score to this film .
i think he is and always will be famous for this classic which after 21 years has not lost it 's popularity
or it 's ability to scare the wits out of people .
i think i have seen ' halloween ' over 100 times and each time i find something new and brilliant , and each time i am scared even though i know what is going to happen
.
i own three different versions of the film : a vhs regular version that came with a limited edition 20th anniversary t - shirt , a boxed edition vhs in a hardcover case digitally re - mastered with the original theatrical widescreen presentation , in a nifty plastic picture decorated box with a numbered snow - globe .
in other words
i am completely and utterly obsessed with the film .
it has changed horror movies forever and spawned six sequels with only 2 , 4 , and 7 being truly good .
it also spawned several cheap imitations of the film that were offensive in some ways to a true halloween fan .
since i heard about halloween being released on dvd in a limited edition of 30 , 000 copies , i knew i had to buy one no matter what !
i did and man
to me
it 's the best dvd ever manufactured with the brilliance of the film
.
no words can describe the dvd .
in ' halloween ' michael myers is a evil person whom killed his sister in cold blood 16 years ago in 1963 .
now in 1978 grown up and in a mental hospital michael myers escapes to go back to his hometown of haddonfield , illinois , followed by his past doctor sam loomis .
the person michael is targeting is laurie strode who is played by jamie lee curtis in her film debut .
why is he stalking her ? check out halloween
ii
it explains it all .
on this unholy night on october 31 , 1978 laurie strode and her two friends are going to have the time of their lives , which is trying to stay alive .
the whole film is filled with terrifying moments most coming from just seeing michael myers walk .
nick castle who played the shape in the first movie did an incredible job , and no other person in any other halloween flick can do what he did .
what john carpenter did in 1978 is made a ground - breaking new film , with scares , wit , and style .
the movie is flawless if not perfect .
no other movie or sequel has lived up to this one , and in my opinion never will .
'
halloween ' will be like ' psycho ' and
still be extremely popular even almost 40 years later
.
i just hope someday ' halloween ' will be released in a new dolby soundtrack with the 4 extra scenes on the dvd edition .
' halloween ' is n't just another slice - and - dice horror flick ,
it 's an intelligent , horrifying and best film experience ever made .
see ' halloween ' and be scared . . . .
then watch it again ! reviewed by brandon herring october 7 , 1999 .
Output: P
ingredients : little orphan boy , rural grandparents , mountains , native american lore synopsis : in this loving film portrayal of an idyllic and pivotal time that a young boy spends with grandpa and grandma , the self recollections of an unseen narrator focus on his world view as a tennessee orphan boy learning of his heritage through his grandparents .
the setting is after the first world war , during the great depression years .
a nine - year - old orphan named little tree ( joseph ashton ) is taken in and taught the wondrous ways of the woods by his caucasian moonshiner grandpa ( james cromwell ) and his native american grandma ( tantoo cardinal ) in the wilderness of the mountains of tennessee .
here little tree learns an almost magical appreciation for nature and farm life - - and experiences beautiful and wondrous things such as the sunrise .
everything is miraculous to a child .
but it all comes crashing down for the boy when the u . s .
government forcibly takes custody away from grandpa and grandma , and forces little tree to attend the notched gap boarding school , a kind of internment camp where multiracial cherokee kids are indoctrinated to dress , pray , speak , and think like white people or face solitary confinement and corporeal punishment .
through his childhood experiences , little tree learns lessons about love , race , life , death , people , nature , and folk wisdom .
opinion : this excellent , excellent family movie .
it is one of those priceless screen gems that nobody knows about because it 's not highly advertised .
you wo n't find any formula schlock , cutesy characters , canned spirituality , sequel teasers or commercial tie ins , but you will find the education of little tree to be a refreshing , impeccably acted , original , wonderful , and touching film .
take the whole family and bring a box of tissues for the tearjerkers .
this one 's as good as old yeller .
Output: P
capsule : the world will come to an end at midnight .
everyone knows it and must make a final peace with the last hours of their lives .
this is an intelligent science fiction film with no special effects , just personalities and ideas . , high +2 ( -4 to +4 )
- it is the last night of the planet and several different people are reacting each in their own way to the end .
the film covers 6 pm to midnight .
the main character is patrick played by david mckellan who also wrote and directed .
- reminiscent of on the beach .
but much more so of a story richard matheson
wrote , " the last day .
" ( p . s .
on rereading the 1953 matheson , this film is almost a loose adaptation of that story .
the similarities may be mere coincidence , but they are numerous and they are very striking . )
- us release may be problematical .
the title is lackluster and non - memorable , though very appropriate when you know about the film .
also provincial americans may not care about the end of the world coming to toronto .
they probably would feel it would not affect them .
perhaps a pbs release would be possible .
- patrick 's family has declared it christmas and are hurt that the ( adult ) children will not spend the whole evening with them .
- grocery stores mostly looted .
it seems though that one of everything is left .
- some people continue business as usual , some want sex , some react with religion , some riot .
some people are in total denial .
- much comedy , much drama .
- very canadian cast .
- it does not get dark .
it is just always daytime .
- radio playing " last night i did n't get to sleep at all .
"
how appropriate .
- david cronenberg as a kind of bland functionary manager at the gas company .
genvieve bujold as french teacher visiting former student .
- science fiction film with no special effects , cost about two million dollars .
- the person you have been thrown together with by chance becomes the most important person to you for the rest of your life .
- why would it be so precisely at midnight ?
what about other time zones ?
what is the nature of what is destroying the world ?
Output: P
the rich man 's wife is one of those movies like final analysis or body double , where the story and characters are so one - dimensional and contrived that you know you should n't be enjoying yourself .
but somehow , the movie just tries so hard that you begin to forgive it and get into the swing of things .
not that it 's bad , it 's just that it 's been done before ; and better , in my opinion .
i realize that this is going to sound pretty bizarre , but it 's probably the best analogy that i can come up with right now ; you know how when you see a spider or something in your toilet , striving helplessly to get out , and instead of just flushing him ,
you end up kind of rooting for the little guy ?
that 's basically how i felt about this movie .
i mean , it 's not very good , but it 's not completely bad either .
the wife of the title is josie potenza ( played nicely by halle berry ) .
she is married to tony ( christopher mcdonald . . .
you know , the guy who looks like joe piscapo ) , a really stressed - out businessman who drinks way to much and does n't give josie the attention she deserves ( * cough , cough * ) .
thus , she is driven into the arms of another man , jake golden ( clive owen ) .
near the beginning of the film , josie decides to try and work things out with tony by dumping jake and going on a vacation to a remote cabin in the woods .
once there , however , tony has to leave almost immediately due to business details ( i 'm still not quite sure what line of work he 's in ) .
making the best of her situation , josie stays there and begins making the rounds at the local bars .
one night , she meets a stranger named cole ( peter greene , finally getting a meaty role ) .
they have dinner together , and eventually , both josie and the audience start to realize that cole is homicidal .
after learning that she is not happily married , cole offers to " take care " of the problem .
managing to escape from the psychotic maniac , josie returns home and starts a reconciliation with her estranged and very wealthy husband .
but then one night , cole shows up .
. .
and here is where the fun begins .
from this point on , it 's going to be a
no - holds- barred cliche - fest , ripping off every movie from strangers on a train to the usual suspects .
this is why most critics panned this movie when it first came out .
and for the most part , they 're right
; the rich man 's wife has nary one original bone in it 's body .
but who cares ? if you 're looking for good ol' dumb suspense movie , you ca n't do much better than this .
and if you suspense buffs are n't already sold , it has a killer of an ending too .
Output: P
i can sum up first strike in one word : awesome .
never in my life have i seen an actor as insanely dedicated as jackie chan .
for the simple reason that he has performed his own stunts in his every movie he 's ever appeared in , he should be awarded greatly .
the same tom and jerry formula that was used to make chan 's rumble in the bronx and supercop so entertaining can be found here as well .
however , first strike was probably the most exciting out of the three , for the simple reason that practice makes perfect .
his last two movies were almost like practice and this one was great .
like rumble , this film is about the mafia , the former kgb .
now chan must do battle in the freezing arctic temperatures of the ukraine against a group of very large bad men .
the trailer for the film sums it up quite well .
first strike is action - packed , but the fight scenes are so fast and furious , they almost have a witty , italian - like humor to them .
jackie chan is a regular comedian .
well , he 's no eddie murphy , but he can really crack you up .
for example , he is hanging off a roof and he humorously taunts his foes to come and get him , as he claims to be the korean 007
( that 's secret agent james bond ) .
even the plot to this film improved above the others , as a sort - of twisted nuclear - weapon smuggling deal is botched and jackie takes the blame .
but never fear , as the chinese mafia aids him in uncovering the truth behind the incident .
with some of the most high - flying stunts and side - splitting comedy , first strike is a sure - fire hit that 's guaranteed to draw some major , world - wide attention
. ,
Output: P
as a devout atheist and an avowed believer in aliens , i have some idea of how ellie aroway
( jodie foster ) feels .
but because my reasons for not partaking in religion are different than hers , i ca n't say that i do exactly .
her reason is that she needs solid proof : there is no proof that god existed , so therefor she does not believe .
ellie also believes in aliens , and has spent most of her life trying to prove they exist .
how can she say she does n't believe in god because of the lack of proof , and then say she believes in aliens , which are gereally less believed in than god without sounding like a hypocrite ?
that 's the catch-22 .
when aliens from the star vega fax her some plans for a device to transport someone to them ( okay , well , they did n't really
* fax
* them . . . )
ellie wants to be the one to go , but because of her atheism she is denied the position .
how dumb is that ?
she discovers the transmitions , then she is n't allowed to go .
well , because of a bomb and a psychopath ( jake busey ) , she * does * end up going , but not in the way that we would 've thought .
contact is based on a novel by carl sagan , who died during the filmmaking .
it is the best alien movie since close encounters of the 3rd kind , and will end up being the best film of the year .
its views of science and religion will no doubt aggrivate some , but will stimulate more .
i 'm glad at least one movie of the ' 90s can portray aliens in a psitive light , rather than a bunch of slimey beasts who will eat your insides and then put on your body .
Output: P
on april 12th , 1912 , the most astonishing shipwreck in the history of the world occurred .
on that fateful night , the titanic sunk .
now , more than 50 years later , a film has been made . and what a film that is .
james cameron 's newest movie is a landmark in storytelling , emotion , and special effects .
it starts in the present , where bill paxton and his band of scientists explore the depths of the ship 's wreckage .
exploring an old chest , paxton comes across a nude drawing of a young woman .
the drawing is televised and the woman ( gloria stuart ) whose portrait the painting is of comes forward and slowly but surely , the ship 's story is told .
leonardo dicaprio stars as jack dawson , a young man with a sketch book , a heart of gold , an intelligent mind , and not much else .
he wins his ticket aboard titanic in a poker game , and is the perfect match for rose dewitt bukater ( kate winslett ) .
she grows to love jack , but seems unable to escape the slimy clutches of her arranged fiance ' , cal hockley ( billy zane ) .
the film takes its time , and by doing so , makes us care about its characters , and shows us the full aspects of human emotion .
the leads shine ; there is no bad performance ; in fact , these do not seems like performances at all , but genuine people , trapped on the doomed vessel , facing certain death .
watching this film ,
i was amazed at how vivid and real these situations feel
: the time rose and jack spend together at a third - class - party ; the naivety that jack feels when he skecthes rose nude ; the terror felt by all onboard , as certain doom turns people into both cowards and heroes .
this , the most expensive movie ever made , $ 200 million , is destined to make its profit back , and then some .
it also has more emotion and warmth than any other film this year . . even this decade .
it is also yet another first : the first $ 200 million dollar romance , and every critic in this country will agree that it was indeed , money extremely . .
very . .
well spent .
Output: P
that thing you do !
, from first - time film director tom hanks , is an enjoyable tale about a fictional band , the wonders , that goes from a garage band to the band with the fastest selling album in the country .
but , the question arrises , will the seduction of fame and fortune corrupt the band and lead them to become just another one - hit wonder , or will they stick together and become the next teen sensations ?
the " oneders " , as they are originally known , have their first gig at a very small - time contest .
jimmy , the lead singer , has written a catchy song and intends to play it at the contest .
but , a short time before the contest begins , the current drummer becomes injured and a replacement is needed .
enter guy patterson , skilled musician who currently works at his father 's appliance store and is looking to break free from the restricting clutches that bind him .
he seems to fit in well , until the group takes the stage .
when they begin to play , guy 's beat is much too fast and the pace is way off for the intended song .
it looks as though the group is doomed to failure .
but , the " new " song is a hit !
this leads to another gig , and soon enough , the group has an agent .
he does n't do too much for them , but they do get their song played on the radio .
eventually , mr .
white of playtone records approaches the group , and he informs them that they want to release a record .
before you can say " billboard " , the band is now renamed " the wonders " and the members are speeding their way to fame .
the gigs are getting better , their fame is increasing , and they have the fastest selling album in playtone records history .
the band is invited to appear in a feature film , and , they then fly out to hollywood to appear on television .
after the appearance on television , things start to fall apart .
two of the members of the band pretty much disappear , and things are not working out well between jimmy and guy .
will the band work it out , or will they split up and go on their own separate journeys towards success ?
that thing you do ! , complete with a nifty original song that actually sounded authentic , is a fun and enjoyable movie
that , although it does n't become clear if it wants to be a comedy , drama , or romance , is a well - made look into the world of music .
tom hanks ' directorial debut was a good one and should lead to more work for him .
Output: P
synopsis : an attractive mute makeup artist , working on an ultra - cheesy slasher movie in moscow , witnesses the production of a brutal snuff film and is subsequently chased by really bad russians .
meanwhile , the artist 's sister and boyfriend clumsily try to save her .
comments : mute witness came as a surprise to me the first time i watched it .
drawn by the clever artwork on the video box , i rented the film expecting a complete turkey .
mute witness , however , was original , offbeat , and well - made .
it 's
one of those cool little finds that no one seems to know about .
i 've subsequently found it at most video rental places i visit , and it may be seen , on occasion , on the independent film channel .
the first hour of mute witness is extremely tense , as billy , the quite believable mute heroine , sees members of the russian mob brutally kill a prostitute while filming an illegal snuff film .
the rest of the film takes good advantage of billy 's vulnerable position as a mute foreigner in moscow being pursued by powerful criminal figures .
to throw a curveball into the fray , billy 's sister karen and her filmmaking beau become bizarre figures of comic relief to offset several violent sequences in what are some genuinely funny scenes .
a disappointingly trite ending and occasional comic blunders are the only two things which mar this otherwise suspenseful film .
look for alec guinness ( obi - wan kenobi from the first star wars trilogy ) in a small role as the evil reaper .
definately check this movie out ; although , as a word of warning , it does contain several scenes of rather grisly violence which certainly are n't for the squeamish .
Output: P