instruction:
In this task, you must classify if a given review is positive/negative, indicating your answer as P or N.
question:
since 1990 , the dramatic picture has undergone a certain change of style .
now , instead of emphasizing feel - good stories replete with characters of noble virtues , the screenplays and direction point toward human struggle and sorrow .
this realist tendancy can be inspiring at times , as 1993 's schindler 's list shows .
most of today 's mainstream drama , however , creates an overabundance of emoting that can turn off members of the audience .
that 's why pictures like october sky , which are a throwback to the good ol' dramas of yesteryear , are such a welcome relief in contemporary cinema .
the movie is based on the true story of homer hickam ( jake gyllenhaal ) , a teenager in the 1950 's company town of coalwood , west virginia .
it 's a well - known fact that the only boys to make a name for themselves are the ones that get out of the town on football scholarships ; the rest grow up to work in the coal mine .
the mine , which is run by homer 's father ( chris cooper ) , is not the place for homer , however .
after watching the soviet satellite sputnik shoot across the october sky in 1957 , homer feels a connection with the outside world -- as he puts it , " anyone in the world could look up and see the same thing i did .
" drafting two of his best friends and the brainiac outcast , homer begins to construct rockets .
with the help of their history teacher , miss riley ( laura dern ) , and several mine workers , the four are soon bound for great things .
october sky is a skillfully crafted film , and most of that credit must go to director joe johnston .
johnston -- whose career in the film industry includes everything from directing well - known titles like jumanji and the rocketeer down to an uncredited role as a death star trooper in star wars -- certainly knows what he 's doing here .
he molds characters which are true to life and also fun to watch into a plot that is straightforward and robust
.
he does not push any barriers , but instead adopts a conservative style of filmmaking which enhances the film 's charm .
his finesse brings out elements which might otherwise be lost -- such as the relationships between homer and various mine workers , or the silent struggle between homer 's mother and father .
the cast is well chosen , although the true bright spots are the supporting roles
.
laura dern ( jurassic park ) lends a strong performance in the role of the history teacher , giving the boys the support and guidance they need .
her role is instantly likeable .
chris cooper ( the horse whisperer ) , as homer 's father , is less likeable -- even downright despicable at times -- but his turn here gives gravity to the movie .
he 's definitely a driving force in homer 's life , and his more humane moments give the piece a certain dynamic that is commendable .
the script is generally cheerful , projecting the boys ' endeavors in a lighthearted manner .
there are moments when it becomes predictable -- such as the train tracks scene -- and there are moments when it sacrifices orginality for the need to come up with an emotional plot twist .
it highlights the essence of youth , however , and for its exceptional job at this it can be forgiven other missteps .
october sky
should be a success with audiences .
although it does n't have the appeal of current teen flicks like varsity blues or she 's all that ,
it certainly holds an undeniable quality that older crowds will lean towards .
it 's a welcome change to the dramatic genre , and one that everyone should see .
answer:
P

question:
well i 'll be damned .
.. the canadians can make a good movie .
the world is coming to an end .
we do n't know why or how , but apparently there is no way to stop it .
the world has had this information for months , as most of the rioting and other assorted chaos has passed and governments have shut down operations .
yet for a handful of toronto citizens , life goes on .
they are n't going crazy or attacking people in the streets .
instead they are simply preparing themselves for the end .
.. some engaging in activities they 've always wanted to do , some gathering with family and friends , and others just seeking to be alone .
these people 's lives however all intersect during their final six hours .
writer - director - star don mckellar has crafted a highly unique and emotional film .
all of the main characters are compelling as they try and do whatever it is they need to do on their last night on earth .
craig ( callum keith rennie ) tries to fulfill all his sexual fantasies , a gas company employee ( david cronenberg ) calls every customer letting them know the gas will be flowing until the very end and thanks them for their business , and patrick ( mckellar ) just wants to be by himself but is n't having much success .
even minor characters keep popping up where you least expect them to , tying everyone even closer .
things seemed a little hokey towards the beginning of the film , but ultimately everything comes together nicely
( although it 's not a happy film .
.. some moments are understandably gut - wrenching ) .
the story is enhanced by some unexpected humor and very realistic performances , particularly from sandra
oh , whose character is just trying to get home to her husband before
the end .
i have absolutely no problem that the reason for the end of the world is never given , nor does it bother me that the world is ending at exactly 12 midnight ( in toronto anyway ) .
but i do wonder why the sun never sets .
come midnight , the sun is still shining brightly .
maybe the sun is crashing into the earth .
.. who knows .
also , it 's comforting to know that in mankind 's final moments on the planet , people will still gang up on the street for the sheer purpose of pushing over a car or a bus ( that 's not a shot at this film mind you .
..
i know people are just stupid and truly would be out in the street tipping over cars ) .
last night is available on dvd from universal home video .
it contains the film in fullscreen format and includes the original theatrical trailer .
[ r ]
answer:
P

question:
more than forty years ago , the " sword and sandals " genre of historical epic ruled the box office .
during the 1950 's hollywood sought to give audiences a reason to turn off their televisions and go out to the movies by offering the grand spectacle of the roman empire in cinemascope .
" ben - hur . "
" cleopatra .
" " the robe . "
" sparticus .
"
" the fall of the roman empire . "
" quo vadis .
"
sometimes brilliant , sometimes campy , the roman epic was the technicolor funeral pyre of classic hollywood .
since then , epics have appeared infrequently ( " the last emperor , " " braveheart " ) and some of the best have been small - screen affairs produced in the 1970 's ( " roots , " " shogun " ) .
yet , the phrase " we who are about to die salute you " has been absent until now .
" gladiator " begins in germania in a .
d .
180 .
roman general maximus ( russell crowe ) has conquered yet another group of barbarians for his emperor marcus aurelius ( richard harris ) , and he is eager to retire to his plantation in spain where his wife and son are waiting .
however , the emperor is worried that his decadent weakling son commodus ( joaquin phoenix ) will prove a poor successor , so he wants to make maximus his heir as a transition toward rome becoming a republic again .
when commodus hears the plan , he strangles his father and orders maximus and his family murdered .
maximus escapes from the executioners , but he arrives home too late to save his wife and son .
a caravan of slavers pick up the wounded hero and carry him off to north africa .
( why the caravan happened to be cruising by maximus ' place is never explained . )
an african named juba ( djimon hounsou ) treats maximus ' wounds .
proximo ( oliver reed ) , a gladiator who won his freedom , purchases maximus and juba as fodder for the arena .
of course , maximus proves as able a gladiator as he was a soldier , and his fame spreads .
when commodus reopens the coliseum , proximo brings his troupe of warriors to rome to compete .
our hero wins the hearts and minds of the cheering crowds and finds that he has an ally in commodus ' sister lucilla ( connie nielsen ) .
the similarities to " braveheart " are obvious : an evil king , a determined warrior seeking revenge for his murdered family , the aid of a lovestruck princess .
also , like mel gibson 's epic , " gladiator " has a primarily visceral appeal and is driven forward by the hero 's anger .
it 's a simple tale of good versus evil .
maximus has all the manly virtues : nobility of purpose , courage in battle , loyalty to king and country , physical stamina , and devotion to family .
commodus is his opposite in every way : a sniveling , selfish coward who is intended to disgust the audience .
the opening night crowd in my theater was about 70 % male , and that seems appropriate .
" gladiator " is a guy movie ( would the opposite of a " chick flick " be a " dick flick " ? ) .
there 's much pumping of testosterone and chopping off of body parts in gruesome battle sequences .
( those easily offended by gore should stay away . )
lucilla is the only female character , and what sparks there are between her and maximus are dampened by his devotion to his dead wife .
joaquin phoenix gives an astounding performance .
in the scene where commodus kills his father , phoenix shows the pain of a son who has never had his father 's love or pride .
throughout the picture , phoenix manages to give depth to a character who 's scripted as a caricature of evil .
i 've been a russell crowe fan since " romper stomper .
"
this role does n't offer him the complexities of his parts in " l . a . confidential " and " the insider " -- essentially his job is to grunt heroically -- but his voice , which has a richard burton resonance textured by a clint eastwood rasp , is perfect for the genre .
the late oliver reed gave us the best work of his career in his last role .
i hope it will be rewarded with an oscar .
my only major quibble with " gladiator " is its stylized look .
several scenes are tinted .
we 've seen a lot of the tinted look lately , particularly in " payback " and " the matrix .
"
i do n't get the appeal of the style , which makes feature films look like tv ads .
in " payback " it was merely annoying , but in " gladiator " it bleaches the color out of the grand spectacles that are the raison d'etre of the roman epic .
( perhaps it 's meant to gloss over the imperfections of the computer - generated shots . )
also , the battle scenes are filmed in a strange herky jerky style that seems to be slo mo and fast forward simultaneously .
( it reminds me of the way the flash runs in the comic books , leaving a half - blurred trail of images of himself behind . ) with a more realistic look , " gladiator " could be even more satisfying than " braveheart " because it has a tighter script and a more fulfilling conclusion .
bottom line :
a rousing action film enriched by fine performances but tarnished by stylistic choices .
answer:
P