FILM REVIEWS
GOOD WILL
HUNTING
Reviewed on: 3/19/98 8:23:07 AM
Rating:4stars
REVIEW :-Every so often a film arrives that can speak
to different generations. Such is the case in this
marvelous movie. The youth of today can see issues
they face in the main Character. The elder generation
can also see themselves in the standout proformance
given by Robin Williams.
If you are looking for
fast cars, Explosions, racy sex, or testosterone
pumped Heros & villians you will have to pass on this
movie. Do human failings, love, trust, and the
interactions of realistic characters with all too
human feelings appeal to you? Then this is a must see
movie!
Robin Williams, long known for his
brilliant/ excentric characters, shines in a role
that calls for dramatic acting. Too rarely do we see
this side of Mr. Williams and I for one hope to see
more in the future. Matt Dameon, as both Main
character and co-writer of this moving film is
excellent. So bring a friend, a few hankies and most
of all bring your brain & feelings to one of the most
touching films in recent history
Primary Colors
Reviewed on:
3/22/98 8:51:03 AM
Rating:3 Stars
REVIEW :-When I grew up there were two constants. #1
Movies were great escapes into fantasy, #2 The
President of the United States was a man to be looked
up to. SIGH, how times change! Primary Colors blurs
the line between reality & Fiction in a deft manner.
Anyone sitting in the audience KNOWS who this movie
is suppose to be about. But somewhere along the
course of 2 hrs, it comes off NOT just as an attack
on our Leader, but of the whole mess we call
politics. Clearly John Travolta is suppose to be the
Star of this movie, but is upstaged throughout the
film by some really wonderful Characters. The
gentleman (sorry I do not know his name) who plays
the Campaign manager steals just about every scene he
is in. If an award was ever given to "Best Facial
Expressions" he would nail this award down with his
hilarious delivery. When all is said and done it is
almost like a TV movie of the week, ripped from
yesterday's Headlines. You leave thinking, "Been
There, Done That, Sick of hearing about it" If you
are a staunch supporter of the American Political
process, you may want to pass. If like myself you can
enjoy a really good "Roasting" of politics in
general, you will get enough laughs to make this
worth your money.
MERCURY
RISING
Reviewed on: 4/18/98
8:45:18 PM
Rating: 4 stars
REVIEW:- Bruce Willis stars is this thriller about
the governments callous regard for the life of a nine
yr old boy who is Austic, & able to break the
country's Security code. High Brow entertainment this
is not! As with most of Mr. Willis's movies it is
simply the tale of a hard ass with a bad attitude,
fighting impossible odds in the name of Justice. In
other words, Great escapeism, as Hollywood can only
deliver. Alec Baldwin is the dapper dressing villian,
and allows the audience to clearly dislike him
quickly and effectively. Want Culture? Try Hamlet
with a dry red wine. Want Cheap thrills and edge of
your seat pacing? Try Mercury Rising, with a Big box
of popcorn.
TITANIC
Reviewed on:
1/14/98 11:57:32 AM
Rating:5 Stars
REVIEW:- Fantastic casting, sets, costumes,special
effects and sound take the viewer into the world of
the Titanic. This movie has something for everyone of
all ages. At 3hrs & 15 min. I was prepared for
periods of restlessness brought on by slugishness in
the storyline. It never happened! This is a movie
that must be experienced at a theater with the big
screen and state of the art sound. Climb aboard for
one of the most haunting voyages of your
life.
AS GOOD AS IT
GETS
Reviewed on: 5/16/98 3:24:35
PM
Rating:4 Stars
REVIEW:-All fans of Jack Nicholson rejoice!!!!! Jack
has got a part he was made for!!! Melvin is one of
those miserable, obnoxious,cretins, that only Jack
can make you love. A funny love story that has got
all the right things to say about Love, accecptance &
life. As the parade of disfunctional characters
proceeds across the screen, the viewer is treated to
standout performances by Greg Kinner, Hellen Hunt &
Of course our buddy Jack. Don't wait to see this one
on video in the quiet of your living room, enjoy it
best in a theater full of people laughing along with
you.
LOST IN
SPACE
Reviewed on: 5/16/98
3:16:21 PM
Rating:2 1/2 Stars
REVIEW:- DANGER WILL ROBINSON!!!!! Like most of the
joys of our childhood, "Lost In Space" just can not
measure up to the rose colored memories we have of
it. Is it a bad movie? Possibly. Afterall it is a
remake of one of the all time BAD tv shows. Clearly
this will win no oscars, and perhaps it will fade
away into oblivion just like all grade B movies do.
The plot was fair, Acting not any better and overall
special effects were modest by todays standards. It
is however an entertaining film as long as you do not
go with high hope of capturing the thrill you had as
a kid watching it. Gary Oldman's Dr. Smilth was
really the only character that has changed. Thank
goodness!!! I could not have sat and listened to all
that whining.
DEEP IMPACT
Reviewed on: 5/28/98 7:27:58
AM
Rating: 3 1/2 stars
REVIEW:- As the old song goes: "Summertime and the
livin's easy": EXCEPT if you happen to live on planet
Earth where each summer some great catastrophy takes
place every year. This summer the first of these
Doomsday films, "Deep Impact" shows us a comet
streaking towards earth. Written fairly well, this
blockbuster movie has all the ingredients. Big Stars,
cool special effects, fast pacing and even a unique
threat (a 1000 ft. tidal wave!) So with all the
elements in place, one expects more of this film than
it delivers. Perhaps the whole process was rushed to
make this movie hit the theater before that "Other"
film due out in July. Whatever the reason, the viewer
is treated to the cinematic version of Chinese Food.
Good, enjoyable, but in the end less than substantial
enough to stick with you for very long. My
recomendation? Go see this at a drive-in where there
will be a second film for your
money
CITY OF
ANGELS
Reviewed on: 5/28/98
7:53:12 AM
Rating:3 stars
REVIEW:- As always Nicholas Cage has found a quirky
role to add to his resume. City Of Angels gives us a
new vision of those ever so popular heavenly
guardians. No wings, black suits, and dour
expressions, while sitting in the most unlikely
spots. This movie I thought was promoted to be a much
different film than the one you see. Sure to be
popular with the ladies who enjoy "Tear Jerkers",
City of Angels moves slowly to a climax that is sure
to bring out the hankies. Meg Ryan plays a DR. who
questions her role in the process of life & death.
What could have been a better movie if they had dug
deeper into this eternal question, ends up leaving
those issues hanging. Even when faced with proof of
devine intervention, she abruptly fogets all these
inner turmoils and falls head over heals in love with
Cage's angelic character. In the end I would have to
rate this movie a dissapointment. Hopeless romantics
may find the ironic ending pleasing I myself left
sad, wishing the writers had been given a little
celestrial guidance
ARMAGGEDON
RATING: 5
Stars
REVIEWED: 7/1/98
The Big One has hit the
theaters!!!! Armaggedon, staring Bruce Willis is a
fast paced, special effects laden,thrill ride. The
first 5 minuets will rock you back in your seat, and
leave you hanging on. The cast follows Willis's lead
through-out the entire film. He is perfect in the
roll of a rough-neck driller, who's crew have the
awesome task to saving planet Earth. These guys are
not cut from the cloth most heros are,not one "Jack
Armstrong" type in the bunch.
You've seen the previews, heard the hype, now go
see this film, you won't get a bigger bang for your
money this summer. Perhaps best of all, this doomsday
thriller won't give you a second to analize the
story, it just grabs you and throws you into a
whirlwind of action. Mindless summer entertainment
has never been better.
THE HORSE WHISPERER
RATING:
4stars
REVIEWED: 6/10/98
Robert Redford has
always been a ladies man. From his early days as The
Sundance Kid, to the more mature, sensitive souls he
has played in recent years. In his golden years he
seems intent( or perhaps content) to make romantic
films that are sure to appeal to mature women. He
does manage to add enough flair to his films and
action that male viewers come away pleased at least.
The Horse Whisperer is filled with the breathtaking
scenery of Montana as a back drop to 2 stories. One
is the romance between a unhappily married working
woman and the handsome aging cowboy. The second
story, and in my opinion the best story is of a
traumatized young girl, and her equally traumatized
horse. While slow in parts, overall the story is very
moving and involved. My advice to men everywhere is
take that special lady in your life to see this film.
She will love it! While you may very well come away
pleasently surprised.
GODZILLA
RATING: 2
stars
REVIEWED:6/2/98
Cheesy Japaneese
monster movies make a questionable source for great
movies. So how bad is Godzilla? As a monster, I have
to rate him pretty low. You never once really get to
bond with this colossis. Unlike King Kong, or even
the original Godzilla (who was just mis-understood)
This creature is too quick to really allow the
audience to see him clearly, or care if he gets shot
down. The acting is fair to poor, the special
effects, are nothing new and overall the movie seems
never really threatning. Rent it on video some night
when the tube is bare.
LETHAL WEAPON 4
RATING 5
Stars
Reviewed 7/1/98
REVIEW: Sequels are always nothing but more of the
same. In the case of Lethal Weapon 4, that's GOOD
NEWS! Mel, Danny, Joe & Renne are back and having the
time of their lives making this film. The infectious
fun includes all the elements of the previous films,
chases, gun fights, fist fights, and more than one
reference to the fact "Their getting too old for this
sh.."If this is indeed the last of this action packed
series, then it will go out in style and still strong
& funny.
THE X
FILES
Rating 3 1/2
Stars
Reviewed on 6/24/98
Review: Trust No
one! The truth is out there! Sound familiar? Well, in
fact the X files movie seems all too familiar. Not
really a movie at all, but a very well put together 2
hr TV episode. Viewers who go see this movie hoping
to "get into" the x-files will be hopelessly
confused. Viewers who come to this film to find out
LOTS of deeply burried secrets will leave
disappointed. The ones who lay down their money to
keep the Alien Colonization storyline flowing, will
be the ones who get the most out of this movie. You
can bet the new season will build more on this movie,
just as the movie built on the seasons end. The
Special effects were much better than any the TV can
bring us. Martin Landau is about the only new
character, and plays his part well. All the other
cast members show up in this film looking and acting
like they just stepped out of your TV and onto the
silver screen. For the most avid crazed X Fans, this
movie will no doubt be a bit disappointing. For the
average viewer, this movie will make the new season a
bit more understandable.
SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
Rating:
4½ stars.
Reviewed on
8/6/98
Review:The first 20 minuets of this
movie grips you by the throat and leaves you
breathless. Never has the insanity of war, or man's
inhumanity been so vividly recreated for the silver
screen. Baby Boomers like myself will for the very
first time perhaps understand the hell our fathers
and uncles called "the Big One".
Steven
Speilberg once again shows us that he is one of the
best movie makers today. His intelligence, and
maturity as a director shine throughout this gut
wrenching film. Tom Hanks and Henry Thomas give
remarkable preformances. To his credit Matt Dameon
keeps a modest presence in this film as the Title
Character. His superstardom did not inflate his ego,
and cause him to try and upstage the real stars of
this movie.
All the fear, pain, loss and
horrors of WW2 are recreated on the screen and I am
sure this film will teach the younger generation a
new level of respect for those who saw action in
Europe. Don't look for any Rambo type action heros
in this movie. Just a real depiction of ordinary men
faced with the madness of war.
THE MASK OF ZORRO
RATING: 4 stars
REVIEWED:
8/20/98
Antonio Banderas steps into the role of
Zorro, and brings a flair & humor seldom seen in the
old Hokey Tv show or the old movies. This movie
should please any who go for the pure enjoyment of a
swash-buckling, action, adventure film.
Anthony Hopkins starts off the film as the masked
swordsman in an opening scene full of great
swordplay. I had a hard time buying into Hopkins as
a young, in his prime Zorro. However when he ages 20
yrs, he fits the role of a elderly, tormented Zorro
perfectly. Likewise Banderas was out of his element
as a scruffy, small time bandit.
Once the
roles are set for the second 3/4 of the film both
actors really fit perfectly. Zorro slashes and
dances across the screen with style and flair. Good
summer escapism.
Email: trapairian@webtv.net
